What is the best drain cleaner? I’ll unclog those sluggish drains clogged by bath oils, soap scum, hairballs (in the shower), or grease in your shower, bathtubs, septic, or kitchen.
Plumbers are hard to come by during a holiday or weekends, and using a plunger or plumber’s snake is a dirty job.
So, get a fast-acting drain cleaner that’ll “eat” away from those organic clogs without corroding your PVC or metal pipes. Get a cleanser that won’t produce Hydrogen or heat. So, let’s get started!
Top 7 Best Drain Cleaner 2021
1. Whink Hair Drain Clog Blaster! 32 Ounce 2 Pack
Best for hair: Whink Hair Clog Blaster is a liquid clog remover for clogged drains. It’s a professional-strength that clears clogs caused by soap scum and hair.
View On AmazonThis liquid remover comes in a 32 OZ package that gives you enough solution to handle hair clogs within a short time.
Because of its powerful formulation, you can just pour right through standing liquids, and within 5-10 minutes, your clogging problem gets solved. This product effectively removes hair and grease out of your drain within no time.
Now: If you discover that your kitchen sinks are frequently clogged with hair, I believe the most important investment you should have at hand is WHINK HAIR CLOG BLASTER.
The product will undoubtedly be practical when another clog strikes. Whink Hair Clog Blaster can be used in both residential and commercial drains. Its professional-strength ensures that it clears the toughest clogs ever imagined.
Besides, it’s quite unpleasant to have to hair and grease from the drain manually. The good news is that there’s a liquid remover that can get the work done while saving you from directly contacting the mess.
- Highly durable and easy to use
- Quick action time
- Won’t corrode drain construction material
- Skin allergies
2. Roebic K-97-Q-4 Main Line Drain Opener Concentrate
Best for the mainline: K-97 Main Line Cleaner is a powerful drain that can be used in various plumbing systems to remove stubborn clogs. They are mainly used in sewer and septic tanks. Sewage and other waste are likely to build up in central and sewer lines, causing septic tanks.
This disruptive organic accumulation can rapidly cause clogging challenges. However, the K-97 Main Line drain cleaner clears this accumulated material and swiftly restores correct flow, ensuring your main lines are problem-free.
This product naturally breaks down waste to keep sewer and septic tanks free of any material that can cause clogging. It digests fats, paper, and grease in main sewage lines. Roebic K-97 is ideal for toilets with a slow flow.
- Environmentally friendly
- Ideal for slow flowing toilets
- Useful for septic tanks and sewer
- Digests fats, paper, and grease in main sewage lines
- Might take longer to work if drain pipes are long
3. RID-X Septic Tank System Drain Treatment Powder
Best for Toilets: RID-X is a powerful product that quickly drains toilet clogs. The product contains many enzymes and natural active septic tank bacteria that have been scientifically tested and proven to break down and clear household wastes.
Question: Is your peace of mind affected because of the unbearable septic system? Or is your toilet the issue? Worry no more about septic system treatment!!
Let the RID-X Liquid formula perform the trick for you. With its unique dual-action formulation, the product digests wastes and helps avert septic backups.
Further, RID-X helps you prevent septic system maintenance that is linked to costly system backups. You can Promote a free-flowing and clean septic system by maintaining a consistently high bacteria population every day with RID-X Septic Tank Treatment.
The safety of septic tanks and all pipes is guaranteed with RID-X as it does not contain hazardous substances that can destroy the system or pipes. Constant use of RID-X ensures your pipes and methods are free from all clog caused by wastes.
It should be used on a monthly basis alongside regular pumping. RID-X Septic Tank System Treatment is the most efficient septic lines clog solutions. It has beneficial bacteria and enzymes (enzyme drain cleaners) that help to degrade wastes.
- Easy to use
- Supports the free-flowing septic system
- Affordable septic system maintenance
- Safe for septic tanks and all pipes
- Can cause eye irritation
- With prolonged contact, it can cause minor skin irritation
4. Rid-X Septic Tank System and Clog Treatment, Powder
Next up is the Rid-X Septic Treatment. I came to know this formula when my septic tank could not drain – and thus, it was overflowing. Definitely, it’s a little bit expensive, but it’s worth every penny.
