The 10 Best Drain Cleaners of 2024

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Clear gross clogged sinks and drains without the frustration when you use the right products the first time.

Tanya Edwards is an award-winning writer and editor with bylines at The Boston Globe, CNN, Glamour, Yahoo, Allure, Refinery29, Aol, Huffington Post and many more. As a copywriter, she has worked on brand projects for Fresh Direct, Conde Nast, Meredith Publishing, and others.

In This Article

BETTER HOMES & GARDENS / LECIA LANDIS

When the shower water starts to pool around your ankles, you know it’s time to clear the drain. But pouring pipe-damaging chemicals down your drain is not the best option. While it’s important to address a slow drain before it becomes a major issue, it’s best to start with simple solutions.

If there is standing water in the shower or bathtub, Thomas Dougherty, vice president of operations of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, suggests using a plunger or a drain snake to clear the pipe. Additionally, a plumber’s snake with a small auger can often clear hair and debris from your pipes without using any chemicals.

When physically removing a clog isn’t possible, the next step is to break up the clog with home solutions. “Sometimes all it takes is very hot water to clear the path,” says Dougherty. “Be careful not to use boiling water. If the pipe is plastic, the high heat from boiling water could partially melt and deform the material.”

Another option is to use an enzymatic-based drain cleaner that eats away at build-up and debris. This solution may take longer to clear a drain than an acidic or caustic chemical drain cleaner, but in the long run it is a better solution because it prevents expensive damage to your pipes.

To find the best drain cleaners on the market we looked at a variety of forms, taking into account enzymatic vs. physical cleaners, time needed, and compatibility with different drain systems.

When using a drain cleaner, be sure to read the instructions and use the cleaner properly. Kevin Busch, vice president of operations for Mr. Handyman, strongly suggests taking a proactive approach, telling us to stay ahead of clogs and use cleaners as directed.

“Drain cleaner products vary but can be corrosive and have the potential to cause damage to your plumbing system (even metal pipes) if not used properly,” Busch says. “Maintain your pipes to prevent clogs in the first place.”

It’s effective for almost every clogging issue.

Some tough clogs may require a second application.

If you don’t have a bottle of this stashed under your sink already, consider this a major PSA: This gel-based drain cleaner will clear clogs in nearly any drain in your house. In just 15 minutes, Drano Max Gel, will clear up clogs in sinks, tubs, PVC, septic tanks, and garbage disposals.

It’s safe for piping and septic systems, with a thick gel that sinks into standing water to the source of the clog. The drain cleaner helps dissolve hair, melt soap scum and grease, and eliminates other messy clogs.

When you have a clogged drain, just pour this cleaner into the drain, wait 15–30 minutes, and run hot water to clear any further gunk out. Be sure to pour carefully, and rinse immediately if you get any on your hands. If the first pass doesn’t work, wait a few hours and follow the steps again.

We picked this as our best overall drain cleaner because it works in almost every situation, it’s widely available, and Drano also offers a money-back guarantee if this product doesn’t work.

Product Details: Form: Gel | Weight: 80 ounces | Time Needed to Use: 15 to 30 minutes

It’s safe for septic tanks and helps break down lint, soap scum, and hair.

This drain cleaner takes two hours to unclog drains.

Safe for septic systems, odorless, and biodegradable, the Xion Labs Greener Drain Clog Remover is our pick for sinks because it’s powerful enough to tackle tough clogs. The heavy gel formula sinks through water to fight any obstruction at its root.

To use, just pour half a bottle into the clogged drain slowly, then leave it alone for two hours. With an odorless formula, you won’t have a kitchen or bathroom that smells like chemicals. After two hours have passed, pour boiling water down the drain, which should now be cleared of the clog. For bigger obstructions, let the formula sit overnight.

We love this for sinks because it’s odorless, and the safe-on-pipes formula of Xion Labs drain cleaner won’t damage garbage disposals, pipes, or even septic systems. Since it’s designed to liquify fats, oils, lint, paper, hair, and other organic matter—common sink-clogging culprits—it’s a nice option to have on hand.

Product Details: Form: Gel | Type: Enzymatic | Weight: 32 ounces | Time Needed to Use: Two hours

It can reach and grab clumps of hair or food.

You may have to remove the drain stopper to use this drain snake.

We love a drain snake for a chemical-free option for cleaning out drains, and the Vastar Drain Snake is a great choice for the shower. Instead of pouring a chemical down your drain, this tool reaches deep in the drain pipes and mechanically removes clogs.

