Snap. I had a blocked sink and my landlord just told me to pour some chemical down it (I think it was NaOH). I did it three times and it had no effect. Finally we removed the U-bend (pretty sure these are designed to come off easily) and the whole thing was clogged with what looked like paper and the odd plastic disposable razor cover. It took three seconds to tip this into the bucket and fix the problem.

If cola really works to destroy hair in clogged drains I can’t imagine what it does to one’s stomach lining, esophagus, etc.

I think I’ll go have a nice drink of water.

I just dealt with the hair-clogged shower drain. I could feel the slimy hair, but couldn’t pull it out. I tried different thicknesses of wire (didn’t think of the wire hanger, darn it!), and then looked everywhere for the plastic drain clearer (ZipIt, a long thin plastic flat rod, it’s got little “teeth” to grab stuff out) but couldn’t find it (or at the local store). I have used the baking soda + vinegar trick before, but I knew this one was a physical obstruction and so I capitulated and got Drano, despite the chemicals. And it worked like a champ. I’d rather get the ZipIt tool though, and avoid the chemicals. Mental note, go visit Amazon.

Clean and clear drains are such a blessing!

I don’t plan to re-plumb my house, and I mean no disrespect to plumbers, who know much more than I do about how to do the job more quickly and efficiently (and have exactly the right tools to do it with), but it is possible for many of us to do such a basic task ourselves, especially now with all the freely available learning options we have.

In the last few years, I’ve also replaced the flapper in the toilet, and cleaned out the overflow valve of the dishwasher and the center column of the clothes washer, as well as made repairs or replaced broken parts on my refrigerator and stove. It’s saved me hundreds of dollars, and there’s a nice feeling of self-reliance or competence that goes along with the savings.

Basically, it just takes some study, taking plenty of time, and keeping careful track of what you’ve done so you can put it back together. I’ve drawn the line at anything that might cause me injury, anything I don’t fully understand after thorough study, and anything that would void a warranty. Oh, and if you don’t know what it means to “discharge the capacitor” don’t work on electrical motors, microwaves, or other electrical devices.

Annie.

Every once in awhile when I think of it, I pour a little peroxide down the drain. The sizzle tells me it’s found some gunk and is working on it.

NaHCO3 + heat -> Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

Basically, heating your bicarb soda will give you washing soda (sodium carbonate, Na2CO3), water (as steam) and carbon dioxide. Domestic quantities are unlikely to present a safety issue, so you may be being slightly overcautious by recommending opening windows etc. The risk of suffocation is pretty low. The same gas is produced when you add the vinegar to the bicarb or washing soda. The bubbles caused have a scouring effect,

A note – only the dissolved soda is reacting with the vinegar, and both sodas have fairly limited solubility in water (it increases a little in warmer water). This is why heating the vinegar is more effective – it dissolves more of the soda. Either way, though, you’re probably using far too much soda for the quantity of vinegar, since only the active ingredient (acetic acid) is actually a reagent in the reaction.

Just a last thing – drain cleaners tend to have one of two active ingredients, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or chlorine bleach. Sodium hydroxide cleaners are safe to mix with vinegar; the reaction produces a little heat, but no dangerous byproducts. Chlorine bleach mixed with vinegar (or ammonia, another acidic substance) is quite different – it releases chlorine gas, which is quite poisonous. Of course, both caustic soda and bleach should be handled with care, and kept away from children. With that in mind, though, caustic soda is fine to use instead of the other sodas, and rather more effective in smaller quantities, as it is far more soluble in water. It doesn’t get the fun bubbles (and thus not the physical scouring effect) when vinegar is added, but it is more effective at dissolving fats and keratin based substances (such as hair) than the other sodas. Also, adding (enough) vinegar halts the action of caustic soda, leaving nothing more dangerous than a slightly warmer salt solution in the drain.

Hope this info is interesting :)