There’s nothing worse than taking a shower and having the water pool at your ankles because of a blocked drain. While a plunger may be an effective cleaning gadget for your toilet, it’s not as effective on shower or sink backups. If plunging doesn’t work first, then you can try using a drain cleaner as a second method before calling a professional, according to Lou Manfredini, a home expert at Ace Hardware. Even if you don’t have a current clog, having a drain cleaner on standby can be handy, since they often happen unexpectedly. But when it comes to shopping for this household item, it’s hard to know what will help or hurt your pipes, or do nothing at all.
To help you pick a good drain cleaner, we spoke with Manfredini and other plumbing experts and asked them what to look for when shopping and how to prevent clogs in the first place.
*Any inclusion of products from Ace Hardware in this story was made independently of Manfredini, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Manfredini for product recommendations.
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How we picked the best drain cleaners
Tackling a clogged drain can be tricky. You want to remove the blockage without damaging your pipes. To find a formula that will work for you, experts recommend paying attention to the following:
- Formula type: Most drain cleaners are either caustic (corrosive), enzymatic or oxidizing (more on this below). We included all of these types of drain cleaners below, meaning all of them use ingredients like sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite, bleach or proteins to dissolve clogs.
- Clog type: It sounds like a no-brainer, but pay attention to the packaging. I included drain cleaners that address all types of clogs to meet all needs, including the most common ones like hair. In addition to using a drain cleaner for hair clogs, Manfredini also recommends using a device to stop the hair from flowing into the drain. All of the drain cleaners below address hair and other types of clogs.
- Fast-acting: When water won’t flow down a drain, you don’t want to wait for a cleaner to work. There are plenty of fast-acting formulas on the market that efficiently break down debris. The majority of the drain cleaners on this list start to work in 30 minutes or less, though some may take longer to fully clear the clog.
The best drain cleaners of 2026
All of the recommendations below are either directly from our experts or NBC Select, or have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon.
My old apartment had a shower drain that consistently got clogged. This drain cleaner became my best friend — it works quickly and clears hair quickly. According to the brand, the caustic formula works on all kinds of pipes (including metal and PVC) and won’t corrode them. To use, pour a fifth of the bottle down your drain, wait seven minutes and then flush with hot water. It will work on clogs caused by hair, soap scum, food and more, according to Drano.
This drain cleaner is safe to use on pipes, drains and septic systems, according to the brand. It’s effective on grease, oil, fats, foods and other materials that tend to accumulate around the lining of a drain, especially in the kitchen. It has an enzymatic formula, meaning it’s free of bleach and sodium hydroxide. It works by digesting the material and turning it into a biodegradable liquid, according to the brand.
This non-corrosive formula helps to dissolve hair, grease and soap scum. It can be used on all types of pipes, including copper and PVC, and has no harsh fumes, according to the brand. To use, pour eight ounces down your drain. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes and then flush with hot water. Let the solution sit in your drain overnight before rinsing for stubborn clogs.
Use this on slow-draining sinks and tubs. This odorless chemical drain cleaner works in as quickly as 60 seconds. Unlike the other formulas on this list, which are all liquid, this one is a solid. Shake the crystals down your drain, sit for a few minutes and run hot water. One thing to note: It’s really important to run the water for a while to fully flush out the crystals — missing any could lead to corroded pipes.
One of the more popular drain cleaning brands on the market, Liquid-Plumr has various options. This one is specially formulated to clear hair clogs in plastic and metal pipes. The oxidizing cleaner also works on food particles but will not clear grease. To clear a clogged drain using this product, pour the entire bottle down the drain, wait 15 minutes and flush with hot water.
This unique formula is a cross between a caustic cleaner and a mild enzyme cleaner. According to the brand, it should be used on hair or grease clogs. It cannot remove food or toilet paper clogs. One bottle of drain cleaner provides two applications. Just pour half the bottle down your drain, let it sit overnight and then rinse with hot water in the morning.
Bio-Clean fits the bill. It uses a combo of naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes to clear grease, hair, soap scum, food and paper. To use this product, you’ll mix up to three tablespoons of it with up to three pints of water, then use that water to flush the clogged drain.
Gary Hickel, the service plumbing manager at Accurate Mechanical Inc., recommends trying the brand Zep to clear drains at home. This powder works on toilets and sinks, though it isn’t recommended for heavy hair clogs, according to the brand. Hickel recommends using drain cleaners like this quarterly as regular maintenance to keep drains working properly.
How do drain cleaners work?
There are several types of drain cleaners that use different ingredients to clear out multiple types of clogs. These are the common types of drain cleaners you’ll come across:
- Caustic cleaners: These types of drain cleaners use a corrosive chemical, like sodium hydroxide, to break down things like hair, grease and food. However, these types can sometimes wear away at certain types of pipes. For example, some are safe to use for a bathtub but not a toilet, so it’s best to always read the product label to know what types of pipes each drain cleaner is safe on.
- Enzyme cleaners: These tend to be more gentle on pipes compared to caustic drain cleaners or ones that contain chemicals like bleach or sodium hydroxide. Some brands have enzymatic options as well as ones that are free bleach and sulfuric acid, such as Green Gobbler.
- Oxidizing cleaners: Another popular type of drain cleaner, oxidizing cleaners tend to have oxidizing ingredients, such as bleach or sodium hypochlorite to break down clogs. Some of these types overlap with caustic cleaners.
No matter what formula you use, they tend to have similar instructions. You’ll need to pour the cleaner down the clogged drain, wait a certain amount of time (usually 15 to 30 minutes) and then run hot water down the drain to flush out any remaining matter.
Frequently asked questions
What causes clogged drains?
Several things can cause a backup in your pipes, but hair is definitely the most common, according to Manfredini. This is why he recommends using a screen or drain cover to stop hair from getting in the drain. With that said, grease and oil also contribute to many drain clogs, which is why it’s especially important to not pour grease down a kitchen sink, for example, to prevent clogs, according to Manfredini. Many of the drain cleaners above, however, are often enough to tackle these types of clogs.
How do you prevent clogged drains?
While drain cleaners can help you if your pipes do get clogged, it’s even better if you can work to prevent clogs from happening in the first place. Some things you can do to remove things that cause clogs include clearing the hair from your drain after every shower, using a drain cover to catch food when washing dishes and keeping a grease jar by your sink to pour excess grease into (rather than pouring it down the drain). These very small, easy moves can help prevent drains from occurring.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Lou Manfredini is a home expert at Ace Hardware.
- Gary Hickel is the service plumbing manager at Accurate Mechanical Inc.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Select who covers beauty, home and lifestyle. I’ve written about nail care, toilet bowl cleaners, beef tallow as moisturizer and more. For this story, I interviewed cleaning and plumbing experts about the best drain cleaners.
Cory Fernandez is a commerce editor at NBC Select, where he writes about kitchen, home appliances and cleaning. He’s written about how to clean hardwood floors, the best shower cleaners and more. He contributed additional reporting for this story.
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