Comments on: How to Unclog the Drain http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/ How to clean anything and everything! Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:15:38 +0000 hourly 1 By: Doreen http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/#comment-64573 Doreen Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:46:26 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=835#comment-64573 Bought yam noodles in the store and some slipped down the drain and clogged it. Tried plunger didn't do much, just made a mess. Tried drainal, didn't do much, just made a stinky mess. Tried taking apart the J trap and running a stiff wire up through it. Ugghh, slimy black sludge, but it didn't work. Put more drainal in and am going to let it sit overnight. Any other suggestions? Bought yam noodles in the store and some slipped down the drain and clogged it.

Tried plunger didn’t do much, just made a mess.

Tried drainal, didn’t do much, just made a stinky mess.

Tried taking apart the J trap and running a stiff wire up through it. Ugghh, slimy black sludge, but it didn’t work.

Put more drainal in and am going to let it sit overnight. Any other suggestions?

]]> By: Annie http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/#comment-64295 Annie Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:28:07 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=835#comment-64295 Tub/Shower won't drain so I purchased a throwaway snake to use, assuming hair and "gunk" was the culprit. The problem was that the snake would only go into the shower drain for a couple of inches. There was some sort of change in direction or trap or something. Your advice to remove the lift assembly and go through there was perfect!! I'd never have guessed to do that, but this unhandy 57 year-old with naught but the disposable snake and a screwdriver was able to open the drain and save $185. Thanks for the excellent advice. I like the feeling I have when I can accomplish these "simple" tasks by myself. THANK YOU! None of the other sites on the net even mentioned unscrewing the lift assembly, pure genius! Tub/Shower won’t drain so I purchased a throwaway snake to use, assuming hair and “gunk” was the culprit. The problem was that the snake would only go into the shower drain for a couple of inches. There was some sort of change in direction or trap or something. Your advice to remove the lift assembly and go through there was perfect!! I’d never have guessed to do that, but this unhandy 57 year-old with naught but the disposable snake and a screwdriver was able to open the drain and save $185. Thanks for the excellent advice. I like the feeling I have when I can accomplish these “simple” tasks by myself. THANK YOU! None of the other sites on the net even mentioned unscrewing the lift assembly, pure genius!

]]> By: Nic http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/#comment-31650 Nic Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:42:58 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=835#comment-31650 The drain for the kitchen sink was clogged "down stream" of the Y joint connecting the two halves of the double sink. Water would drain very slowly but the water from the dish washer had partially filled both halves of the sink. I did the baking soda/vinegar mix action a few times in each drain. I used one box of baking soda and about a half gallon of vinegar. During the 20 minute wait I boiled about two gallons of water. That water drained slowly so I boiled more water and that second dose of water did the trick. Thanks for the help. You saved me the cost of a plumber. The drain for the kitchen sink was clogged “down stream” of the Y joint connecting the two halves of the double sink. Water would drain very slowly but the water from the dish washer had partially filled both halves of the sink. I did the baking soda/vinegar mix action a few times in each drain. I used one box of baking soda and about a half gallon of vinegar. During the 20 minute wait I boiled about two gallons of water. That water drained slowly so I boiled more water and that second dose of water did the trick. Thanks for the help. You saved me the cost of a plumber.

]]> By: Mike http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/#comment-6415 Mike Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:39:50 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=835#comment-6415 Kitchen drains are often clogged with pasta or rice. If these products were recently poured down the drain DO NOT USE HOT WATER. Hot water causes these products to swell, clogging the drain even more. Got a garbage disposal. Fill that sink with cold water, plug second sink tightly and hold plug down with your hand with sink half filled with water. Turn on garbage disposal & remove disposal sink drain plug. This might force clog down the line. Drain lines are usually 11/2 inch or 2 inch in the sinks & 3 inch outside the house to the street. The clog either has to be cleared inside or pushed into the larger pipe & washed away. Doesn't work follow plunger or drain snake procedures. Kitchen drains are often clogged with pasta or rice. If these products were recently poured down the drain DO NOT USE HOT WATER. Hot water causes these products to swell, clogging the drain even more. Got a garbage disposal. Fill that sink with cold water, plug second sink tightly and hold plug down with your hand with sink half filled with water. Turn on garbage disposal & remove disposal sink drain plug. This might force clog down the line. Drain lines are usually 11/2 inch or 2 inch in the sinks & 3 inch outside the house to the street. The clog either has to be cleared inside or pushed into the larger pipe & washed away. Doesn’t work follow plunger or drain snake procedures.

]]> By: Richard, Gassville, AR http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-unclog-the-drain/#comment-3282 Richard, Gassville, AR Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:38:07 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=835#comment-3282 For a shower drain the cause is no doubt - HAIR! There is a commercial tool in the plumbing department of large hardware stores, sometimes under a name of "Drain Ripper". This is a length of about 1/2 inch wide plastic about 30 inches long and looks like a double sided rip saw (one can be made in a pinch by cutting notches in plastic stripping from boxes). Put on vinyl gloves and then run the Drain Ripper down the drain and give it a couple turns and remove. Remove the glob of hair and dispose or and then try again. Flush the drain and dispose of the Drain Ripper. For a shower drain the cause is no doubt – HAIR! There is a commercial tool in the plumbing department of large hardware stores, sometimes under a name of “Drain Ripper”. This is a length of about 1/2 inch wide plastic about 30 inches long and looks like a double sided rip saw (one can be made in a pinch by cutting notches in plastic stripping from boxes).

Put on vinyl gloves and then run the Drain Ripper down the drain and give it a couple turns and remove. Remove the glob of hair and dispose or and then try again. Flush the drain and dispose of the Drain Ripper.

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