This plastic drain snake is 19.6 inches long and is covered in barbs designed to grab hair, the biggest clogging offender in the shower. To use, just feed gently into your shower drain (you may need to remove the drain cap) and push it in until you hit the obstruction. The Vastar is constructed to flex around curves and go deep into your pipes. When you find the obstruction, either break it up or pull it out, and you should be all set.

Be warned: Whatever you pull out of your shower drain may have a foul-smelling odor.

Product Details: Form: Plastic drain snake | Type: Physical | Weight: 0.05 lbs | Time Needed to Use: A few minutes

The packs are pre-measured, so you don’t have to figure out how much to pour.

It isn’t odorless and has a lemon scent.

If you’re dealing with occasional clogs, keep a box of these Green Gobbler single packs handy. Each package has three pre-measured, ready-to-use powder packets. To use, you simply sprinkle the powder down the drain, add water, and wait. There’s no need to measure, and you don’t have to worry about storing a hefty bottle of drain cleaner.

The drain cleaning kit also comes with five “grabber tools,” which are bright green, flexible tools you can use to physically dislodge any tougher clogs. As with many drain cleaners, for really tough clogs allow the powder to sit overnight to liquify any debris in your pipes.

These packs are odorless, so you don’t have to worry about a heavy smell in the air. They work for bathroom and kitchen sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, and floor drains. Green Goblin packs are also a great choice to keep in an RV or vacation home in case of a clogging emergency.

Product Details: Form: Powder pack | Type: Enzymatic | Weight: 0.5 lbs (for the box) | Time Needed to Use: 15 to 30 minutes

It can help tackle more unusual clogs, like sugar or flies.

You have to pour it down your drain every other day for a week.

This hardworking gel promises to cut through soap scum, gunk, and other organic matter to clear out tough clogs. Our pick for best gel drain cleaner, Rockwell Invade, is a little pricier than some of our picks, but the 1 gallon bottle is good for 32 uses, which brings the price per use down quite a lot.

The cleaner has a slight citrus scent from the natural oil in the formula, which works with the gel formula to stick to the sides of drains and pipes to prevent and neutralize clogs.

Beyond just clearing out clogs, the product can also eliminate drain flies, which can be tough to get rid of in the kitchen or bathroom, as the flies lay eggs in the debris in drains. Rockwell clears the clogs, and the citrus oil kills flies in the process. The cleaner can also be used for soda fountain drip trays to unclog sugar clogs. This gel cleaner is safe for septic systems and promises to be easy on your pipes while clearing out clogs (and flies!).

To use, pour along the sides of the drain, using about 4 ounces of liquid for a 4-inch drain. Repeat every other day for a week, then use once a week or as needed. There’s no need to rinse with water after pouring the cleaner down the drain.

Product Details: Form: Gel | Type: Enzymatic | Weight: 1 gallon | Time Needed to Use: A few minutes, three to four times per week initially

It’s an environmentally friendly solution for cleaning your garbage disposal.

It’s more expensive than other options.

While many of the products on this list claim to be safe for garbage disposals, we like Bio-Clean for its combination of naturally-occurring bacteria and enzymes to digest organic waste such as hair, grease, soap scum, paper, food particles, and more.

Enzymatic cleaners work more slowly and gently than chemical-based cleaners, so you’ll want to use this overnight. Using natural bacteria and enzymes, enzymatic cleaners are formulated to digest dead organic waste found in your plumbing system. This product will basically eat all of the debris caught in your disposal, leaving you with a fresh-smelling sink and kitchen.

The powdered product comes in a large canister. To use in your garbage disposal, mix 1 tablespoon of powder with 1 pint of water. Quickly pour it down the drain with the disposal on to allow the product to disperse on the sides of the drain, and then turn the disposal off. The environmentally safe cleaner has enough product for 100 drain treatments. It works best on slow-flowing drains or as a monthly maintenance product for keeping your garbage disposal clear.

Product Details: Form: Powder | Type: Enzymatic | Weight: 1 pound (canister) | Time Needed to Use: Overnight

It cleans your washing machine’s pump, valve, tub, drum, agitator, filter, and hose.

The cleaner has a citrus scent.

Drain backups in washing machines can happen, and it’s not recommended to just pour in any drain cleaner. The best drain cleaner for washing machines is the Affresh washing machine cleaner, which has EPA Safer Choice-certified ingredients.