Is RIDX useful for sewer systems? I can now comfortably keep my septic tank and sewer systems clean and low – quickly preventing septic backups.
The cleanser contains 100% natural bacteria and enzymes, the enzymatic drain cleaners, – mainly made up of Amylase, Lipase, and Cellulase. This means that the formula is safe to use with all pipes and construction materials and will quickly up all the household wastes.
Now let’s talk about the enzymes present. The Amylase will help eat away the starch making up the clog. Next, the Lipase will break down oils, fats, and grease. Further, Cellulase will eat away any vegetables, food, and all papers, causing the drain clog.
- Safe on drain pipes
- Quickly eats away all the grease and protein in the drain clogs.
- Not corrosive to your hands and body
- Ease of using in cleaning drains and septic systems.
- Not useful for entirely blocked drains.
5. Green Gobbler Hair & Grease Clog Remover
Green Gobbler DISSOLVE drain cleaner, an enzymatic formula will dissolve grease, hair, paper, and soap scum. So, do away with plunging by easily liquefying the organic matter blocking your drains.
Green Gobbler DISSOLVE is the best choice for your toilets, tub, shower hairs, and bathroom sinks, which are partially blocked. However, this product won’t be great for toilet clogs.
Equally, like Drano Max Gel, this formula is denser than water – and this means that the gel will penetrate any standing liquids, get to the clog and eat away the clog components.
What is the best drain cleaner for hair? So, empty one chamber of the Green Gobbler into the opening of your clogged drain. Allow 2-6 hours for the formula to liquefy the feminine wastes, baby wipes, toilet paper, soap scum, and hair. 
With pre-measured chambers, Green Gobbler drain cleaner is cost-effective as it allows you to avoid wastage. It’s valid for total blockages & slow-moving drains. Finally, pour HOT water into the drain.
Finally, Green Gobbler is eco-friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic for your cleaning purposes. It’s safe for all pipes like porcelain, metal, PVC, or copper. So, Current this Green Gobbler full review.
- Cost-effective as it comes in 2 pre-measured chambers
- Non-corrosive and non-irritating to human skin (definitely less caustic) or plumbing system.
- Efficient in unblocking partially clogged drains
- Fast-acting and powerful formula and Bio-degradable cleaner
- Not effective against or prevent complete drain blockages.
6. Bio-clean Drain Septic Bacteria, 2 – Green cleaner
This Bio-clean cleaner is a 100% natural concoction of enzymes and bacteria. The unclogger is a genetically created drain cleaner (won’t produce heat or fumes) – safe for the plumbing and the environment.
The Bio-Clean provides a natural method of cleaning clogged drains or doing the regular plumbing systems cleaning. Luckily, Bio-Clean (the 2 lbs) will unblock about 100 clogged drains.
It’ll break down all the organic wastes like live tissue, cotton, food, bath oil, grease, fat, or aliphatic fast to produce mineral ash, carbon dioxide, and H2O.
Bio-Clean won’t corrode your plumbing, including PVC or metal pipes. Luckily, the cleaner is fast-acting as it’ll unblock your drain in just 6 to 8 hours.
Bio-Clean’s bacteria doubles for every 30 minutes – thus spreading all over the plumbing system and break down the clog. Further, you can sprinkle Bio-Clean onto smelly litter to finish any odors.
So, use Bio-Clean on clogged/ blocked drains, bathtubs, grease traps, laundry drains in your house, restaurants, industrial areas, or educational institutions. Current the BIO-CLEAN (full review).
- Bio-cleaner made from enzymes & bacteria to quickly eat off the organic matter in drains and septic.
- Produces no heat or pother dangerous by-products
- Entirely Eco-friendly and thus equally safe for use around humans, your pets, and the piping system.
- Easy to activate with just H2O.
