Drano is a household name in the U.S., synonymous with robust drain cleaning action. Drano Max Gel Clog Remover is their most powerful formula yet, with all of Drano’s power in a thick gel formula that quickly sinks into stagnant water to coat and dissolve clogs. Grease, hair, food particles, and anything else stuck in your drain are dissolved within minutes by the gel’s powerful caustic cleaning agents.
Drano Max Gel Clog Remover is safe for bathtubs, kitchen drains, metal pipes, PVC pipes, and more. The main place to not use it is in toilets, where it can damage delicate seals and other components. It can also be used preventatively to keep drains clean, but we think it’s a bit overkill for that job.
The most notable caveat with this product is that if overused or used with old, worn, or corroded pipes, it could actually exacerbate the damage. Overall, though, it’s a fantastic drain cleaner when used for its intended purpose.
Gel formula allows you to clear clogs in standing water without bailing the water out first
Extremely powerful caustic ingredients work to dissolve hair, grease, food, and other clogs within 15 minutes
Suitable for kitchen sinks, garbage disposals, septic tanks, showers, and bathtubs
Easy to use; pour 16 oz to clear slowly draining drains or 32 oz to destroy stubborn clogs
Reasonably priced, especially considering its heavy-duty power
Cons
Harsh chemicals can produce toxic fumes and chemical burns
Can corrode or damage pipes, especially those with prior wear or damage
Not suitable for toilets because it can damage porcelain, PVC, and other components
Contains pollutants that wash into groundwater
Drano Max Gel Clog Remover – The Details
Gel Formula Ensures No Clog Goes Undiscovered
Gel drain cleaners are relatively new innovations, but they’ve proven extremely effective. Traditional liquid drain cleaners can’t be used in standing water because water will dilute them, so you have to bail out the water from your clogged sink before using the drain cleaner.
The gel formula solves that problem. The drain cleaner is thicker and heavier than water, so it instantly begins to sink through even the murkiest kitchen sinks. The gel also coats the pipes and removes build-up, doubling as a preventive measure. However, its main purpose is to target and destroy tough clogs caused by hair and grease, which are traditionally the hardest to get rid of.
Image Credit: robin gentry, Shutterstock
Heavy-Duty Chemical Cleaning Power
Move over, literally every other drain cleaner: Drano is here. Many people think it can’t be as effective as it’s hyped to be, but it is. Drano Max Gel has a laundry list of caustic chemicals like bleach and sodium hydroxide that make quick work of nearly anything you can pour down your drain. Gunked-up hairballs causing soapy water to pool around your feet in the shower? No problem. Is sludgy grease stopping up the kitchen sink? Let Drano take care of it.
May Worsen Existing Damage
Chemicals give Drano its iconic drain-opening power, but they are a double-edged sword. Plumbers often discourage homeowners from using Drano because it can really do a number on your pipes, particularly if they are in poor shape. This is why we recommend only using Drano if you live in a fairly modern home with newer plumbing or if you’ve recently replaced your home’s plumbing.
Older houses with corroded or outdated plumbing may wish to go with a more gentle drain cleaner because Drano will literally eat into your pipes. Yes, they eat away clogs first, but they also affect the PVC, metal, and other materials in your drains or pipes. If your pipes are already corroded, that makes them an even easier target.
Can I use Drano Max Gel Clog Remover on plastic pipes? Will it cause corrosion?
Yes! All Drano products are safe to use on plastic pipes. Drano will not cause corrosion on your pipes.
Can I use this product on a clogged drain connected to the garbage disposal?
Drano Max Gel Clog Remover is safe to use with your garbage disposal. However, please note that not all Drano products are good for those types of clogs.
Why can’t I use Drano Max Gel Clog Remover on toilets?
This type of Drano does not have the microorganisms that help break down fecal matter. Avoid using this type of Drano on slow-running toilets.
The most common trend among negative reviews is that the product ate holes in their pipes and caused flooding even when used as directed. Our best guess is that these people likely had old or corroded pipes.
Both positive and negative reviews note that it takes a lot of liquid to unclog their drain compared to other drain cleaner products but that the generous product size helps mitigate the issue.
Only a small percentage of reviews say the product didn’t solve their clog, while the vast majority of reviewers were satisfied with its results. Some reviewers recommend letting the product sit in the drain for a few hours to overnight for very tough clogs.
Drano Max Gel Clog Remover is a very powerful and reasonably priced drain cleaner, but it’s not without its disadvantages. It can’t be used in toilets and shouldn’t be used in old, worn, damaged, or corroded plumbing. We definitely recommend Drano Max Gel for anyone with tough clogs they just can’t seem to beat with drain snakes or other conventional drain cleaners.
Codee Chessher is a freelance writer with extensive knowledge on a variety of subjects that include travel, sound engineering, automotive, DIY, pets, and more. He has a colorful past that includes building schools and commercial driving, but the written word was always his first love. He believes there's nothing a well-worded sentence can't accomplish.When not writing, Codee enjoys epic fantasy novels, home DIY projects, and memorizing useless pop culture trivia. He has lived in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Most recently, he resides in northern Mexico.
Codee Chessher