The powder time-release tablets not only run through the machine’s hose, but they also clean the pump, valves, tub, drum, and filter. Affresh will work for top- and front-loading washers, including high efficiency. To clean your washing machine, add one tablet to your empty machine and run a normal hot water cycle. Directions vary minimally between types of washers, so read carefully.

The cleaner tablets work by foaming up in water and using surfactant chemistry to break up odor-causing residue and grime. The product does have a citrus scent, so if you’re not a fan of odors or have certain allergies, this might not be the right cleaner for you. To get the most of this product and your washing machine, use a tablet once per month.

Product Details: Form: Powder tablets | Type: Foaming cleaner | Weight: 40 grams per tablet | Time Needed to Use: The length of a normal wash cycle

The odorless formula works overnight to break down grease.

The gallon-sized container is intended for a single use.

Grease is one of the top kitchen sink cloggers, and while it’s best to keep as much grease out of your sink as possible, sometimes grease buildup happens. The Instant Power Hair and Grease Drain Opener is an easy-to-use product that's reliable and effective on grease and other clogs in your home.

It has a special non-acid formula that works to break down solid materials and allow water to flow freely once again. It’s also odorless and fumeless, so you don’t have to worry about a chemical-heavy smell when you use it.

This drain cleaner can be poured through main sewer lines, as well as interior lateral and vertical lines and is safe for all septic systems and pipes. For the best results, pour the whole bottle down your sink and allow it to sit overnight. The formula will dissolve grease and other solid materials so your water can flow freely again. After eight hours, flush the drain with hot water for five minutes.

Product Details: Form: Liquid | Type: Caustic | Weight: 128 ounces | Time Needed to Use: Overnight

If chemical cleaners aren’t working, this tool can physically dislodge debris.

This type of cleaner can require some elbow grease and concentration.

Hair is one of the top causes of bathroom clogs. Whether in the shower or sink, many of us shed enough hair to eventually cause a drainage issue. The best way to get stubborn hair clogs out is often physical removal, and this kit has all the tools you need to get it done.

With 360-degree rotation and a length of 18 inches, this drain cleaner reaches deep into your pipes to break up or retrieve clogs caused by hair without any damage to your drain. This tool's thin and flexible material allows it to get through curves in pipes to get hair from the hardest to reach places.

It comes with a reusable plastic handle and five drain snakes, with a brush-like material on the ends of the snakes. Just feed it down your clogged pipes, and the micro-hook tip will grab hair, debris, and gunk. Pull out the debris and throw the gunk and the wand away in a trash can. Because it is simple and efficient to use, it’s good for drains clogged by hair.

Product Details: Form: Plastic handle, plus five refill wands | Type: Physical | Weight: 2.8 ounces | Time Needed to Use: Minutes, depending on your skill at pulling hair out

It fits both round and oblong toilet bowls.

It doesn’t come with a drip tray.

Before resorting to using chemicals or a plumber’s snake with an auger, a plunger is the easiest solution for toilet clogs. “Everyone should have a plunger at home to help them get through unexpected clogs. This is the first tool to try if the clog is in your toilet,” says Thomas Dougherty, Vice President of Operations of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.

We like this beehive shaped plunger because it work well on any style of toilet, including high efficiency toilets, and it creates a good seal that effectively unclogs most toilet issues. The t-shape grip also makes this plunger easier to hold and use. It has a telescoping handle so that the plunger can be shortened to fit under a sink vanity or in a linen closet for storage.

While unclogging a toilet is not a glamorous job, this plunger’s design helps create a good seal so that you don’t experience a gross splash back when using it. It doesn’t come with a drip tray or a holder to rest the plunger when not in use.

Product Details: Form: Plastic handle, rubber plunger | Type: Physical | Weight: 1.4 pounds | Time Needed to Use: a few minutes

Our pick for the best overall drain cleaner is the Drano Max Gel. It's safe for pipes and septic systems, and can clear clogs like hair or grease in little as half an hour.

Drain cleaners come in many forms, including pourable cleansers, powders, and tablets. There are also physical tools that are fed into drains to clear clogs. We recommended using a physical tool to unclog drains first, and resort to a pourable solution if the clog persists.

The two types of liquid cleansers you’ll see the most while shopping are chemical-based and enzymatic.

Chemical-based drain cleaners are either caustic or acidic. They generally work the fastest, but also have the potential to cause more damage. For example, acid drain cleaners usually contain sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid and when the chemicals come in contact with the clog, there is a chemical reaction that releases heat.

