Put away the Drano. A TikToker who goes by The Plumbers Plunger (@theplumbersplunger) shared a great, chemical-free trick for unclogging your kitchen sink.

The scoop

Before doing anything, the plumber used a flashlight to locate the buildup. In this particular instance, the customer's P-trap — the curved, U-shaped part of your kitchen sink's pipe — was clogged with broken eggshells.

@theplumbersplunger Clearing a clogged kitchen sink drain. #plumbing #drain #fix #fyp ♬ original sound - The Plumbers Plunger

After seeing the eggshells, he gave viewers some much-needed advice. "It seems to be a pretty common misconception that putting eggshells down the disposal helps clean the blades," he said. "Coming from a plumber, I'd highly recommend that you don't do that." He suggested ice cubes instead.

To finish the job, he stayed away from Drano or other chemicals, unscrewing the P-trap and letting the muck spill out onto the towel he laid underneath. After cleaning the inside of the pipes with what looks like a vacuum, he screwed the P-trap back on.

How it's helping

Many plumbers recommend against Drano. According to Metro, a plumbing company, overuse can cause your pipes to corrode and leak. 

That's because Drano contains harsh chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide, that irritate skin and are fatal to ingest, per the Chemical Hazard and Alternatives Toolbox. While humans know to stay away, this can pose a risk for other mammals when it enters water streams. It could also harm aquatic ecosystems.

By using natural cleaning products and chemical-free unclogging solutions, you can avoid these problems altogether and contribute to a cleaner, healthier future. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters were grateful for the advice on clogged drains — and realized the error of their ways.

"Crap…" one said. "me thinking about the coffee grounds and egg shells I put down the garbage disposal realizing that's why my dishwasher won't drain."

"Thanks for your advice!!" another said. "I put way [too] much in to my disposal."

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