clean drains?

[glenzo]

Is there a product to help keep drain pipes clear? Maybe something I should be doing on a regular basis?

[mwlogs]

Yup. WATER! Most chemical cleaners aren't much good and can sometimes do more damage than good. For the most part nothing should be going down the drain that won't flush on thru with water. A good strainer on the tub will catch hair and the like that might cause a problem. Kitchen sinks should also have a strainer, and caution should be used on what goes down the disposal. stringy things and flat sticky things like banana peal or potato peals should NEVER go down since they will clog for sure. Letting the water run a few seconds after turning off the disposal will ensure things get flushed away. If I have a sink full of dishwater, I wait to drain it until just after I've run the disposal. That puts a flood of a couple gallons of water down the drain as well.

[John Hines]

Eat lots of pasta. No seriously, dumping boiling hot water down the drain, helps melt the grease clogs away.

[Joseph Meehan]

Normally nothing is needed. Really! The guys selling all those drain cleaners would have you think otherwise, but the fact is I have not had a clogged drain in over 30 years. I don't think I have ever had a clogged drain that a drain cleaner would have helped.

Some of those cleaners can damage the drains, so I suggest being careful and don't trust the TV add that says it safe.

[Dave Harnish]

This isn't something I have to do very often, but with 3 teenage girls in the house, I use my wet-vac to 'backflush' the drains, especially the tub drain, and it works great! 'Wrote a little article about it in my newsletter back in Feb '02. Might provide some 'food for thought'. It's the last article of four in this issue:

God bless,

Dave Harnish Dave's Repair Service New Albany, PA

[e-mail]

570-363-2404

I'm a 32-year pro appliance technician, and love sharing what I've learned - in a FREE Monthly Appliance Tips Newsletter. (Back issues now posted here too!)

Acts 4:12

[barry martin]

DH> This isn't something I have to do very often, but with 3 teenage DH> girls in the house, I use my wet-vac to 'backflush' the drains, DH> especially the tub drain, and it works great! 'Wrote a little article

Yes, we had a mysterious clog in our drain and the plumber said it wasn't due to my beard trimmings. Long hair is really hard on drains

-- does a wonderful job of catching soap residue, clogging them up.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• I don't have sheer genius. Mine is actually quite opaque.

[Box134]

That's an open question with many variables. Whether a drain is a problem depends on location.... I have a situation where the washing machine discharges into the laundry tub, bad news. I've had to apply heavy duty opening chemicals to that one, but my kitchen sink never gives me a problem because only hot soapy water or the dishwasher discharge goes through it. Bathroom sinks are in between because hair can accumulate and create a problem. Bottom line is if your drains aren't slow or plugged it's probably nothing to worry about.

One piece of advice is worth repeating, don't use granular drain openers. If they don't clear the clog they leave behind residue which only compounds the problem. This was from a plumber who said he saw cases where they had to open up a wall to unscrew pipes clogged by granular drain openers.

[barry martin]

B > That's an open question with many variables. Whether a drain is a problem B > depends on location.... I have a situation where the washing machine B > discharges into the laundry tub, bad news. I've had to apply heavy duty

We have a similar setup: washer drains into a laundry tub. We use one of those mesh lint collectors tied to the end of the discharge tube plus a perforated cap which fits in the tub drain. No more problems with lint-clogged drain pipes!

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• I said before, I never repeat myself.

[xymergy]

I cut off the legs of my old pantyhose and tie one (foot end down) onto the discharge tube. Knee-high stockings work well, too. Costs next to nothing and works better than those mesh lint collectors, in my experience.

[Childfree Scott]

I have a 25 ft "snake" or "auger" (whatever it's called) that I use on a regular basis. It works great. I'm going to try the boiling water trick recommended to keep the drain clear (dissolves grease and soap).