Roebic FRK Foaming Tree Root Killer, Chemical Septic System, Drain Field and Sewer Line Pipe Clog Remover and Root Destroyer, Safe for Bathroom Toilet, White Granules, 1 lb

This has stopped my recurring, yearly sewer rod-out because of the accursed Locust tree the city planted in front of my house. This will be the third year that I have not had to have the guy out to rod tree roots out of my sewer line. I use once a year about the end of June, so far, so good. What I suggest is the same as others, empty the two powders into a small, dry container, mix the two dry powders thoroughly by hand (do not add water!!). Remember, this stuff foams seriously so if you have one of the slower, older "swirly"-flush toilets, start your flush, wait until it is just starting to exhaust and then dump the powder in; if you have a more modern fast-flush, pull the handle and dump the powder at the same instant. You definitely do not want any residue left in the bowl at end of flush. I dump the stuff in just before bed, and let it sit overnight in the line. In the morning just use your bathroom/kitchen normally and the problem will be gone. [UPDATE JUNE 2014]: I have been using this once yearly and still no more problems. As a clincher.... my house is 120 years old and I have no record of the sewer being camera'd, so I hired a service to come in and run a camera through to the connection with the village main line. He completed about an hour ago, and totally clean, no sign of tree roots, collapsed tiles or anything else. Period. I saw it. The man couldn't find anything wrong at all. So, I think this proves that this stuff really works. Nobody will probably read this since is is an aged review, but at least I posted. :) [UPDATE JUNE 2015]: Still no problems, no backup or flooding. Next week I will treat the sewer again, but I think my tree root problems are over. [UPDATE JUNE 2016]: Yup, still good and no problems. [UPDATE MAY 2017]: Oh well, what the heck, I will update as long a I am thinking about it; I don't even think about sewer backup any more :) No problems last summer at all, I am using it a bit early this year, but I think I will be fine. [UPDATE JUNE 2018]: Yup, still root-trouble free. I had no problems last year at all. In addition, my next-door neighbor started using Roebic three years ago and his tree root problems disappeared. I still remind him of my big favor I did telling him about Roebic; very handy when I want to borrow something. :0) Incidentally, Roebic makes a couple of root remover products, be sure that the label specifies FOAMING, not just chemical or crystal powder. I don't know anything about those. My apologies about not answering some who posted a question!! For some reason Gmail stopped notifying me that I had a new post in my review. Guess I should check in occasionally. [UPDATE JUNE 2019]: Here I am again, it's time to do my yearly treatment tonight. No problems last summer/autumn, and my next door neighbor has no problems either since he started using Roebic a few years ago. It sure is a relief not to have to constantly call the sewer guy out. Keep on truckin' folks! [UPDATE MAY 2020]: Yup, still no sewer problems last year. I think this will be my last update, I am not sure if anyone is reading this anymore. Time marches on. This stuff works great for what it is intended. FEB.11/2021: Note that I have tried many times to find the questions directed to me about this product but can't locate them any more. I can edit my posts, but not answer questions, so I'm not ignoring anyone, I just cannot find where the directed questions are. Maybe Amazon doesn't allow this anymore?? I don't know. JUNE 2021: Still no more problems, same with my neighbor. New family moved in 4 years ago, I told them of the sewer problem, and they have no problems either. JUNE 2022: Well, I'm sure folks are getting bored reading this, but what the heck, it's a tradition now :) No problems last year as usual. New family moved in this autumn on the other side of my house, I told them about Roebic and they will use it just for insurance. I don't know what sewer guys are charging now but I'm sure it's a lot more than when I started using Roebic. Keep on truckin' folks! [EDIT] April 2023: Just a thought...I notice some folks post that it didn't work. If you have established root blockage this will not REMOVE it; you must rod-out the main sewer line to get rid of the established roots in it. Then Roebic will prevent new growth from blocking the line. Roebic will not remove established rootage in the line, you must clear it out first. June 2023: Yup. Same as last year, no problems. New family moved in next door, I told them about Roebic and saved them hundreds/thousands of dollars over the next few years of sewer rodding. May 2024: Is this getting boring? No problems last year, but the Cicadas (if you don't know what they are, just web-search it) love that hated Locust tree and are all over it. By the way...occasionally someone asks why there is a small paper in the middle of the bottle; I assume that keeps the two powders separated until you mix them. I don't know why, but it has always been there. Just throw it away. And...sometimes some of the powder is a bit lumpy. No problem, just use a paint stir stick to mix and crush the lumps, takes only 1 minute. May 2025: Yup, here I am again. No sewer problems last year. I will use it tonight as usual. Happy Sewers!! [UPDATE: May 2026]: Ok, still no problems last year. Let's see....to date is 15 years I have been using Roebic. So 15x$200 (plus or minus) service calls I have not paid for = $3000. Think I will take my wife out to dinner tonight!

