the kitchen sink...

[Tass]

NO, really, I need help with the kitchen sink. Slow drain, clog was past the pea trap, but got it loosened up from the outside access with a snake. Is there any sort of product I can dump down the drain to make sure it's all gone? I don't think the usual baking soda and vinegar is going to make the turn past the trap enough to do any good.

Any of the commercial drain products worth a try?

Tass

[The Annoyed Man]

What are your pipes made of? If they are PVC, I would think that drain cleaners would be OK. If they are not, then I wouldn't pour any chemicals down the drain.

[Tass]

Yep, PVC. I just poured a teakettle's worth of boiling water down, hoping that will help loosen any gunk that's left.

[The Annoyed Man]

My wife is a total "natural cleaners" kind of gal. When one of our drains gets a little slow, she pours in about half a cup (per drain) of baking soda followed by a half cup to a cup of vinegar. She waits about 15 minutes, and then she pours almost boiling water down the drain.

This is often enough to unclog the drain, but it also has the added benefit of deodorizing it. She said she does baking soda and vinegar "treatment" regularly, about once a week, and that keeps the drains flowing.

She highly recommends the book, "The Naturally Clean Home," which we ordered off of Amazon.com. The cleaning products she mixes up are very effective (my wife is a neatnick) and they are friendly to the environment. My house always smells clean and fresh...

...unless is smells like BBQ.

[Tass]

Hmmm, I'm going to look that one up. I've used the baking soda/vinegar thing occasionally, but I probably should do it more frequently. Any tips in that book for 3 stinky, shedding dogs and one perpetually sneezing cat?

[WildBill]

Tass - whatever you decide be careful. Don't look down the drain immediately after pouring down any kind of cleaner. Even "natural cleaners" are not good for your eyeballs. Make sure you wear some safety glasses or goggles. Be safe.

[USA1]

the kitchen sink...
I thought you were going to list the contents of my wife's purse.

[The Annoyed Man]

Hmmm, I'm going to look that one up. I've used the baking soda/vinegar thing occasionally, but I probably should do it more frequently. Any tips in that book for 3 stinky, shedding dogs and one perpetually sneezing cat?

Actually, I think the book does have those kinds of things.

[Hoi Polloi]

I do the same with the addition of lemon juice for drains. Lemon juice works the same way as vinegar, but it cuts down on the smell. I put citrus peels in my vinegar spray bottle for the same reason.

[WildBill]

iffen the home remedies don't work for you, see if you can locate a "True Value" store in your area, or check to see if you local hardware store carries a product called "Thrift" ..

this is a white bottle, with red lettering..

I've got some 40 year old drain lines that this stuff cleans like crazy... it is acid based, so don't breath the fumes or look over the drain, it reacts violently with hot/warm water..

I am not familiar with Thrift, but TxLobo gives some good safety tips. If you decide to go this route, use according to the manufacturer's directions. In addition to safety glasses, chemical resistant gloves are a good idea to prevent chemical burns.
Do not mix this cleaner with any other chemical or product.

[MoJo]

Don't forget good old "Drano" the powder not the liquid. Above safety cautions apply.

[Fangs]

Am I the only one who uses Liquid Plumbr?


Never had a problem and it works like magic.

[CaptWoodrow10]

I've always used "Zep". I wouldn't recommend it to the average joe, but it's some pretty good stuff. You can find it at Home Depot and Lowes if memory serves. If your not careful and don't follow the directions, it's gonna hurt. Whatever is clogging the drain, it'll be gone. It's as close as you can get to industrial strength drain cleaner as you can get without a license... At least as far as I've seen. YMMV

BTW. Whatever you do, don't look over the drain when you pour in the powder and add the water. Safety glasses are not just a suggestion for this one.

[Medic218]

Any tips in that book for 3 stinky, shedding dogs and one perpetually sneezing cat?

Best remedy for the cat is to get rid of the cat.