Clear drains with little strain Clear drains don’t have to be a pipe dream. Unclogging them may be eas­ier than many people realize. The next time you’re down in the dumps because it looks like your chances of a well-running plumbing system have gone down the drain, consider a few facts from experts. • Some liquid drain cleaners can, over time, literally eat the metal in the pipes below. • Attempts to avoid clogged drains by using liquid cleaners or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar on a preventive basis may make your drain smell good, but won’t really help. • Slow and clogged drains can usually be fixed within a minute or two with the help of a simple, ingenious product that’s flexible enough to be easily pushed through pipe bends. With a minimum of turning and twisting, it can relieve clogs created by hair, grease, and food. The device’s small but efficient angled tip has 56 small barbs that grab at the clogging material. It will either pull the clog out, or tear it apart so that running water will rinse it out through your plumbing. In most cases, there is no need to even remove the drain cover before use. It works on all types of drains — in sinks, bathtubs and showers. Called the DrainStick and usually retailing for less than $4, the two-foot long device can get to "90 percent of all common clogs," reports Chuck Mintz, one of its designers and COO Superior Tool Co., of Cleveland, Ohio. After use, the drain unclogger can be wiped clean, bent into a circle for storage, and hung out of sight for future use. The DrainStick is marketed under both the Superior and Stanley brand names. It is available at Lowe’s, True Value and Ace Hardware stores. For more information, see www.DrainStick.com.