The Safety Sewer Drain from Four M is designed to eliminate the mess and threat of contamination when removing the cleanout on a plugged drain. Made of clear polypropylene, the device fits over a 4-inch cleanout. Sewage drains through a valve-controlled hose into a bucket or other receptacle. The device also can be adapted to work on a 3-inch cleanout.

“I was in the septic- and drain-cleaning business for 20 years, and I just thought there had to be a better way to take that cap off without getting contaminated,” says inventor and company co-owner Pat Marciniak. “I used it for a couple years and people said I should get a patent on it, so I did.”

The device is simple to operate. After loosening the drain plug with a wrench, the user lubricates the O-rings, places the device over the plug, and tightens the attached hose clamps. Making sure the drain valve is in the off position, the user pushes the handle over the drain plug nut and turns the piston to the left.

“The pressure usually pushes it back, so you know when the plug comes off,” Marciniak says. A clear reservoir lets the user see when the drain is empty. When done, the user removes the device and is ready to clean the drain.

Homeowners especially appreciate the no-mess system, Marciniak says. “I can’t tell you the hours I’ve spent cleaning up after making a mess in somebody’s basement. You don’t look like a professional when you do that.”

The device, which cleans with soap and water, makes cleaning drains safer than working from a roof vent pipe, especially on a two-story house or in the winter. It is also quicker and less messy than having to remove a toilet. 906/753-4002; www.safetysewerdrain.com.