Cleaning sinks/drains etc

gabyjane

I read somwhere that you can make a fizzing concoction from something to clean sink plugholes etc with something like bicarb and vinegar? but not sure what it is..Any ideas please..
Thanks

Penelope_Penguin

Caustic soda is what cleans drains.

A mixture of vinegar and bicarb will make plenty of fizz, but won't have much effect on cleaning drain blockages

Penny. x

EssexHebridean

Try pouring a half cup of ordinary salt down the plughole, and then follow it with two cups of boiling white vinegar. I usually leave the vinegar sat in the drain for half an hour or so before flushing through with hot, then cold water from the tap. Not sure how or why it works, but it really does. If you have a bad blockage at the moment then best to try one of the branded sink & plughole unblockers (as PP said - one using caustic soda) to sort the problem, then use the salt & vinegar treatment monthly to maintain.

mandy_moo_1

pouring a cup full of soda crystals and boiling water down it will also loosen any grease that's lurking there

i think the fizzy solution is soda crystals and vinegar, or bicarb and vinegar, but either of these will help to shift a blockage if it isn't too bad

TomsMom

The fizzy solution is bicarb and vinegar. Put half a cup or so of bicarb over your plughole. Add white vinegar. If fizzing stops and there's still some bicarb there, add more vinegar until all bicarb is gone. Follow with a kettle full of boiling water. Will leave your plughole/waste pipe nice and clean.

Bicarb is also good for cleaning your stainless steel sink. Just sprinkle dry bicarb, rub over with damp cloth, rinse, buff with dry cloth - lovely sparkling sink/drainer.

Louisepp

Can I just quickly highjack your thread? :rolleyes:

I've just bought caustic soda (B&Q Concentrated Caustic Soda...ideal for unblocking drains...blah, blah, blah)

I know you have to be careful with the stuff, but have been doing the soda and boiling water (which helps!), now need something stronger.

But why?? Why?? are the instructions so small! I can't read the flipping thing

So, anyone know how to use the stuff?

EssexHebridean

Carefully! The reason it cleans the drain so well is that it's corrosive. If it's a fairly standard caustic soda then pour half the bottle carefully down the sink - making sure to avoid the sink itself and get it straight down the plughole. Pop a jar-lid or something over the plughole and go away and leave it for 30 minutes. flush well with water - either hot or cold. If you still need more clearance then use the other half of the bottle and repeat the procedure. Don't use it with any other chemicals, and don't splash yourself with it! It's also sensible to avoid breathing in the fumes from it - hence the jar lid over the plughole!