Are Drano® Products Safe to Use in Garbage Disposals?
Apr 8, 2012 4:16 PM
Q: I use Drano® products for my shower clogs, but I’m not sure if I should use these products in my garbage disposal. Can you help?
A: We get this question a lot, as sinks with garbage disposals can get clogged pretty easily. Often times, certain types of food will cause the clog. The most common culprits include banana peels, coffee grounds, eggshells and potato skins, as these foods don’t grind well in disposals. Also, grease and oil do not get broken up by disposals and can stick to the inside of your pipes.
Another common reason for clogs is a lack of flushing water. Garbage disposals require a steady stream of cold faucet water whenever they’re grinding away. Without the faucet running, water does not carry the waste material fully through the drainage system. The result? One annoying clog.
The good news is that with the exception of Drano® Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover*, all Drano® products are safe for use in garbage disposals. These products include Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover, Drano® Dual Force™ Foamer, Drano® Prevention and Drano® Liquid Clog Remover.
If there’s a partial clog in your kitchen sink (i.e., slow-moving water) and you have a garbage disposal, we recommend using Drano® Dual Force™ Foamer. If standing water in the sink won’t drain, we recommend Drano® Max Gel— it pours through water straight to the clog.
Just remember that when you turn your disposal on after using a Drano® product, keep hands, face and children away from the drain opening—the formula may still be present in the drain and splash-back could occur.
As a general rule for preventing garbage disposal clogs, just keep that faucet water flowing while you’re using the disposal (don’t run the water while you’re using Drano®) and keep the heavy foods out of the drain and in the trash. Good luck!
*Note: Drano® Kitchen Crystals is not recommended for sinks with garbage disposals because of the heat it creates inside your drain. When you turn on your disposal, splash-back of hot water could occur.