You’re stuck again. Or rather, your drain is. If you have a clogged drain, whether due to hair in your shower or grease in your sink, you’ve probably tried a number of potential solutions and can’t seem to decide what the best choice is. If you are looking for a plumbing tip to help you choose between Liquid Plumr and Drano, here are some things to help you decide.

Note that both products are long-standing on the drain clog removal market and both still have original formulas available, as well as specialty formulas for particular jobs. Comparing the two, both have sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochloride as active chemicals. They also have similar directions, which involve pouring a certain amount into the clogged drain and letting it set, then washing down with hot water and repeating as necessary. So, where does the difference lie, and how do you know if one is better than the other?

Here’s some plumbing tips that might help you decide.

• Liquid Drano has an additional active ingredient – sodium silicate – sometimes referred to as ‘liquid glass’, which can be helpful in cleaning out drains. However, it can also cause a reaction and solidify within the pipes, depending on what you’ve already put down your drain.
• One of the elements that causes a reaction with liquid glass is hydrogen, which is used in the formation of PVC pipes, meaning you wouldn’t want to use Drano on PVC drain pipes.
• If you have standing water over your clogged drain, take another plumbing tip – don’t buy a liquid drain cleaning product. Both Liquid Plumr and Drano offer gel clog removers that are made to cut through any water standing that’s down the drain.

What About Foam?

Here’s another plumbing tip that might make a difference to you. The foaming products can be useful, as it is made to expand to the shape of the pipe to get every nook and cranny. The Drano product uses a foam stabilizer to help control foaming too much, while the Liquid Plumr actually adds hydrogen peroxide, a mildly acidic bleaching chemical that can help clear the pipes.

Whichever product you choose, make sure you follow instructions, and be sure to check what type of pipes you are working with, in case one of the active ingredients could have a negative reaction. However if these products don’t seem to get the job done then it may be time to call in a professional plumber.