Preventing black gunk in sink drains

I keep getting black gunk in my bathroom sink drain which is the result of using soap. I was wondering if there is any type of soap that is less prone to forming black gunk in drains? For example, would a soap with Triclosan help, or any other type that might help? If I were to use liquid dish soap instead of regular soap to wash my hands in the bathroom, would this still result in black gunk buildup?

Thanks,

J.

I keep getting black gunk in my bathroom sink drain which is the result of using soap. I was wondering if there is any type of soap that is less prone to forming black gunk in drains? For example, would a soap with Triclosan help, or any other type that might help? If I were to use liquid dish soap instead of regular soap to wash my hands in the bathroom, would this still result in black gunk buildup?

Thanks,

J.

Sorry about the dupes, that was due to a computer glitch.

J.

I was beginning to think it was caused by "black gunk." ;-)

Cheri

The problem with soaps are that they have a foaming agent, which stops it just running off your hands. Its the same as bubble bath and shampoo. Also most soapsare full of fats, some animal and some types of vegetable. Sounds gross but the build up is also down to sweat and grime that comes off the people washing. Pubs and restaurants have a lot of problems with this due to the amount of stuff going down the drains and often use biodegrading fluid. Best thing is to use whatever soap you like and use a sink unblocker like Mr Muscle as it will break the build up down and leave it clean again. At least you are a washer though!

Stu

Our sink train plug holds onto hair, and our drain gets nasty if there is hair in it. Clean out hair, pour a pan of hot water with dish soap and a little bleach down the drain once in a while.

Bar soap is notoriously unsanitary and worth avoiding. I have been using the same soap for almost 30 years. It's called Dr. Bronners Pure Castille Soap and is available with different theraputic essential oils such a peppermint. It is great soap,very concentrated and always found at natural foods co-ops and groceries. All-One-God-Faith-Incorporated.

I thought maybe you were having a big emergency with the drain gunk, sort of like in the movie "The Blob", and were sending out an S.O.S. ;)

I don't know what's good for cleaning out gunk quickly, but in the long term, weekly or monthly treatment with one of those enzyme powders can help. They're sold by hardware stores, plumbing supplies, home centers, Wal-Mart, and maybe even supermarkets. Consumer Reports evaluated them in the Jan. 1994 issue, p. 45.

Roto-Rooter Concentrated Drain Cleaner (excellent on grease) $2.50/use Sears Bioactive Drain Cleaner (very good on grease) $3.00/use Plumb Clean (excellent on grease) $0.29/use BioFree (good on grease) $2.00/use Enforcer Drain Care (good on grease) $0.20/use Roebic K-67 Bacterial Drain & Trap Cleaner (fair on grease) $0.28/use

Notice the 15:1 spread on per-use cost, with Plumb Clean being not only one of the best but also one of the cheapest. It's also sold by mail.

I have to ask what kind of stopper do you have in the drain, a regular built in pull up and push down fixture or do you just have a rubber stopper. I don't see how you would know there was black gunk in the drain if it is the former.

I personally don't care much what is in the drain as long as it drains quickly. Maybe you should switch to a modern built in stop mechanism or just forget about what is in the drain.

Shampoo does not contain soap.

Triclosan is just going to help breed your germs stronger and better. Mechanical removal - ie a scourer & vinegar is the best bet.

"Lawrence" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Glad I kept reading. I was gonna say...you need to visit it more frequently or it's one hell of a big bar of soap.

Hi, Origin of Castille soap is Spain. I never use bar soap. Liquid soap, liauid shower gel is our choice.