Back to Work Tomorrow. It Was 'Fun' While it Lasted.
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
Midland, Michigan
April 23, 2016 7:44pm CST
This is the first time in many years that I took a vacation just to stay home. When I put in to get it off, I was hoping that it would be much warmer and we'd have loads of people waiting to get windows cleaned. Even though we weren't quite that busy, we did get a good start this week. It wasn't until Thursday night that I remembered a big job we do in April on ten condos. We started that yesterday and will finish it next week.
Today was my one actual day off and I barely did anything other than play a game on my tablet and hang out here on mylot catching up. I'd hoped to rake a few leaves that were left over from the front yard, and prune some plants that haven't sprouted new growth yet. I was going to clean my van, and do some cleaning inside the house too.
I did get my bathroom sink unplugged finally. It's been a slow draining sink for several months. I've used Ridex before, but had the powder version. I poured some down the sink followed by hot water yesterday and then left to clean windows. When I returned home again, I was surprised to find that the sink was plugged worse than before I began.
I spent the last day and a half trying different formulas with no success. I finally purchased a different clog remover today. It didn't say it couldn't work in standing water, nor did it say I shouldn't use a plunger on it. When the first try didn't work, I emptied some of the excess water into the toilet, then I plunged it several times. Nothing.
Sometime later, I again poured a portion of the cleaner down the sink. after waiting quite a while I followed it with boiling water. No results. A bit later I again plunged it for a bit and finally it began going down. Once it was all down, I poured some more cleaner down the drain and after a bit followed it by hot tap water.
It works better now than it has in a very long time.
I'll be around a little bit tomorrow before I sleep before working the midnight shift. Then it won't be until Tuesday that you see me again.
Do you have favorite recipes for clearing clogged drains?
12 people like this
12 responses
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
24 Apr 16
no but I wish the guywho fxed the l eaking faucet in our bathroom would come see what he did not do. He did not stop the leak at all.I will h ave to report it monday tp the fronoffce as we cannot get it to stop ru nning its wasting a lot of money that wa
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
24 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman yes I will tell the front desk tomorrow so theycan send a r epair guy
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Apr 16
Yes, even though you're not paying those bills any longer, no sense in them losing all that water down the drain that way. Good idea, Patsie. Maybe it needs a new washer or aerator or something he didn't think of at the time. We had problems with it leaking some years ago and our person bought a new aerator which took care of it oddly enough.
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
30 Apr 16
I found some drano type cleaner at Krogers that I've never used before. On all the other main brands it says not to use a plunger, so I never tried that before, but they have used them at work so I did use it a couple of times. I think the cleaner that I used and working with the plunger did the trick. It even cleared whatever was causing the sink to drain slow these past few months.
THe particular brand I bought this time, didn't say not to use any plunger, so I thought it was worth a try. All the others also say not to use when there's standing water, whereas this new brand didn't say that either.
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Apr 16
If I start using that before clogs happen that would probably work much better. Do you pour down about 1/2 cup of baking soda followed by the vinegar and cover the top of the drain so it can work, Julia?
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48272)
• Canada
24 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman No because I do it every couple of months, I use probably 1/4 cup of baking soda and then about 4 cups of vinegar. After that goes down, I boil the kettle and pour a full kettle of boiling water down. If you don't wash it down well, it will cause a clog.
I hope that this method works for you, its done me well for years.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
30 Apr 16
@Juliaacv It didn't work for me this time, but I was thinking of doing what you do to keep it clog free for the future. Although, someone told me they just put boiling water down periodically and that will get rid of things hanging out down there too, so I might try that first. WHich type of vinegar do you use, the white or cider vinegar or does it not matter?
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Apr 16
Is it a material you need to push down into the pipe to soak up the clog or something, Erly? Does SOSA stand for something else also?
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
26 Apr 16
@cacay1 I don't think we have that one over here in the USA.
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
26 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman , SOSA is a liquid chemical.First pour hot water to the clogged area, and then cover the faucet, the pour the whole contents of SOSA just the small size of it, then let it work for itself overnight.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305534)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
24 Apr 16
We had one in the kitchen sink a couple years ago. Nothing worked so I went to the hardware store and asked them. I got a snake and some kind of acid. The bottle must remain in a plastic bag and you must wear gloves. It worked within minutes.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Apr 16
If we had a snake I would have used that too. Our hardware store probably has that acid, if what I had doesn't work any longer, or if I don't get around to periodically using the baking soda and vinegar to keep it free of clogs, then I'll consider asking about that.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305534)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
24 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman I was surprised how fast it worked.
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@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
25 Apr 16
@just4him I'm happy that my feeble attempts finally worked out and not only did I clear the current clog, but I cleared whatever was causing it to drain slow the past few months too. I hope to prevent future backups by using a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar periodically. I do use a strainer in both my bathroom sink and tub which I have to replace every few months or so, but even then something still gets down there. Probably strands of hair.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
24 Apr 16
I would generally pour in boiling water and hope for the best
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@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
25 Apr 16
THat's a bit funny, Marie, since I won't be free unless it rains and we can't do windows. I still get three plus weeks off for vacation, but I might take it a few days at a time. I'll still be around, but I won't be 'free' until I can retire from at least one of the jobs which may not happen for six more years or so. I'm resigned that I may need to work until I'm seventy.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
24 Apr 16
I tend to use crystal soda in very hot boiled water and then pour it down the plug hole regularly. It seems to keep the sink drains patent. Good luck and don't over work!
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38616)
• Midland, Michigan
25 Apr 16
I don't know what 'crystal soda' is, maybe it's similar to our baking soda? I can look it up later. I plan on using baking soda followed by white vinegar to keep it clog free. I should only have to use that periodically, maybe every other month or so.
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
24 Apr 16
Boy you really worked hard on that drain and I'm so glad it payed off- I'm glad you just relaxed on your day off because I think you needed it.
1 person likes this
