Drain Cleaner

  • Thread starter PatrioticStabilist
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PatrioticStabilist

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Can you put drain cleaner in the bathrub drain?  I'm hesitant to, afraid it might eat the greywater tank.  I got a lot of hair out of the tub drain but it still seems kind of slow and I would bet the drain bend or whatever that part is called either has soap crud or more hair in it and would like to clean it out.

We will be out of pocket a bit and I'm going to buy a small bottle of liquid but won't use it till I hear back.  All the other drains are fine, the bathroom sink, kitchen sinks, and washer.
 
We've had good luck just using vinegar and baking soda to clear the motorhome drains.

Margi
 
Regular ol' drain cleaner shouldn't harm the holding tank.  It's most likely ABS plastic which is used commonly in a lot of sewer applications (pipes, fittings, etc.) in stick houses.  The actual drain and trap is probably PVC and will not be harmed either.  I'd use whatever you might use at home, although you may need some kind of snake to clear it initially.  Just flush it well after cleaning.  Use plenty of water and the drain cleaner will be diluted to nearly nothing.
 
Carolyn, I'm afraid to use stuff like that.  I have a very long pair of tweezers, about 10 inches, that I use.  I pry up the shower drain cover and reach down.  They do a pretty good job of getting out any crud.

ArdraF
 
There is no drain cover like a shower.  I bought some cleaner with a little plastic snake with it.  It's not real long but likely will do the trick in here.  I don't think I have any vinegar but should have remembered that and soda would do it.

I took the little snake and got out some hair.  So did it again and nothing.  I just put a small amount of the stuff down the drain and left it just a few minutes and rinsed, ran faster.  I am doing it again and leaving for 10 minutes.  Since I'm about ready for a bath and doing laundry the tank should clear out pretty quickly.  I really think its probably soap crud.  We have used everything in here more then its been used in years this last month so I know that is a good thing and probably loosened gunk up. 
 
I just ran hot water down the drain for awhile rinsing out the small amount of cleaner I put in it. Whatever was slowing it up is gone, Flowing faster like it should, good deal.

 
Drain cleaner and aluminum don't play well together at all. Some sink drain stems and mechanisms may be aluminum.
Dangerous fun can be be had with this knowledge. 8)
 
Glad you got it flowing better, Carolyn.

ArdraF
 
The tank and all the piping should be ABS and drain cleaner will not hurt that.
I like to pour a cup or 2 of bleach in the drain to dissolve hair and let it sit a couple of hours then flush with hot water.  Always works for me. :)
 
I didn't leave the small amount in but 10 minutes and I rinsed well plus washed a load of clothes.  I just took a bath and the tub drained before I got dried off.  Bet the curve had soap and hair crud in it and the little plastic snake likely moved it on, all is well.  With the bath probably 20 gallons of water as I used the 10 gallons in the water heater plus cold water and that rinsed through so I imagine everything has rinsed out by now.  I'm not sure what would be aluminum in any of it.  The tank is some type of plastic I'm pretty sure and like others have said the pipes are likely PVC, however, in the future I will use vinegar and soda instead.    Anyway no slow running drain any longer.  I need to get one of those tiny strainers and put it in the drain to catch Sue Anne and I's hair when we wash it, we lose a lot.

 

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