Drain Cleaner Chemistry, the Dummies Version - The Freelance Files MMCXLIX

clogged drain

Sometimes as we read through the dross published by content-farm freelancers, we have to wonder just what factoid some of these people are misinterpreting to spread their brand of stupidification across the internet. It seems to happen most frequently when a liberal arts graduate (typically journalism or "creative writing") tries to explain science. Hard science or soft, these writers' assiduous avoidance of STEM classes on their way to a BA becomes pretty obvious. Take, for instance J-school grad YaShekia King and her attempt to elucidate "Drain Cleaner Ingredients" for Hunker.com.

Someone with a more scientific bent might open by explaining that there are two types of chemical drain cleaners, acids and bases. Apparently, however, that was too "science-y" for King, who instead launched into a discussion of drain cleaner safety, ending with the semi-grammatical warning to,

"Also, store these chemicals away from children."

Duh. Once she'd gotten that out of the way. YaShekia launched into a list of the active ingredients of commercial drain cleaners, to wit; sulfuric acid, lye, and potassium hydroxide. It's obvious that she didn't realize that lye and potassium hydroxide are both strong bases. She probably didn't even know the word "base" in this context.¹ It's in her write-ups about these different ingredients that King gave away her scientific illiteracy; through comments like,

• "Sulphuric acid results during the purification process linked with iron ore. " – We think she plucked that mangled factoid from Wikipedia, which briefly mentions acid mine drainage. Exactly what "purification process" she meant, however, remains a mystery.
• "Lye also is known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide." – YaShekia carefully copied the chemical formulas of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) but apparently didn't find the formula NaOH anywhere...

• "When lye is mixed with chlorine and water, an alkaline substance called sodium hypochloride is produced, which is basically caustic drain cleaner. " – Since there's no chemical compound called "sodium hypochloride" and sodium hypochlorite (with a t) is household bleach, we aren't sure where King was headed here.
• "Potassium hydroxide... usually forms through the electrolysis of potassium chloride." – And there's yet another example of complete ignorance of chemistry...

King prattled about the dangers of caustic solutions with lye or potassium hydroxide, but never mentioned that alkaline cleaners are best for cleaning greasy clogs or hair clumps, while acidic solutions are better for buildups of lime, etc. The omission was probably 'cause our Dumbass of the Day didn't understand the difference, a consequence of avoiding all the "hard" courses that end in "-ology." We bet she took "Introduction to Film," though...

¹ "All your base are belong to us," probably yes...

SI - CHEMISTRY