Draino / Lye as a cleaner ??

Al Stangenberger · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:59 pm **Posts:** 650

In addition to Doc's advice to wear personal protective equipment, I would recommend to never work alone when handling such chemicals.

I haven't experienced such an injury, but the pain of getting alkali in one's eye could well be so extreme that it would be difficult to act intelligently.

robertmacdowell · **Posted:** Thu Nov 24, 2011 12:33 am

David H. Hamley wrote:

Where I have used a concentrated solution of lye to great effectiveness is removing decades of baked on crud from glass and porcelain telephone/telegraph insulators. No matter how black they are, a week or so soak in the lye loosens the film, which can then be removed very easily.

The WRM line department uses oxalic acid for the same purpose, achieving the same effect, though not as strongly.