A lot can go wrong if you’re cleaning a drain by yourself. That is why you should contact your local plumber to help you unclog the drain. However, if, for some reason, you are not able to do so, then there are a number of safety tips to keep in mind so you don’t cause severe physical harm to yourself or your family.
1. Wear Protective Clothing
Before you start DIY drain cleaning, it is important that you wear protective clothing so you stay as safe as possible. Some of the protective clothing you can invest in are goggles and leather gloves. Leather gloves protect against sharp objects that may be hiding in the drain, while goggles protect your ears from mud. Furthermore, you should take off your necklaces and jewelry so they don’t get dirty during drain cleaning.
2. Use Only the Recommended Drain-Cleaning Chemicals
Some chemicals react to drain water and produce fumes that can be harmful. The toxic fumes that come out from this reaction can cause many different complications, including breathing tract injuries and even death. For this reason, ensure you know the details of the cleaning chemicals you plan to use before you clean your drains. If you have never used a drain-cleaning chemical, be sure to contact your local plumber for recommendations and advice.
3. Be Careful of Splashbacks
A splashback tends to occur when you are pouring a chemical cleaner into a drain but it splashes back towards you. If the chemical cleaner you are using contains acid, then you may suffer from skin burns and even blindness. When cleaning the drain on your own, be careful of splashbacks. One way to achieve this is to wear appropriate protective clothing during the drain-cleaning process.
4. Do Not Combine Cleaning Chemicals
Combining drain-cleaning chemicals can create a highly hazardous situation, which, in turn, can put the health of your family at risk. Most homeowners tend to use different types of cleaning chemicals if they are not able to unclog their drains the first time. Having said that, should you find yourself in a similar situation, the best thing to do is to contact an experienced plumber to help clean your drains.
5. Observe All the Drain Snake Safety Precautions
An electrically operated drain snake does a good job of cleaning drains, which is why most plumbers highly recommend it. However, since this drain-cleaning tool is electrically powered, it is important to observe all the safety precautions when using it. Remember, you are using an electrical device around water, and this can lead to electrocution, electric shock, or severe physical harm if you’re not careful.
DIY drain cleaning may sound like a good idea. However, you should only consider it when you know what you are doing. If you don’t want to deal with the trouble that comes with DIY drain cleaning, consider calling your local plumber. At A Better Plumber, we are dedicated to providing professional drain cleaning services to the residents of Waldorf, MD.
