We are living in a house that has just been gutted, extended and refurbished. The bathrooms and plentiful hot water supplies are the most essential improvements.
But in the washbasin in the downstairs bathroom, I have noticed that deposits of a black gunge, fibrous somehow but slimy, keep appearing on the lower part of the modern-style plug, the part that goes down the waste pipe. It is the sort of plug that you operate by lifting or lowering a small rod behind the mixer tap, but it lifts out easily and can be examined.
The gunge isn't hair, stubble or face dirt. It seems to sort of grow down there, as if it was an algae or some sort of organic thing. It is quite soft, run the tap over it fast and it comes off in lumps.
Naturally I don't like it much. Has anyone got any idea what it might be? Could it be a health hazard? And if no one has any idea what it might be, how do I go about finding out?
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We get the same.
I've no idea what it is or what it does, but a dose of Caustic Soda every now and again shifts it.
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You have bacterial colonies growing in your pipes AC. KNown as biofilm
A good explanation here.
truthofwater.com/answers/2008/11/02/black-guck-from-bathroom-drains/
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Does the black colour not come from oxidised soap residue? I know bacteria like to feed on soap.
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>> Does the black colour not come from oxidised soap residue? I know bacteria like to feed on soap.
Perhaps Bobbin (and welcome by the way).
It isn't just bacteria that like to feed on soap. In West Africa they have a local soap, sort of brown squidgy stuff sometimes with bits of straw in it. The people there say you can eat it if you want, although I haven't tried it. But in hotels in Ghana and Nigeria you sometimes hear rattling noises coming from the bathroom or shower. They are made by mouse-sized cockroaches jostling to bite off bits of the soap. I suppose it's made from palm oil (also used to make our soap, but much less 'processed' in the case of the local stuff).
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Thanks Armel.
I have a dog that's partial to Imperial Leather. Obviously a connoisseur...!
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Thank you RR and CGN. Dilute bleach it is then.
I suppose I'll have to look at the upstairs plugs too. Nuisance. The stuff builds up quite quickly and eventually restricts the flow of water down the waste pipe. That was how I came to discover it.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Wed 22 Jun 11 at 15:41
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New patio? Odd looks from mysterious locals in the corner shop? Inexplicable wet footprints in the upstairs lobby? Strange anthropomorphised crows trying to communicate with you?
Probably nothing...
:-)
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>> Strange anthropomorphised crows trying to communicate with you?
Alas, the young carrion crow flew off a day or so after its drinking session and hasn't come back. No sense of gratitude these birds. Treat the place as a hotel (or in this case perhaps, a nursing home).
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I have always despised these green cleaning products. I'm not sure they are much more harmless to us than the old, toxic sort, but I have always felt that they aren't harmful enough to the things they are supposed to harm. Nevertheless the ladies seem to think they are a good idea and buy them.
This just proves that I am right.
Greencare indeed! Greendon'tgiveadamn more like.
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"Nevertheless the ladies seem to think they are a good idea and buy them. "
Not all of us. Gimme the bleach anyday. I like to know that things are properly clean.
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When we moved in here 2 months ago (doesn't thyme fly!) there was an awful pong from the vegetable sink
(is it called that?) the little one next to the main one, anyway - I thought the nasty niff was coming up from the skeptic tank but - I appened to notice this ere black gunge down the plug hole so I completely dismantled the critter inc. the down-pipe and cleaned it all out,
It hasn't come back (yet), I don't know what caused it but - we do use eco-logical washing up liquid :)
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Probably black mould. The slimy sort isn't very healthy to have around. Mine are the same. I'm not dead yet so it can't be lethal.
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Be warned if you use something really aggressive on a regular basis there may be unexpected consequences:
SWMBO uses caustic soda crystals down the trap on our sinks.. and we recently had a leak of waste water under one of them.
The large brass nut which fastens the trap to the sink was corroded through at one point from the inside out - I can't imagine why.
However, it must be said that the trap was all nice and clean inside when I took it off to fit a new nut (once I'd found out where the leak was).
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AnotherJohnH, I have a very slow flowing drain out of my shower. I'm thinking of shoving caustic soda down there as the rubbish like Mr Muscle drain unblocker and the like from the supermarket don't seem to work.
Any dos and don'ts?
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>> I have a very slow flowing drain out of my shower. I'm thinking of
>> shoving caustic soda down there as the rubbish like Mr Muscle drain unblocker and the
>> like from the supermarket don't seem to work.
Can you dismantle the trap at all? In both my en-suite and my mother's it is possible to prise the cover out of the 'plughole'. This then gives access to the divider in the trap which can be extracted using long nosed pliers. It will probably also have a lot of hair and soap gunge stuck to it - be ready to gag!! Mother's was particularly bad a few years as her lodger had long hair.
While the divider's out and soaking in bleach I use the shower hose with head off to power clean the inside of the trap.
Job needs doing every 3-4 months or when water seems sluggish leaving the cubicle.
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>> Can you dismantle the trap at all?
No. I can only remove a silver coloured disc which sits above the hole. Then once that's off, it's literally just an opening in to the waste pipe. No divider or anything. There is always standing water in this pipe. So I think I need to get some kind of chemical down there, but expensive, branded, marketed bleach based potions are hopeless.
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>>Any dos and don'ts?
Before spending your money on 'miracle' cures, I'd suggest going fishing with a bit of wire that's got a hook bent into the end. When my daughters lived at home I invariably pulled out the equivalent of a dead rat (hair).
I've now got a push-n-pull plunger that pumps both ways. Amazing what that'll clear.