- Required 6-8 hours to work
7. Drano Max Gel Complete Clog Remover
Drano Max Gel will unblock any partial or complete drain blockages in just 15 minutes. It’s budget-friendly – the 80 oz. The bottle is enough for two treatments – hence it’s loved by homeowners. Drano Max Gel will eat away stubborn clogs caused by food bits, soap scum, hair, or grease in the kitchen or bathroom.
Drano drain cleaner is denser than water and will cut through standing water and eat it away clods in just 30 minutes! It dissolves the clog in 5-7 minutes faster than Liquid Plumr, but at a lower price.
Drano Max Gel is not suitable to prevent toilet clogs, but it’s excellent for drains in showers and bathroom sinks with hair clogs. It’s safe to handle, but you require can put on some gloves and quality goggles.
Further, its gel-like consistency makes this cleaner effective in unblocking complete clogs. Compared to THRIFT T-600, this formula is a little slower but will be useful in the long run.
Sodium hydroxide and Sodium silicate chemical eat vegetative matter (including mildew & mold) and coating pipe surfaces consequently. The surfactant blends the clog scum & dirt—current DRANO MAX GEL clog remover (full review).
How to Use DRANO MAX GEL? First, physically inspect the drain filter and remove solid particles like food or hair in the shower, kitchen, or bathtub drains. – Next, try using a plunger. Plunge the blocked drain until you see if there is some movement.
For partially clogged drains, pour (1/2) the formula into the drain and leave it for about 15 minutes. – Allow 30 minutes for entirely blocked drains – flow the whole bottle. Finally, flush the waste using hot water.
- Non-toxic and cheap cleaner
- Won’t corrode plumbing system including PVC & metal pipes
- Enzymatic action eats the organic matter without releasing heat or Hydrogen.
- Suitable for partial or total clogs.
- Sodium silicate coats the metal surfaces and thus prevents corrosion & rust.
- Not suitable for toilets
8. THRIFT FBA_T-600 T-600 Alkaline Granular
THRIFT T-600 drain cleaner will liquefy your tough blockages fast (either bath oils, grease, hair, or soap scum, ) in under 60 seconds – while other cleaners require 1.5 – 6 hours. Have you tried to drain snaking?
The Sodium hydroxide (Lye) is a non-acidic formula that’ll break down the grease and fats in the clog (in the presence of water) to form soap.
What is the best sewer drain cleaner? So, simply activate this caustic cleaner’s odorless crystals using HOT water to unclog the septic systems, grease traps, and sewer lines.
Equally, THRIFT T-600 – Sodium hydroxide (Lye) – is safe and the best in unblocking drains made from fiberglass, polished brass, acrylic, porcelain, or even metal & PVC pipes.
In addition to being non-toxic (and equally Eco-friendly), THRIFT T-600 enhances active bacteria growth in drain systems such as the septic tank.
Caution: For sinks and showers with standing water, first use a drain snake that’ll help create a suitable air hole for THRIFT T-600 to penetrate the clog.
– THRIFT produces violent bubbling if mixed with water. Thus, wear goggles & gloves for personal protection. Also, apply vinegar if the cleaner spills on your skin.
How to Use Thrift T-600 Alkaline? (i) First, boil 5 LITERS of water that’ll help you activate the alkaline crystals of Thrift T-600. We noted that Thrift T-600 is only activated using warm water. (ii) To gently warm the plumbing line, pour about ½ of the water into the blocked drain. Therefore, the water will sink deep to meet the settled clog.
(iii) Next, for personal safety purposes, put on goggles and gloves. Now, pour 1 cup of the drain cleaners into the opening of the clogged drain. (iv) Leave the crystals to work its magic for roughly 60 seconds. Finally, use the remaining HOT water to flush down the clog. However, if the drain is still slow-moving, repeat steps (iii) and (iv). Here’s the Thrift T-600 Review.
- Odorless crystalline – activate with hot water.
- It can remain in storage for long with its effectiveness.
- Works in under 60 seconds.
