Basin Blockages

Both my bathroom washbasins keep getting a black, slimey build-up in the waste pipes. It looks a bit like a blackcurrant jelly - before you mix it with hot water! It doesn't smell. It may be algae. My dishwasher input-matrix also got blocked earlier this year. We have a water softener and I keep it fairly well topped up with salt. What to do? Should I clean my water softener? If so, what with? Its 8 years old, plumbing is the same age (new build). Mr Muscle drain unblocker worked, this time. Any ideas? Thanks Geoff SaffronWalden (hard water)

Reply to
Geoff Cooper
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I have a similar problem due to the bathroom being on the ground floor, so the pipe run is mainly horizontal. Also, we live in a hard water area so the soap residue and limescale soon builds up. About 4 times a year I block the drain outlet from the bathroom, pour a couple of litres of caustic soda solution down the bath and basin plug holes, leave for several hours then plunge clean.

Reply to
DIY

Thanks "DIY" I can't block the outlet as it disappears into a soil-stack behind a dry-lined wall. But I'll try flushing them regularly with caustic soda. However, the dishwasher inlet isn't so accessible. There is a plastic matrix of pipes and chambers on its inlet side that was clogged with this jelly. Perhaps a dishwasher/water softener expert will read this and know the cure? Here's hoping Geoff

Reply to
Geoff Cooper

Get hold of some One Shot Instant Drain Cleaner. Pour a bit of that down the hole and listen to the fiz. Just beware on stainless, it can mark it. Probably also mark your skin too. It works very quickly, 10 minutes later, and flush through with hot water, or follow the instructions on the bottle. I have only ever seen this stuff in plumbers' merchants.

Reply to
Brian

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