This was easy to use and the directions were straightforward. We bought it to help deal with tree roots in our sewer line, and it has worked well for us. It’s a lot easier and less expensive than dealing with another sewer-line problem. I like having something we can use as preventative maintenance, and I’ll definitely keep using it as needed.

Well, for the time being, it looks like our sewer line is working OK after an application of this product. I am a big fan of their K-67 Granular Concentrate Drain and Trap Cleaner (for our bathroom sink issues) since that product had virtually eliminated my annual 'snaking' event since I used it in late 2013. Just like this, it's a maintenance product & I am so pleased with it. I gave this Roebic FRK a try after our toilet bowl & tub would gurgle & back-up (the pipe where the washer's drain hose is connected would also overflow) whenever the washer is in use & drains a huge amount of water after its wash & rinse cycle. To remedy the problem, first, I tried using 2 jugs of InstantPower Main Line cleaner but the issues remained. Then, I tried several jugs of bleach (poured it on the washer line & onto the toilet bowl). Same, the main line issues persisted. I checked the vent pipes for obstruction but found none. I dug & looked for a clean-out pipe around the house but since we live in a 73-year old house, did not find one. It looked like the clean-out was underneath the crawl space and I did not want to do the snaking there. I also watched several YouTube videos how to use a power rooter. I was so sure that the main line issues were caused by roots because we have a huge Sycamore tree just near the sidewalk and that we had not yet cleaned out the main line since we moved in that house in late 2008. So, I was about to call the dreaded rooter man & part with, at least, a minimum of $300 when I decided to check out first some main line cleaners here at Amazon. And, was I glad I did!!! The product arrived just in time before we made a long trip to Nevada, so I poured the powder-mix (I used a dry metal container where I lightly pound some powder that clumped together to get best results). Dump, flush, followed up by another flush using a bucketful of water. Instructions says to let it sit for 8 hours, at least. When we arrived from our trip, we used the washer (with our fingers crossed) to wash our dirty clothes...and, to our amazement and delight, the gurgling & backup issues were gone! Wow! Did this product really killed the roots obstructing the main line??? Was it really that effective??? It had just been 2 months since we used this product but we had been using our washer weekly since then and had no mainline issues to report. I just ordered another container of this product last month & intends to use this, at least, 2X a year as a maintenance item -- if, after a year, we don't experience the gurgling & back-up issues in the tub & toilet bowl whenever we use the washer. For $40 a year, I'll go that route instead of the hassle of calling and dealing with the rooter man. Only time will tell. For now, thanks, Roebic!!!

Works good as intended but do not breath the dust when you open the bottle Not Good

Fabulous company, excellent product. I contacted the manufacturer on this for a not-their-fault issue and they were spectacular. Kind, supportive, really listened, and resolved the issue without any fuss. A breath of fresh air from folks who specialize in septic and other less-than-lovely aspects of life. Kudos!

