why does baking soda and vinegar unclog the drain?

When I was a kid I used to augment the weak chemistry sets I got for Christmas with household chemicals including drain cleaners, ammonia solutions, bleach, etc.Drano is sodium hydroxide with little bits of aluminum it it. The reaction when water is added is to generate intense heat and a vigorous gas release. I'm sure that the heat and the alkalinity worked on the clog.On the other hand, there are some liquid drain cleaners that consist of a very strong solution of sulfuric acid and not much of anything else. Sulfuric acid also releases lots of heat when added to water. The acid also dissolves fat and grease. Of course you are introducing some pretty toxic stuff into your water system.Mixing sulfuric acid with drano is a bloody stupid idea. As a kid I always wondered what would happen if I poured liquid drain clear into a can of drano, but I never got the nerve to do it.

Uh, okay. Please take some video and have a family member post it afterwards.ABE:Perhaps my post was irresponsible. The biggest issue with playing around with sodium hydroxide is the chance of getting the stuff on your skin and eyes. Permanent damage can be done to the eyes in particular with even small contact with the stuff. Not stuff to play around with without proper safeguards.Edited by NoNukes, : No reason given.

Lol!Well at least they were keeping some of the lead out of the environment.

I figured you'd be okay. I was more worried about others following your example and cracking open their car batteries over a sink full of Drano.Have at it bro!