Drinking Drano - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board Home » What Happens If You Drink Drano » Drinking Drano - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board Maybe your like What Happens If You Drink Peroxide What Happens If You Drop Bromine What Happens If You Eat Cocaine What Happens If You Eat Crack What Happens If You Eat Deodorant Drinking Drano Factual Questions fusoya July 29, 2004, 3:37pm 1 or Liquid Plumber, or generic Stop & Shop brand drain unclogger… the stuff has always fascinated me in this weird way. I have an awful drain in my apartment’s shower so I’m buying the stuff by the gallon, and I’m constantly getting dared by my roommates to drink a shot of it. Now, first of all, I’m not dumb enough to do that (even for $5), but scientifically, what would happen if a person were to attempt to unclog their own system with Drano? and I’m already aware that the short answer is “they’d die” x-ray_vision July 29, 2004, 3:47pm 2 I’ve actually seen this before in the last E.R. I worked in. A teenage girl attempted suicide by drinking Drano. I heard that she’ll never be able to pass food oraly again. Here’s one case I found using Google. jk1245 July 29, 2004, 3:48pm 3 You (chemically) burn the lining of your mouth, esophagus, and stomach. How bad of a burn would depend on how much Drano had contacted your skin and for how long, but you could quite easily die. The main ingredient is sodium hydroxide (aka caustic soda or lye), and it is highly corrosive. Remember in “Fight Club” when Brad Pitt pours some on Ed Norton’s hand and makes him sit there while it burns? Think that in your mouth and guts only you can’t wash it off. And that’s not even mentioning its toxic effects. Duckster July 29, 2004, 3:51pm 4 You can learn quite a bit by using Google The prognosis (probable outcome) depends on how rapidly the alkali was diluted and neutralized. Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, eyes, lungs, esophagus, nose, and stomach are possible. The ultimate outcome depends on the extent of this damage. Damage continues to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the alkali was swallowed, and death may occur as long as a month later. Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002777.htm FWIW, it sounds to me like your roommates are potential Dawrin Award nominees. Don’t play their games. brane_damaj July 29, 2004, 3:53pm 5 Drinking Drain-O is a lot like being in love. At least, that’s what Leslie Nielson says. BTW: I find that the foaming stuff works a heck of a lot better. spingears July 29, 2004, 4:06pm 6 fusoya: or Liquid Plumber, or generic Stop & Shop brand drain unclogger… the stuff has always fascinated me in this weird way. I have an awful drain in my apartment’s shower so I’m buying the stuff by the gallon, and I’m constantly getting dared by my roommates to drink a shot of it. Now, first of all, I’m not dumb enough to do that (even for $5), but scientifically, what would happen if a person were to attempt to unclog their own system with Drano?and I’m already aware that the short answer is “they’d die” Why not ‘permanent’ type automobile anti-freeze? It really has a much better taste. picunurse July 29, 2004, 4:12pm 7 The most common type of drain cleaner (Drano™) is based on a strong alkaline compound, also know as a caustic. As soon as the liquid or crystals touched the mucus membranes of your mouth, you’d note excruciating pain, from massive tissue damage, equivalent to third degree burns. You would also have massive bleeding and swelling in the damaged areas. If you actually swallowed, your esophagus and stomach would also be burned. The acid in your stomach would then begin to neutralize the the base. If untreated you very likely would die a slow and painful death. If you were especially lucky, the swelling would occlude your airway and you’d asphyxiate . Treatment, initially, would be supportive. You would have a breathing tube inserted into your nose or through your throat because the swelling would stop your breathing. You’d have several IV lines inserted to give you fluids and blood products You likely would have several years of reconstructive surgery. Your mouth and esophagus would be destroyed and require rebuilding You would have a tube placed through your abdominal wall into your small intestine for feeding. The chances of ever being able to eat normally again, would be very slim. Your sense of taste would be gone as well as your teeth. You would possibly disfigure your face as well, requiring cosmetic surgery to make you look human, once again. I would strongly suggest seeking a new facination. Chefguy July 29, 2004, 4:26pm 8 On the positive side, someone who would be dumb enough to drink the stuff would possibly remove themselves from the gene pool, thus sparing us all from having to deal with their progeny. Additionally, it would take care of those nasty hair clogs in your system. Infovore July 29, 2004, 4:46pm 9 Somebody tangentially connected to my family (I think she was the daughter of a close friend of my grandma) did this when I was a kid. She wasn’t very old (maybe 3 or 4) and somebody had left lye in a Pepsi bottle on the table where she found it. (Don’t ask me why–this was in the early 70s and my grandma and her friend weren’t idiots–it might have had something to do with an art project, but I wasn’t very old at the time either so I don’t remember the whole story). The kid survived, though I think it was pretty touch-and-go for quite some time. My mom said she suffered some lasting effects that she’s probably still dealing with to this day. I don’t know how much she drank, though. picunurse July 29, 2004, 4:56pm 10 Chefguy: On the positive side, someone who would be dumb enough to drink the stuff would possibly remove themselves from the gene pool, thus