- Won’t corrode metal or PVC pipes, fiberglass, polished brass, acrylic, or porcelain.
- Don’t use on toilet bowls.
9. GreenPig Solutions 52 Safety Chemical Solution
GreenPig drain cleaner dissolves the solid waste, toilet paper – septic waste, grease, and sludge in 15-30 minutes – quite fast-acting.
The formula is cost-effective with its pre-measured packets (4 in number). GreenPig has active bacteria (~ 1 billion in 4 ounces packet) that’ll eat the solid waste, paper cuts, grease, and sludge – reduces backups and all bad odors.
Greenberg Solutions unblocks drains and dissolve the septic waste. The cleaner is pre-measured into packets for three months. The live bacteria keep sewage and drain flowing smoothly.
GreenPig Solutions is amazingly lightweight and small-sized, which means that it’ll be easy to handle and store. They say it’s fantastic for septic tank, toilet, and cesspit.
For your septic tank, just drop 1 of these pre-measured packets of the GreenPig Solutions formula once in 3 months. Check these Water Purification Tablets.
- Greenberg Solutions comes in packets that are pre-measured that
- Allow faster applications and making savings.
- It contains many active bacteria (1 billion) that’ll continue eating away the vegetative matter in the septic and clogged drains.
- Not toxic or corrosive
- None
10. Pure Lye Drain Opener (Comstar 30-500) Odorless 1 Lb
It is considered a natural formula that is biodegradable, non-acid, and odorless. 
Also, the best product does not create fumes or stink. Hence, it is highly recommended for homes, hospitals, schools, commercial buildings, cafeterias, and restaurants.
Further, Pure Lye drains cleaner chemical has a unique ability to dissolve grease, root growth, and hair fast in the septic systems. If the drain cleaner is used often, it can boost the growth of active bacteria in septic reservoirs and grease traps – Current the Pure Lye Drain Opener (full review).
- Environmentally safe and biodegradable cleaner
- Possess Odorless, Non-Acid properties that clear out drains
- If not used as instructed, Pure Lye can cause eye and skin irritation.
11. XIONLAB Safer Drain Opener for Hair + Grease
For Hair clog and bathtubs: Xion Lab is a fast-acting liquid cleaner that effectively clears grease and hair clog. Xion Lab is an Industrial Strength with an innovative formulation that acts as a clog drain cleaner for shower drains, bathtubs, and the kitchen sink.
Its biodegradable components also have a significant role in breaking down the wastes in the clogged drain because of its high pH level of 13; Xion Lab out-shines regular industrial-strength corrosive drain openers.
Xion Lab drain opener (full review) comes in a 32 Oz package and is recommended for use in residential and commercial drain systems. It is an odorless and non-toxic product, thus, safe for all types of pipes.
If applied as recommended, it will not irritate the skin as it is considered a safe septic cleaner. It’s also Nonflammable, Biodegradable, and Odorless.
- Easy to use
- Fact-acting drain opener
- Safe for all pipes and septic lines
- Non-hazardous
- Nonflammable
- Safe drain clog shredder
- Impressive clog removing power
- Can be ineffective on some stubborn clogs
How to Choose the Best Drain Cleaner
It’s time to do away with the shower or sink that’s backing up. Current how cleaners work and the ant killer. I advise that you use safety goggles and gloves when using Lye cleaner.
Which Drano works best? – the formula does not have the toxic sulfuric acid (high molar) – it’s safer for human skin and PVC or metal pipes, garbage disposals, or septic systems.
1. Chemicals Composition of Drain cleaner
Not all sinks, bath drains, and clogs and are made equal. The reason for the clog mainly depends on where you find the backup. Don’t use harsh cleaners on the toilet and bathroom drains, or kitchen sinks.
Choose organic drain cleaners to avoid damaging finishes and pipes or to preserve the environmental form harsh chemicals – is it a gel, powder, granular, and liquid.
