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A drain cleaner or opener is a person, device or product unblocking sewer pipes or clogged wastewater drains. The term usually refers to a chemical or mechanical utensil such as a commercial chemical product, plumber's snake, drain auger or toilet plunger. Occasionally, it is applied to a plumber or another individual who performs the drain cleaning and hygiene.
Chemical drain cleaners, plungers, handheld drain augers, and air burst drain cleaners are typically applied to the problem of a clogged single drain, such as a sink, toilet, tub, or shower drain. An effective drain cleaner can remove soft obstructions (such as hair and grease) accumulating near the fixture's drain inlet.
If more than one plumbing fixture is clogged then electric drain cleaners, battery powered drain cleaners, sewer jetters or such mechanical devices are usually required to clear obstructions along the entire length of the drain piping system, that is, from fixture drain inlets through the main building drains and lateral piping outside the building to the collector sewer mains.