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No, you should avoid using liquid drain cleaners. These chemicals, often packed with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, can wreak havoc on your pipes, causing erosion and potential leaks. They’re also dangerous to your health. If you’re dealing with a stubborn clog, manual removal or a professional plumber is your best bet. Chemical drain cleaners can often make things worse, especially if the clog stays put and the chemicals linger in your pipes.

No. You should dispose of all oil-based finishing products through a local hazardous waste program. Not only can oil-based finishes be hazardous for the environment if disposed of in the sink, but they can cause clogs in your pipes and stop up your drains. Most municipal garbage or waste disposal companies have a specific location or pick-up schedule for hazardous materials, so that’s your best bet to get rid of excess finishing products.

In most areas, drain cleaning professionals don’t technically need a license, as they aren’t altering your plumbing system in any way. However, we recommend hiring a drain cleaning professional with a plumbing license and certification. Certified plumbers are more likely to provide professional solutions to drain clogs without damaging your system. They’ll also have the diagnostic tools and experience necessary to remove the clog entirely rather than providing a temporary solution, as a handyperson might. Use Angi’s state licensing tool to check your plumber’s professional licenses before hiring.

A saturated leach field can result from various underlying issues, so it's best to call a professional septic company to diagnose and treat the problem. Depending on the cause of the saturation, potential fixes include pumping out a full septic tank, adding more bacteria to the tank, or regrading the soil to fix low spots. It may also be necessary to reroute rainwater and runoff away from the leach field using gutters, downspouts, and extenders. Once the primary issue is resolved, planting specific types of vegetation over the area can help absorb excess water. In more severe cases, you might need to install a larger septic tank or replace the leach field entirely.