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Knowing that pipes are basically the blood vessels of our house, we should definitely take care of them. This means that you can’t just throw anything down the drain without any consequences.
Even though PVC pipes are pretty durable and they have solid chemical resistance properties, there are still some things that can damage them. Now, the real question here is how does bleach go with our pipes?
Well, some would say that bleach causes damage to our pipes, others say that bleach is completely harmless. So, we are here to see what is the truth, and what exactly happens when you use bleach to clean drain pipes.
Let’s begin.
Why should you Use Bleach and What To use it For?
First of all, bleach is a sodium hypochlorite that is commonly used to whiten stuff or to remove stains.
Also, bleach is known to be a very good disinfect substance, and therefore, it is recommendable to use bleach for cleaning.
However, you should know exactly how much bleach you can use for basically anything. If you happen to use a lot of bleach for cleaning, you will risk damaging the surface where you poured bleach in the first place.
Anyway, here are some ‘’do's’’ and ‘’don’ts’’ when it comes to bleach use:
Do:
- Use it on a dry surface
- Dilute it with water
- Wear gloves while working with the bleach
Don’t:
- Never mix it with other chemicals
- Don’t use too much bleach
- Don’t inhale fumes that bleach releases
So, as we can see, bleach is a good chemical substance that can be used for good only if you know how to use it. This means that you also need to know what to use bleach for, and not just use it without thinking what can it do to your surface or pipes.
Bleach is Safe for Bathroom Cleaning
Most people use baking soda or vinegar to clean their bathrooms when they lack a cleaning product. However, bleach is also a good thing to use if you want to get the perfectly cleaned bathroom.
So, you can use bleach for:
Toilet Cleaning
When you use bleach for cleaning of the toilet it is always a good idea to dilute it with water first. The undiluted bleach is definitely an overkill in this situation and it can damage the surface of the toilet.
But, the real question here is will the bleach harm our toilet plumbing? Of course not! If you spray diluted bleach all over the toilet and rinse it with hot water afterward, you don’t have anything to worry about.
However, it is not recommendable to pour bleach down the toilet drain directly.
Bathtub Cleaning
As any other bathtub, yours as well will get dirty with all sorts of stains. In that light, bleach is a good idea to whiten the surface of your bathtub and disinfect it as well.
But, if you have a clogged bathtub drain, using bleach won’t do much. Bleach is great for cleaning, but it is not that good when it comes to dissolving and removing clogs from the drains.
Sink Cleaning
Same as the bathtub cleaning, bleach can be used here to clean the surface. If you want to unclog your sink with bleach, simply don’t.
As we all know, the main reason for clogs and blockages are hair, feminine beauty products, mineral build-ups, and so on. Therefore, bleach can’t dissolve these substances and it will simply sit there in your drain until you unclog it.
There’s no Reason to Pour Bleach down the Drain
As we already mentioned, bleach is not that sufficient when it comes to unclogging. That’s why you don’t need to pour it down the drain in the first place. However, if you use bleach for surface cleaning, you will definitely benefit.
Now, what scares people the most is the bleach that travels through our drain pipes. Can bleach damage our pipes in some way? Is it safe to use it for cleaning?
All these questions have the same answer – No! Bleach will not damage your drain pipes.
If you use bleach properly and with caution, there’s no need to worry about any possible problems that might occur with your drain pipes.
On the other hand, if you try to pour bleach down the drain in big amounts, then yes, your drain pipes will definitely be damaged and you can just throw them. This happens because bleach is a very powerful chemical that can have severe adverse reactions with lots of other things.
And, as we all know, you can find all sorts of stuff inside your drains. That’s why you don’t need to pour bleach down the drain.
On the other hand, it is perfectly safe to rinse the bleach off of the surface you just cleaned. Everything will go down the drain, but, it won’t have any reactions if you use a proper amount.
Conclusion: Is Bleach Bad for Pipes?
As we can see, bleach is a useful and very convenient thing to use for cleaning. So, there’s no real reason to be scared of bleach damaging your drain pipes.
If you use it properly and in low amounts diluted with water, you will be just fine. The bleach is actually a pretty good way of getting your whole bathroom perfectly cleaned, but not your pipes.
If you want to pour drain cleaner down your PVC pipes, here is what we recommend: Best Drain Cleaner for PVC Pipes