drain cleaner

miss_scrooge

I use bicarbonate of soda then white vinegar or any vinegar will do I think and leave for an hour then pour boiling water down plug hole.Don't know about the toilet could try bicarbonate of soda down there aswell not the hot water though.

Nothing should go down toilets only loo roll not even tampons they expand aswell.

Seakay

you can drain old fat into a pot and put it out for the birds, similarly you can wipe out a fatty pan with a slice of bread and put that out for them. Basically no fat should gom down the drain; if you've ever seen a programme about sewerage systems the main reason people have to go down and clear the sewer pipes is a huge build up of fat either solidified or saponified after contact with caustic cleaners.

wannabe_sybil

I have a slightly different problem. I hope I am reasonably good about fat, usually wiping any out of a pan before washing etc as I don't use much. However my kitchen sink drains into a shared drain with next door which is open to the elements and which gets gunked up with dead leaves, dust etc. It is also below ground level.

Every now and then it backs up and my kitchen floods.

Any suggestions about that. I am hoping to get a cover put on in the spring, but access from next door is a bit awkward - lovely neighbour but has some stuff against the drain. atm I just go out and poke hopefully with a bamboo cane.

Eenymeeny

I put soda crystals down each plughole on the first of the month (when I remember!) then rinse it away with boiling water after about an hour. I always use soda crystals added to washing, with a hot wash at least once a week. I understand that due to lower temperature washes body fats etc build up in your pipes:eek:
I also pour a handful onto the outside gully covers followed by boiling water when I remember (usually in the summer when I'm more likely to be outside. I'm trying to work on a prevention is better than cure theory.