Clogged bathroom drain

[Moe Hair]

I was recently doing some plunging in my bathroom (both the sink and bathtub drains.) Suddenly, a little black sludge came up the sink drain, and when I rinsed the basin, my bathtub drain started backing up with all kinds of black gook. Obviously the two use the same pipes. I did some more plunging of the bathtub drain and more gook came up.

I just poured a load of Pequa down both drains. If that doesn't work, is there any more powerful stuff. My friend told me about some black liquid that's in a clear bottle, and a bag is over it. He's not sure of the name of it.

By the way, how much does a drain "snake" cost? I'd rather do it than the super (it's an apartment building) as he leaves a tremendous mess.

[default]

in the vicinity of $25, US. depending on what you get and where.

ANd it's a much better idea than caustic chemicals, just don't use it for quite a while after you've poured in said chemicals, or you may end up wearing them.

[Benji Bronkster]

default wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Thanks for the response. Btw, Pequa did the trick. I've also read that vinegar and baking soda clears the drain quite well. Is that so?

I stuck my finger around the inside of the bathroom sink drain and there's a load of gook and gunk on the outer rims of the inside of the drain. Why don't they make these sinks so that the parts are easily removable and you can reach the pipes a bit easier to clean them out. I know the obvious reason - the pipe has to be securely attached so there isn't a flood. However, there's a tremendous amount of sediment right where the drain starts and the bottom of the sink ends and it's impossible to reach.

[Ed Clarke]

Drop a gallon or two of boiling water down the drain every month or so. For our kitchen drains the pasta water does this but for a bathroom I'd only use a pot that was half full. Splashing boiling water on someone is a significant ouchie...

[Doug Kanter]

No matter who snakes the pipes, it'll be a mess, if the pipes in my former home are any indication. Set aside LOTS of time to clean it up.

[nospambob]

[JerryMouse]

He's probably thinking of Sulphuric Acid. Really evil stuff.

It's really an oily light yellow color.

Will convert any organic substance (mold, mung, flushed diaper, cat) to elemental carbon and water. You may have to add fuming Nitric Acid to complete the reactions.

[Doug Kanter]

Great stuff, as long as you don't need to have a plumber come afterward to open up the pipes. In that case, you may need a lawyer.

[jeffc]

OK important safety tip. Thanks.

[jeffc]

Some are colored black so you can easily see where it goes (or splashes or drips.)