I’ve got a clogged sink, and have been reading the labels on a bunch of different products lately. I’d always assumed that they were a strong acid of sorts, which would dissolve whatever sort of material was built up in the pipes. But I’ve noticed that a lot of these products specify that they’re non-corrosive, so I’m not sure what other sort of mechanism may be at play here.
there is one at Home Depot that is a black bottle inside a plastic bag, contains hydrofluoric acid that eats all the organic material clogging the drain. etched some of the metal of the plug when I used it, pretty strong stuff. only used half a bottle, drains been clean since.
always check the opening for hair and debris, almost always the culprit. I have a set of needle nose pliers in the bathroom for this specifically.