Modern plumbing is one of the most miraculous inventions that came from human ingenuity. They allow for the disposal of waste in a hygienic, efficient, and methodical manner.
Unfortunately, pipes and drains also often come with the issue of clogging and blockages. As a result, there is a common need of cleaning them up from time to time. This is where drain cleaners come in.
Through these useful chemical solutions, it’s possible to get rid of blockages in pipes. Clumps that are made up of hair, fat, various waste particles, and more could be dissolved easily, making it easier for you to flush them away.
Using these products, you can prevent shower drains overflow and clogged toilets and sinks. So if you are looking for excellent drain cleaners, the five drain cleaners we ranked could be the solution to your problems. They are effective, reliable, and won’t damage your pipes the way other drain cleaners might.
Also, be sure to click the yellow buttons below to see their best deals on Amazon! With that, here are five of the best options that we rounded up especially for you.
Best Drain Cleaners Comparison & Rating
1. AmazonCommercial Multi-Purpose Enzyme Cleaner
Brand | AmazonCommercial |
Dimensions | 6.1 x 6.1 x 11.68 inches |
Weight | 8.6 pounds |
Surface Recommendation | Toilet, Carpet, Drain, and Grease Traps |
This is one of the most powerful drain cleaners on the market. It will work on any surface and any stain, blockage, or smell. It can even be used in professional settings like hospitals, clinics, and laboratories. Naturally, you could also buy this for unclogging your kitchen sink, bathtub, and shower drain. Its cleaning speed can vary, but it will still work if given enough time.
2. Roebic K-97-Q-4 Laboratories, K-97 Main Line Cleaner
Brand | Roebic |
Dimensions | 14.5 x 8.25 x 9.25 inches |
Weight | 1 pound |
Surface Recommendation | Sewer or Septic |
If you have any clogged toilets that are causing you problems, use this drain cleaner. It will not only help clear any blockages but it will also help prevent future ones. Just pour the contents into your toilet bowl and flush. This drain cleaner is especially effective for clearing out the blockages in the mainline. Doing so will ensure that flushing your toilet will be smoother, faster, and less messy.
3. Roebic K-570-Q K-570 Biodegradable Leach and Drain Field Opener
Brand | Roebic |
Dimensions | 2.25 x 4.5 x 7.75 inches |
Weight | 1.9 pounds |
Surface Recommendation | Toilet Septic Tank |
This is a great drain cleaner that is perfect for unclogging your blocked drain. It will absolutely clear out your pipes and help facilitate a smoother flush. This can help you save a lot of money to have your pipes professionally cleaned. It will also help address issues with septic tanks that have not been cleaned for many years. It is especially helpful in getting rid of clogs that are caused by too much tissue paper.
4. CLR Clear Pipes & Drains
Brand | CLR |
Dimensions | 3 x 6 x 8 inches |
Weight | 2.62 pounds |
Surface Recommendation | Sink, Toilet, Shower, Drain |
You can use this drain cleaner to effectively clean your toilet and make sure that it stays clean. While it may take a while to take effect, you can be sure that it will eventually work. This product will work on practically any kind of waste blockage that prevents the smooth flow through pipes. Once it removes all of the blockages, this product will also help prevent clogging from happening in the future. Using a small amount on a regular basis will ensure that there won’t be pipe problems going forward.
5. Liquid-Plumr Pro-Strength Full Clog Destroyer
Brand | Liquid-Plum |
Dimensions | 3.75 x 7.07 x 10.7 inches |
Weight | 6.07 pounds |
Surface Recommendation | Bathtubs, Bathroom Sinks, Showers, Kitchen Sinks, Garbage Disposals |
This drain cleaner works quickly, with some cases seeing results in 30 minutes. This will even work with standing water so that the drain will get unclogged right away. You can use this for practically any kind of drain, as well. Whether you need it for your bathtub, your kitchen sink, or your shower drain, this will handle them all. Hair, soap suds, paper, grease, shampoo residues, and more will be cleared away quickly and easily.
Best Drain Cleaners - Buyer's Guide
There are many types of drain cleaners, including those made of powder, gel, liquid, foam, and so on. The importance of the type you choose will affect the effectiveness of the cleaners themselves and how well you will be able to use them. Generally speaking, though, your choice would depend on the surface you are working on and the level of blockage you are dealing with.
Drain cleaners can vary depending on what you can use them for and where. Some drain cleaners are multi-purpose in that you can use them to clean any clogged pipe and dirty surface. Then there are drain cleaners that are intended only for blocked toilets or kitchen drains. It’s important to pay attention to this detail so as to avoid causing damage to your pipes.
As with many things, drain cleaners can drastically differ in terms of quality. This is important to note because the quality of a drain cleaner will affect how well it can unclogged drains. The best ones will do so in a matter of minutes while others would take hours or longer. In the case of low-quality drain cleaners, they may not even work or will cause damage to your pipes.
In many cases, clogged drain pipes can be cleaned out after one or two cleaning sessions. As such, you should keep the size or amount of your drain cleaner in mind before buying one. Of course, this will also depend on how potent the chemical concoction is and how bad the blockage has become. Weaker drain cleaners will require you to use more of it in order to get the job done.
Drain cleaners are potentially dangerous by nature. As such, you will need to be careful if you are using them. In some cases, the chemicals can be harsh enough that they will irritate or damage your skin upon contact. On that note, there are also some drain cleaners that won’t pose that big of a risk. Unless you breathe in their fumes directly, using them is relatively safe.
Best Drain Cleaners - FAQs
Drain cleaners are potent chemical mixtures that are specifically intended to react to a variety of waste matter. In most cases, these reactions will involve softening and dissolving hardened particles that are causing clogs and blockages. Heat can also be generated, as a result, which will help in loosening the combinations of hair, grease, waste, and soap. As a result, they would detach and flow away more easily.
Generally speaking, yes, they do. Though drain cleaners can actually come in many forms such as powder, gel, liquid, crystals, and foam, they will function in much the same way. As such, it all comes down to how convenient you want them to be and what other purposes you may have for them. Some drain cleaners can actually be used for cleaning other surfaces.
Drain cleaners meant for clearing out pipes will work on pretty much any kind, regardless of where it is located or what it is used for. This means that the same drain cleaner you use for your toilet could also work on the pipes connected to your kitchen sink. However, it is generally advised to avoid doing this unless it is explicitly mentioned in the label that it works on both. Some drain cleaners can have mixtures that are too potent for relatively thinner and smaller pipes.
With drain cleaners being composed of potent chemicals, it is never a good idea to touch them directly with your skin. It would also be advised to avoid inhaling their fumes directly and they must never enter your body through your eyes, nose, mouth, or open wounds. As such, when using drain cleaners, you might want to wear a mask, gloves, and eye protectors.