sparing us all from having to deal with their progeny. Additionally, it would take care of those nasty hair clogs in your system. Did you mean Bezoars? DrDeth July 29, 2004, 5:42pm 11 After you get the clog out, there is a MUCH better product for keeping the drains clean, and unblocking slow drains. It works by bacteria & enzymes, and is a LOT safer. It is usually available at Hardware stores and a few larger grocery stores. Drinking that would just make you sick, I suspect. Don’t try it, but definately if you splash it on your hands, all you have to do is wash your hands, it wouldn’t burn. CalMeacham July 29, 2004, 6:07pm 12 Saw an interesting picture of someone who’d died drinking caustic in a textbook on forensic science. Not a nice way to go. BurnMeUp July 29, 2004, 8:08pm 13 Other details can be found in the tale of the Ogden Utah Hi-fi killings where 2 assailants robbed a shop, forced the hostages to drink drain-o and then shot them. The book of the ordeal is here There are also numerous websites (easiet to find if you search on Pierre Dale Selby, one of the killers). At trial they said they got the idea from watching Magum Force, a Clint Eastwood movie where a pimp makes a hooker drink drain-o Harmonix July 29, 2004, 10:44pm 14 OFF Topic. If you live in apartment, then your manager should take care of the slow drain for free. No sense in wasting cash on draino. fusoya July 30, 2004, 7:23pm 15 wow. I never realized just how powerful that stuff was…I can’t believe they actually sell it on store shelves and make the bottles so easy to open! My fascination will only increase now. And no, I still won’t take a shot of it for $5. so DrDeth , what is the name of this alternative product you are recommending? Yamirskoonir July 30, 2004, 7:40pm 16 Remember that wonderful movie Heathers? [spoiler]It’s how J.D. and Veronica offed the first Heather, by handing her a hangover cure of liquid drano. Actually, Veronica was the unwitting accomplice since she thought the cup contained milk and orange juice. Heather actually dies quite quickly, clutching her throat and falling dramatically through a glass coffee table, so I guess the film didn’t portray the results accurately. Her last words before she swan-dives through the glass:[/spoiler] CORNUTS!!! The_Chao_Goes_Mu July 30, 2004, 8:17pm 17 Oh my f***ing god. :smack: Absolutely **DO NOT ** run drano through your own pipes bro. Considering how the stuff works…it DISOLVES the ick that builds up in the drain pipes. It will do that and so much more to your esophogus and stomach. Jesus H Christ. A few years ago I saw a story on one of those health shows about a man who thought suicide by Drano was the way to go. Ooops, he survived. His espohogus was shot as was his stomach and a portion of his intestines. The docs ran part of his large intestine up to his throat OVER his sternum so he had a nice long lump on his chest. After he swallowed food he had to manually push it down his makeshift gullet. Gah! Ok so I give you credit for checking out the Straight Dope before partaking in these frat boy shenanigans but really dude…I can only shake my head. Maybe you need new friends. Annie-Xmas July 30, 2004, 9:05pm 18 Chemical drain openers are extremely toxic, extremely corrosive, extremely dangerous, environmentally dangerous, and they do not work. I work in property management, and any plumber will tell you they hate those chemicals. Every plumber has burns from training to open drains after people put in Drano and it doesn’t work. They charge more–a $50 unclogging becomes a $150 job. Drano will eat through PVC pipes, so that’s another thing to think about. And your body tissues are weaker than pipes. Go buy a plumger and a plumber’s snake. They will last your lifetime, and are not dangerous. And they work. beltbuckle July 30, 2004, 9:30pm 19 never could figure out why people keep by Draino and other similar products. They usually only marginally help, and are merely a band-aid. Go buy a sewer snake and fix the problem for good. Most likely cause of slow draining (especially in bathrooms) is hair. A good snaking will have things flowing like new, and will avoid all that toxic crap from going into our sewers (remember, sewer water is often treated to be drinking water). The less unnecessary toxic stuff, the better - and sewer snakes are much cheaper and will last forever in the ling run. DrDeth July 30, 2004, 11:47pm 20 fusoya: wow. I never realized just how powerful that stuff was…I can’t believe they actually sell it on store shelves and make the bottles so easy to open! My fascination will only increase now. And no, I still won’t take a shot of it for $5. so DrDeth , what is the name of this alternative product you are recommending? Very wise! There are quite a few varients- I think even Liquid Plumbr makes one. It’s not the brand that’s important, it’s the ingredients. Ask at your local Hardware store. Oh, and for everone’s shower drain- there is a little 2’ long plastic thingee, with “backwards” “barbs” on it- shove it down, and then when you pull it out, the hair comes with it. Great for preventing clogs. next page → Related topics Topic Replies Views Activity How bad is Drano? Factual Questions 27 17619 June 23, 2015 Well the first bottle of Drano didn't work. Now what? Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share 37 129043 January 21, 2014 Does Drano work on hair? Factual Questions 40 29715 February 19, 2016 Oops, just poured Hydochloric Acid down the shower drain. What now? In My Humble Opinion 53 44656 March 12, 2006 Our bath tub won't drain. Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share 49 2715 December 18, 2019 Tag » What Happens If You Drink Drano Here's What Really Happens If You Drink Bleach, Drain Cleaner, Or ... 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