: Effective for melting grease, soap residue, and softening clogs made of hair or toothpaste.

The only time boiling water works for grease is if you follow it immediately with cold water? No. Or if you use dish soap? Almost. The only safe way to use boiling water for grease is to pour it down after you have already chemically broken down the grease with a enzymatic cleaner (not Drano).

Now, standing in the quiet of his kitchen, Elias sought comfort in the only ritual that never let him down: Pasta.

Most modern homes (built after the 1970s) use plastic drain pipes—typically PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). These materials are not designed for extreme heat.

: The heat can melt or loosen the glue holding pipe joints together, leading to immediate or slow leaks behind walls and under cabinets.

If you were planning to use boiling water to fix a slow drain, try these safer alternatives instead:

To understand the risk, you have to visualize what your plumbing looks like behind the wall. Most modern homes use one of three materials for drain pipes: PVC (plastic), ABS (black plastic), or Cast Iron.