Hungry Microbes Down the Drain

Ever since plumbing was brought indoors, home dwellers have had to contend with clogged and slow-running drains. Now a new, environmentally friendly solution to that persistent problem is on the market.

Plumb Clean, from Kinzie & Payne Biochemical Corp. in St. Louis, contains natural enzymes and bacteria that literally eat the gook that builds up in pipes.

The product is not quite as easy to use as chemical drain cleaners, but it poses no danger to people, pets or the environment.

The company says the product will clear most slow-running drains in five overnight treatments. After the initial application, the company recommends pouring a mixture of the “friendly microbes” down the drain about once a month.