This heat can melt plastic pipes or corrode metal pipes. While caustic drain cleaners are effective at clearing clogs, they are also dangerous if they touch your skin and they can lead to corrosion of the pipes.

Depending on the type of pipes you have in your home, damage can occur when using chemicals. PVC pipes can warp or soften from heat generated by chemical use. For metal pipes, excessive use can cause pipes to corrode and, in extreme cases, cause holes to develop.

Enzymatic cleaners will clear clogs more slowly and are usually less harmful to your plumbing. The bacterial enzymes in the cleaner slowly break down natural blockages, like hair and food, but might not be strong enough to dissolve a complete blockage.

For other blockages, a physical cleaner, such as a drain snake, a plumber’s snake with a small auger, or a plunger, may be needed to dislodge clogs.

Given the damage that drain cleaners can cause, it’s important to integrate preventative clogging practices into your cleaning routine after removing a clog, so you don’t have to regularly rely on chemical drain cleaners.

This varies depending on the type of cleaner and what it’s being used for. Some cleaners suggest pouring the entire bottle on a clog. Other bottles or tablets are meant for repeat use. When shopping, consider if you have a one time only clog or if you’re dealing with ongoing issues.

When shopping for a drain cleaner, consider if you need something unclogged quickly or if it’s not a pressing issue. Many chemical cleaners work fairly quickly, while others may take eight hours or a few applications to unclog drains. Be sure to read the specific instructions for your drain cleaner to make sure you are using it correctly.

Homes built in the 1900s may have pipes made from lead, steel, or copper. In the last few decades PVC pipes have been more popular because they’re lightweight, easy to install, and they won’t rust or corrode like the older metal pipes. One downside of PVC is that it is susceptible to damage from heat and glued joints can be more prone to deterioration.

Whether your home has metal or plastic pipes, there is a risk of damaging your pipes with frequent chemical drain cleaner use. Metal pipes can corrode faster and possibly leak, and plastic pipes can weaken or leak because of damage from chemical drain cleaners.

Both of the plumbing professionals we spoke to recommended using enzymatic drain cleaners to treat and maintain your pipes safely.

Drain cleaners can cause damage to your pipes if not used properly. If a drain cleaner is necessary, make sure to start with the least damaging solutions first. You can run hot water (but never boiling water) down the drain to see if you can clear the clog.

“If hot water isn’t enough on its own, recreate your middle school volcano project with a mix of equal parts vinegar and baking soda and send it down the drain. With luck the foam will clear or dislodge the clog,” Dougherty says.

Using a physical drain cleaner, such as a drain snake or plumber’s snake with a small auger, can be an effective way to clear clogs caused by hair. In order to prevent any damage to your pipes, it’s always a good idea to start with the simplest solutions first.

Using a drain cleaner in the dishwasher is not ideal, according to Busch; however, he offers a great tip.

“The dishwasher's drain hose and/or other components could be harmed by drain cleaners, which could result in leaks and other mechanical issues,” he says. “Sometimes simply running the garbage disposal might fix dishwasher draining problems. However, the problem is usually bigger than that and should be handled with care. It is recommended to call a professional to drain your clogged dishwasher.”

It is not recommended to use a drain cleaner in the toilet. The best solution for a clogged toilet is to use a plunger. Typical clogs from waste are easily cleared with a high-quality plunger. If a toilet becomes clogged with paper products or other solid objects a plumber’s snake with an auger or grabber claw is an effective DIY solution.

Even if products claim to be flushable, nothing should be flushed in a toilet except for toilet paper. If there is a big clog of products that you can’t clear with a plunger or plumber’s snake, you should contact a professional plumber.

Busch again emphasizes the key to clearing out a clog with a drain cleaner is to follow the directions exactly if you don’t want to damage your pipes.

“Since drain cleaners have the potential to cause damage, you want to be sure you follow manufacturers recommended instructions and never overuse a drain cleaner product,” he explains. “If after following the manufacturer’s recommendations your drain is still clogged, it is best to contact a professional to assess your situation.”

Tanya Edwards is an award-winning writer and editor with bylines at Better Homes & Gardens and other publications. As the new owner of a 100-plus-year-old home, she’s become very familiar with plumbing and drain issues and loves a simple solution. For this story, Tanya spoke with Kevin Busch, vice president of operations for Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company, for guidance about how to best keep drains clean.

Megan Boettcher is a freelance writer for Better Homes and Gardens, writing about a variety of topics, including home design, holiday crafts, and more. To update this article with new product insights and recommendations, she interviewed Thomas Dougherty, vice president of operations of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.