Preparing for winter II

pink_numbers

I thought it was the other way round, you're ment to add the caustic soda TO the water... if you add water to caustic soda, the whole shebang will react to very little water, where as if you add caustic soda to water, you initially start off with weaker solution...

Either way, you never need to use caustic soda for unblocking drains! Put one or two cups of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) down the drain, followed by similar amount of vinegar. Follow this by a kettle full of boiling water. Repeat if necessary. Not AS fast reacting as the caustic soda, but a heck of a lot safer (as long as you don't stick your hand into the boiling water that is).

Confuzzled

pink_numbers wrote: »

I thought it was the other way round, you're ment to add the caustic soda TO the water... if you add water to caustic soda, the whole shebang will react to very little water, where as if you add caustic soda to water, you initially start off with weaker solution...

Either way, you never need to use caustic soda for unblocking drains! Put one or two cups of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) down the drain, followed by similar amount of vinegar. Follow this by a kettle full of boiling water. Repeat if necessary. Not AS fast reacting as the caustic soda, but a heck of a lot safer (as long as you don't stick your hand into the boiling water that is).

i followed the directions on the bottle that state implicitly that the drain cleaner (with caustic soda) should NEVER be added to water but the water added to the drain cleaner

i have tried bicarb and vinegar in the washing machine with no success and limited success on very very clogged drains. the people here before me did a number on this place. though normally yes, bircarb and vinegar are very effective and fun for the kids to watch!

anyway, sorry i got us all off topic, but it has worked so yay! still a bit shocked the plumber wouldn't possibly entertain the idea of a blocked pipe :think: but i'm glad i did cuz i was right

on topic again, i think i'm going to put up my bubble wrap and stuff the gaps in our warped wooden window frames with paper this weekend. i don't really feel i need it quite yet but it is of course better to do it before the cold sets in to minimise loss of the thermal mass that's built up in the house... to which my down stairs neighbour seems to be adding too, the other night i had to put shorts on in the late evening as she had her heating on and i was roasting! yay to neighbours 20+ years my senior :rotfl:

littleowl

pink_numbers wrote: »

I thought it was the other way round, you're ment to add the caustic soda TO the water... if you add water to caustic soda, the whole shebang will react to very little water, where as if you add caustic soda to water, you initially start off with weaker solution...

Either way, you never need to use caustic soda for unblocking drains! Put one or two cups of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) down the drain, followed by similar amount of vinegar. Follow this by a kettle full of boiling water. Repeat if necessary. Not AS fast reacting as the caustic soda, but a heck of a lot safer (as long as you don't stick your hand into the boiling water that is).

NO - if you add the caustic soda to hot water you will get an immediate and violent reaction.

Fruball

littleowl wrote: »

For unblocking drains tip some caustic soda (powder) down the drain and follow with boiling water - STAND BACK - it will bubble and can spit - don't hang over the drain. Also use rubber gloves and wear glasses. DO NOT ever add caustic soda to water - it must be the other way round.

I was always told you should never add water to the caustic soda crystals, the caustic should be added to cold water which will begin to heat up.

Either way, hopefully people would always read the instructions on the packaging.

Unlike my stupid self (many years ago) who had a particularly bad blockage going down the bath drain... bought caustic soda and had some sulphuric acid :eek: ... Course, the two must never be mixed but I didn't know that then.

Anyways, I put the caustic down the drain and waited... nothing happened. Flushed it with hot water, stil nothing... Completely blocked.

SOooooooooooooo I get the sulphuric acid out and pour that down the drain... on top of the caustic :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well I was damn lucky I wasn't blinded and my house didn't fall down... the concoction hissed and spat straight up out of the drain like a geyser. I ran for my life out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind me. I swear that for 5 minutes I thought my bathroom was exploding... The banging from the pipes was unreal and I thought it would never end. My heart was pounding with fear. It was like making popcorn... each time the noises stopped, I went to open the door and it started up again :eek:

Did it unblock the drain... Sure it did! and probably cleaned the pipes for the whole street :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Definately don't recommend it tho!!!

Red_Doe

I think more washing machines get clogged nowadays because fewer people boil wash their clothes any more. I remember my mum always boil washing sheets and bedding and towels. I occasionally do the same and don`t have any problems with the machine. I also do the bicarb and vinegar thing down the kitchen sink drain and it works a treat, have also used caustic soda (which is also used in making soap btw) down the drain if it`s (rarely) been bad and also works wonderfully well.
In soapmaking, caustic soda is added TO the water, a mask is advised though as it creates fumes, even better if you can do this outdoors.

pink_numbers

From a chemical company that sells it: ( http://www.dow.com/productsafety/finder/caustic.htm )

ALWAYS add caustic soda to tempered water with constant agitation to minimize a rapid temperature increase and the potential for the solution to boil, splatter or violently erupt.

From boots: ( http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Caustic-Soda-500g_923900/ )

Gradually add half the contents of the pack to 1.25 litres of cold water in a plastic bucket

But I'm sure equally, there are lots of web sites on the internet that suggest adding water to lye is the only way.

I can also see why adding water to lye will be given as instruction for a drain cleaner, as this would maximise the strength of the chemical reaction, which you may want in unblocking drains. It's just not the 'safest' way to handle caustic soda. I follow "add lye TO water" mantra from soap making, where you would want to handle it in the safest possible manner.

Either way, I am very impressed that Confuzzled got her washing machine sorted when a plumber failed to.

littleowl

That may be OK with cold or tempered water but not hot - and that is what is required for clearing drains or stripping wood. I have worked with caustic for years in a professional as well as domestic. capacity. Even with my experience the other week I put some caustic down the bathroom basin and followed with boiling water but then decided to add more caustic - obviously this descended onto the hot water and the resulting gush and splattering of boiling chemical made quite a mess of the bathroom. Fortunately I hadn't forgotten the other safety rules of gloves and glasses but did get some spots on my arm and hand - it burns! Still have the marks.

pink_numbers

thanks for that littleowl, it's good to get some professional information I guess the answer is NOT to use caustic soda where something else will work ok, be very very careful (read appropriate instructions) if you do have to resort to using caustic soda, and not to use it if you're not comfortable using it.

Justamum

Red_Doe wrote: »

I think more washing machines get clogged nowadays because fewer people boil wash their clothes any more.

It seems everyone is being advised to wash at 30c these days - which in my experience just doesn't clean properly and the detergent is left in a gloopy mess in the pipes (I wash at 40c). I usually do a boil (well 95c) wash every week or so when I wash my dish cloths/tea towels/kitchen towels. But I also put about a tablespoon of soda crystals in every wash too.

[Deleted User]

I treat my machine gently. I use ariel at 30 0r 40, half the amount because it uses rainwater. Soapnuts or an eco ball for washing that just needs freshening. Undies, sheets, towels get washed at the cool temp. I do most washes when the sun shines (we make our own electricity) and they go on the line in the sun, which sterilises them with its uv light. All stains come out, even grimy cloths used for all sorts of cleaning come up sparkling.

In the old days the sun worked wonders on terry baby nappies