So, received my "Root Killer" a few days ago and went back and read all the reviews. So I thought I'd add my 2 cents in regards to what everyone else has already posted: 1. It is REALLY tightly packed inside this small bottle. The on-line pictures appear to make it look much bigger, but 16 ounces is 16 ounces, it's just that it's really tightly packed inside this rather small bottle. Saves shipping cost? Maybe. 2. So heeding everyone's advise, I emptied the contents into a bigger jar/can/etc. (Canning jar for me so I could see exactly how fine it was). I would recommend wearing gloves and perhaps a filter mask as I kept 'feeling' like I was breathing the dust in and it made my skin crawl. (Over active imagination I guess.) I used a fork (which I threw away later) and slowly emptied the contents of the plastic container into the canning jar. I would put in a few fork fulls, and then mash it up so all the lumps were out, then put in a few more fork fulls. A little bit tedious, and took enough time that my mind had already conjured up images of poisonous fingers reaching out of the jar and into my face, neck and hair...AAAHHH!!! (control, control) This process took at least 15 minutes as I was careful not to spill it and to make sure I had all the numerous lumps smashed into a fine powered. (Sort of looks like buckwheat flour) 3. So, let me ask you....why was there toilet paper inside the container? As far as I could tell, it wasn't used. (Eeeuuuuwwww!) It looked to be maybe two sheets worth of paper.....why? Why would you put in toilet paper. I mean the whole reason I'm doing this, is the toilet paper isn't making it all the way down the pipe and into the street in the 1st place! WHY WOULD I WANT TO ADD MORE?!!! GOSH! (Heeheehee) I'm not mad..just seems funny. 4. Hmm, I'm looking but I'm not seeing a place to attach a photo to this review. I see a Video tab, but who wants to see my ugly face. Suffice to say,the powder is in the canning jar and looks just like buckwheat flour and is not at all compacted. It appears to flow easily and tonight is the night! WOOHOO! Yes sirree! It's finally time to declare war on those roots. (Update: I'll try this link...not sure if Amazon will let me: [...]) 5. I plan on going to bed at my usual time, around 10:00 PM, and set my alarm for 1 or 2 AM (Practicing my waking skills for this coming Friday night's "Geminid Meteor Shower 2012" where I'll get up at 1:00 AM, make some coffee and head out to a clearing away from the city lights of Spokane, WA (all two of them) and wait for the show to start. 50 to 120 meteors an hour! Why that's (calculating) .83 to 2 meteor's a minute! Not sure what a .83 meteor will look like, but I'll be ready!) Anyway..where was I? Oh yes, I'll wake up at 1 or 2 and dump the contents of the recently sifted root killer..aka Poison, into the lower bathroom's toilet and flush like crazy! Or at least 3 times per the instructions. 6. Oh, just to be clear, it seems every year I have to have the evil roto-rooter like company come in and charge me over $300 bucks to clean out my sewer line only to have it backup on me a day or two after my Outlook reminder, that I dutifully ignored, reminds me to call and have it snaked again. Sigh. So in July when I successfully ignored the remind, the sewer backuped in August, and then it backed up again in September! Ah-ha! Certainly they won't charge me again! And...they didn't. Good people! But why? Why did it back up again. When the company came out they didn't really find any serious roots, just a few, less than a hand full. That's when I decided to buy the Root Killer. But guess what? Here it is in December and it backed up again! This time, I rented a 100' snake from Home Depot and (This is key:) Remembered to do two things...1. Bend the end of the snake, just a little, so the cutting end completely scraps the inside of the 4" pipe! That's a little trick a plummer friend told me. 2. Make sure the screw that secures the cutter end is REALLY REALLY TIGHT! Sigh...It appears I didn't do this as half way in the snake appeared to feel soft. Just seemed to float right through the pipe. Pulled it back and the cutter end was gone...ugh. But, I had grabbed two different ends and ran the full 100' snake through the pipe (just to make sure the loose one wound up in the main line) But back to the question, why did it backup just a few months after Roto-rooter had been out? Well, up until today, we had been using these Wet-Wipe type tissues that "say" they are sewer friendly, but when I ran the 2nd spring like end down the 4" pipe it bought back a piece of the wet-wipe and those things are TOUGH! It was difficult to get it unstuck from the spring like end on the snake. So..no more wet-wipes in this house! 7. All that to say, I have a recently,(last night 12/9/2012) snaked the 4" pipe and tonight, 12/10/2012, will dump the Root Killer in, and will set a reminder (that I hopefully will NOT ignore) in say....6 months to report back in to see if we have experienced any further backups. My guess is, the roots grew back just enough that the wet-wipes were easily snagged and "not so slowly" brought the normally flowing water to a halt. 8. So stay tuned, I will report back in (calculating) June 10th to let you know if the Root Killer worked, assuming of course I don't report back in sooner...ugh...I sure hope not! Thanks! Paul

I have purchased this 3 times and haven't really had problems with it, but this time about half way down there was a toilet paper sheet in it. Underneath that sheet, the rest of the powder was so clumped, I had to get something to break it up with. I will try this one more time to see if the next one works out, but if I find another piece of toilet paper in the next one, I am done using this.

Great price for three bottles. It foams like they say it does! Appears to work so far as line has not "re-plugged" in the last two months from roots in old clay tile sewer line. I did not flush in the toilet, but added to the clean out in the main line closest to where the roots were. New piping was PVC and clear, the problem is in the old piping from the property line to main.

Does exactly what it says it will do, very effective

Mousse à peine et n'attaque pas les racines

Worked for me! Had ongoing blockage in a toilet and plumber said it was likely roots and may occur again and require a camera to be sent down for $600. Bought this and the issue stopped.

Excellent product, kept having repeated problems of obstruction for a long time of my indian type of toilet, tried copper sulphate, got some relief but not enough, plumbers came doing inefficient work , quite a bad situation, nothing was really working so far but this product used once solved the problem, now several months have passed and the situation is no more problematic as it used to be , some little obstruction may sometimes happen but flushing more solves it , that's a real relief!!!...very precious ! I will repeat after one year..

perfecto