Drano vs. liquid plumber – Particularly, the Drano Max cleaner is regarded as caustic and may be bad for your skin. Further, the Lye cleaner damages metal & PVC pipes by corroding or melting. But, it’s still better than liquid plumber since it’ll quickly clear those tough clogs and dissolve hair or hair food. Check the flea spray for the yard.
2. Type/ Cause of Clog
The first crucial step in determining which drain cleaners to pick is to be aware of the kind of clog you are dealing with. You can find out by pouring boiling water through the drain to ascertain any change in your drain.
If the blockage is due to hair that’s tangled, use a drain cleaner plus a drain brush and drain snake, or needle-nose pliers that’ll remove the hair. For soap clogs in the bathroom, shower, and laundry drains, use a mild drain cleaner in addition to pressure cleaning – with dishwasher detergent.
For blockages caused by fat, grease, and oil – try strong drain cleaners, plus run hot water down in addition to thorough plunging. Use mild cleaners for regular drain maintenance but choose the powerful cleaners to unblock a Current drain.
3. Place of Use – Bathroom or Toilet, Kitchen sink?
If no improvement is seen, then it’s time to consider a professional. But before taking that step, maybe you should try to fix the clog using the right cleaner product.
Now: If the clog is in the bathroom sink, then there is a high probability that the clog is associated with hair. If it’s the kitchen sink is the one that is blocked, then its leading causes can be grease, oil, food, or other materials related to food wastes.
It’s great to note that the current market is endowed with such high quality and powerful liquid drain products that are remarkable at unclogging all types of clogs.
3. Safety Considerations
Never apply the cleaner in a non-ventilated and enclosed area; it can be unsafe. Therefore, pay close attention to your septic system and ensure you pick the right filter. Current methods for wrong chemicals may interrupt the normal functioning of the septic, and kitchen sinks can lead to costly repairs.
Powders are useful for slow-moving drains but not sufficient for quick unclogging. As a result, you must carefully assess the kind of ducts or pipes you are unclogging since not all cleaning products can be applied to each type of drain. To ascertain that no damage happens, carefully Current the cleaner bottles and assess the types of drains they can use.
Cleaning the Clogger Drains – Step- by Step
a. Cleaner for bathroom Drains:
The biggest culprit of bathroom drains hair. The hair combines with body washes, shampoo, soap scum, and other wastes to form a clog. But you can easily fix hair clogs completely using Whink Hair Clog Blaster.
b. Cleaner for kitchen Drains:
In my analysis of top Cleaners, I noted that clogs in the kitchen sink are normally caused by soap residue, food particles, and grease. When you are handling this kind of clog, it is recommended that you use a chemical drain cleaner, like Pure Lye.
These chemicals are created to attack any waste accumulation in pipes and dissolve it, allowing drains to open up; hence, smooth liquids flow. However, if you have a stubborn clog, you are advised to apply the chemical cleaner several times, and you will achieve the best results.
c. Cleaner for Toilets:
Typically, toilet clogs are caused by waste from humans. Before you commence adding chemicals to your toilets, establish if your toilet is connected to a city sewer system or a septic system. If it’s connected to a septic, you can apply your desired toilet cleaner. However, if you’re connected to a city sewer, it might be hard for you to use drain cleaning products.
d. Enzyme drain cleaner:
Irrespective of whether you are connected to a city sewer or septic system, you may safely apply products that contain enzymes and bacteria that are mainly intended to safely attack the cause of toilet clogs. Such developments would dissolve the organic substance without introducing hazardous chemicals into the H2O supply.
Drain Cleaner FAQs
1. Liquid-Plumr vs. Drano
2. Is It Safe to Leave Drain Cleaner Overnight?
3. Does Drano Unclog or Dissolve hair?
4. Can coke Unclog a Drain?
Conclusion
In this guide, we’ve examined and listed drain cleaners that have lived up to their expectation and give the desired results. These industrial strengths are useful for residential or commercial units. Many cleaners are formulated from chemicals.
Hence, there can be strong odors involved. The container’s instructions will inform you if there is any strong smell; after all, you can smell the product yourself and make your conclusions.
