Will Drano Damage a Stainless Steel Sink? (Best Advice)

Drano is a popular solution used for unclogging kitchen sinks. It is an easy way to remove a blocked sink drain without any need to call for a plumber.

We know that all kitchen sinks are made up of stainless steel. But what happens if you use chemicals like Drano over it? Will it damage the stainless steel sink?

In this article, we shall explore whether it is safe to use Drano in a kitchen sink made up of stainless steel.

Will Drano Damage a Stainless Steel Sink?

No, Drano will not damage your stainless steel sink and it is perfectly safe to use it for unclogging kitchen sinks. Although Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Hypochlorite present in the Drano are harsh alkalis, they are neutralized by Sodium Silicate which prevents the corrosion of metals. So, due to the presence of Sodium Silicate as a corrosion inhibitor, you can confidently use Drano in your stainless kitchen sink.

Let us understand the action of all the ingredients present in Drano and find out how it doesn’t damage the metallic parts of the kitchen sink.

Major Ingredients Used in Drano

• Sodium Hypochlorite
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Sodium Silicate
• Polydimethylsiloxane
• Water

Among these ingredients, Sodium Hypochlorite and Sodium Hydroxide are highly alkaline chemicals. These alkali solutions are responsible for eating through the clogged food particles that block the kitchen sink drain.

Generally, these alkalis are strong enough to corrode metal. Especially, sodium hypochlorite is a very strong corrosive alkali. But fortunately, their corrosive action is prevented by the presence of Sodium Silicates.

As per the patent of P&G, Silicates are highly effective in inhibiting the corrosive actions of Hypochlorite solutions. So, the use of Sodium Silicate in Drano prevents the corrosive action of Sodium Hypochlorite.

Sodium silicate is a widely used ingredient in the detergent and dishwashing industries. It can form a barrier over the metal layer and prevent the corrosion caused by the alkali solutions such as Sodium hydroxide and Sodium hypochlorite.

So, when you use Drano for unclogging, it doesn’t damage the metal present in the sink pipe or the metallic sink itself. You can use it confidently to unclog your sink drain.

How can Drano Unclog the Kitchen Sink Drain?

We established the fact that Sodium silicate inhibits the corrosive behavior of alkalis present in Drano. Then how does it unclog the drain effectively?

Sodium silicate forms a protective layer over the metal surface and doesn’t let the alkali to reactive with it. This means that the silicate doesn’t mix with sodium hydroxide or sodium hypochlorite to reduce its alkali nature.

So, the corrosive nature of alkalis is still present in them. It will eat through the food and debris that is clogging the drain, thus removing the clog.

Here is a guide on how to use Drano for your kitchen sink:

• As soon as you find your kitchen sink to be completely clogged and not draining the wastewater, turn off the water pipe.
• Wear a pair of protective gloves and reach the strainer present in the sinkhole.
• Remove the particles and debris present in the strainer and clean it separately. After cleaning it don’t replace it over the sinkhole.
• Now using a plunger, give a few pumps over the sinkhole and check whether the water starts to drain.
• Your water may start to drain fully or partially. In either situation, you can start pouring the Drano clog remover into the sinkhole.
• You can leave the Drano inside the drain for a minimum of 10 minutes for normal clogs or a maximum of 30 minutes for heavy clogs.
• Then, you can use some hot water in the sink hole and wash the clog away easily.

If you use Drano in this method, you can easily get rid of the clog in the kitchen sink. It will not damage the sink metal and it will only eat through the clogged particles.

How Much Drano Should be Used in the Kitchen Sink?

According to Drano, you can use 16 ounces of their Max Gel Clog Remover solution inside the kitchen sink drain hole. You have to slowly pour it inside the sink drain and let it act on the particles. As for the Drano Kitchen Granules Clog remover, you can use 3 Heaping Tablespoons of the product for removing clogs.

Try to use appropriate Drano products for your kitchen sink. Because some sinks use garbage disposal units while others may not. So, if you are using a garbage disposal unit, then you must use the Drano Max Gel Clog Remover solution. If there is no garbage disposal unit, then you can simply use the Drano Kitchen Granules Clog remover.

It is not recommended to use it more than the prescribed level because too much Drano can have some kind of corrosive effect on the drainpipes despite the presence of Silicates. Therefore, try not to use more than the prescribed portions for unclogging the kitchen sink.

Conclusion

Drano is an excellent clog-removing solution for your kitchen sink. It doesn’t damage your stainless steel sink or the metal drainpipe.

Just try to limit the usage of the product within the recommended limits and you will not have any damage. But fixing the root cause of the clog or the drain will help you solve the issue permanently.