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That research is sponsored by someone that has something to gain from it though. I'd take it with a pinch of dish washer salt :-)
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>>That research is sponsored by someone that has something to gain from it though<<
I give up, tb (really)
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Its amazing what you can do with a rubber cup sink plunger and a bit of effort.......
..............and you can unblock your wastepipe...................
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>>Its amazing what you can do with a rubber cup sink plunger and a bit of effort<<
Ooo, you are awful - but I like you!
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+1 on the plunger. I had a bahroom sink where I regularly had to pour down some of the expensive chemicals. After a lightbulb moment took a rubber plunger to it, not forgetting to block the oveflow, and the ammount of gunge that came out was unbelievable. Just the odd plunge and it keeps clear.
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Just an observation.
After a few days there might be a background smell from one of the drain traps, a good dose of bleach overnight cures it every time.
For those who's sense of smell isn't so acute, or damaged (don't take it personal smokers, no offence) maybe a once a week bleaching as a matter of course would keep the black fungi's at bay.
Mira shower heads are good for traps, they have three position heads, one of which is a powerful jet, a good blast down the shower drain now and again keeps things flowing well.
We had a lingering smell in the kitchen for a while, couldn't pin point it till i took the plinths off and found the waste pipe outlet, sure enough the smell was coming from there.
Concrete platform floors, and no leaks i wondered what was to be done.
A good dosing of thin bleach, Lidl's el cheapo did the trick, there must be a bend under the raised floor where food, grease etc accumulates once in a while.
The important thing is to bleach regularly, not let things develop.
Another good reason not to smoke too..:-)
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>>>> ...caustic soda...
>> Any dos and don'ts?
I don't, so I can't comment about quantities, or how long to leave it.
But the internet tells me caustic soda dissolves hair (so maybe SWMBO knows what she's doing).
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Caustic soda will is indeed the best stuff for cleaning the waste pipe. You can buy it in old fashioned ironmongers. It does indeed dissolve organic matter such as fat so it will actually get rid of the source of the problem. Bleach will kill bacteria but leaves the fat,soap etc on which they thrive. Read the instructions carefully and wear gloves when using it.
You should not be getting any smells from the drain side of the trap. That is what the trap is for. If you have not used a shower for a long time however the water in the trap may have evaporated and not be working. Just run a drop of water to top it up occasionally.
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Agree with you. HOWEVER. Do be careful with bleach or similar strong stain removers/drain unblockers. I've just had to get a new pop up waste plug due to discolouring it by leaving some strong cleaner in contact with it longer than I should. The plug's easier to swap but if you spoil the waste chrome ring itself, then you've given yourself a bigger job to change it.
Also. I rarely use bleach without accidentally splashing something. Hence all manner of clothes & fabrics have been spoiled over the years.
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And be double careful considering whether to use bleach or caustic. Either has their advantage but don't even think of mixing them.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 24 Jun 11 at 20:25
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>> And be double careful considering whether to use bleach or caustic. Either has their advantage but don't even think of mixing them.
Take great care with caustic soda (or indeed with any concentrated alkali or acid).
Never pour water onto caustic soda crystals. You may get a faceful and be maimed for life, no kidding. Put water in a container and put the crystals in. Then stir the water - not with your hand but with something else! - until the crystals dissolve, which takes a minute or two. Caustic reacts with water and gives off heat which you will feel.
It works wonders with gunged-up drains, grease, hair and other stuff. And doesn't seem to harm lead or plastic pipes. I used it a few times in the last house in London which had a cat's cradle of mid-Victorian-to-contemporary plumbing. But it only seemed really OK to use in the outside drains which got blocked from time to time. A bit brutalist for indoors, to be used only when necessary.
Acid will damage, sometimes very rapidly, most metals and plastics although pottery seems immune. Don't use it for these purposes.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 24 Jun 11 at 20:38
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>> Another good reason not to smoke too..:-)
The black gunge in our waste pipe doesn't smell gb. My nose is quite all right for detecting that sort of thing, despite the treatment it has had over the years.
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The problem is caused by this green obsession with turning down the temperature of hot water, dishwashers, etc, and bacteria just love lukewarm water.
So instead we all tip loads of bleach, caustic soda and other powerful cleaners down the drain.
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>> The problem is caused by this green obsession with turning down the temperature of hot water
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But the elf n safety mob insist that scalding water is the norn for "public access" hand basins.
I have not seen the waste pipe gunge, just the black mould in the washing machine deteregent tray area. Guess who has to clean it !!
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"bacteria just love lukewarm water."
They sure love the warm and damp. That's why we have so many inside us. Estimated at 1000 trillion and outnumbering our own body cells ten to one. In dry weight they comprise ten per cent of our body weight. Guess a few trillion more down the wast pipe don't matter too much!
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Mr bacteria isn't all bad - without him we'd have no bread, cheese, yoghurt or ... ale cohol.
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Or functioning gut actually perro... but perhaps people prefer not to think about that.
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Bacteria have been around for about 4 billion years and there are approximately five nonillion on planet Earth!
I wonder what Jehovah God was thinking about when he created them.
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They are our ancestors, or their cousins, still around. Our relatives and symbiotes.
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Best not pour caustic soda on you relatives then AC
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>>Best not pour caustic soda on you relatives then AC<<
Oh, I dunno - with some of them :-D
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I say chaps, just leave my relations out of this...
Not all bacteria are our symbiotes. Some are our enemies. I know these forms of discrimination make the biopolitically correct a tad uncomfortable, but really some of these organisms are beyond the pale...
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the biopolitically correct are beyond the pale... >>
Corrected that typo for you AC, and yes most PC's are beyond the pale, headfirst in a pail a better solution of whatever cleaner you fancy.
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Mysterious black gunge in waste pipe - Robin O'Reliant
