Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Abso wrote:

My washing m/c, which is connected for drainage at the kitchen sink
has just *almost* flooded the kitchen by means of overfilling the
sink when draining. Now I'm no expert, but that tells me there's a
blockage between the sink and the main drain.

I've tried a traditional plunger on the kitchen sink, and a syringe
type plunger but both merely blow crap out of the overflow (straight
down my shirt, lovely). I can't think of a way to block the overflow
to increase the pressure so I'm looking for alternatives.

I've come across the Mr Muscle range of two products, details he

http://www.mrmuscleonline.co.uk/page3.html

.. is this kind of product any good? Are there alternative
approaches I could use? TIA.

Chemicals sometimes work, but it's often a lot quicker to dismantle
the traps and wastepipes (unless they're solvent welded) and clean
them out properly. It's a messy job, but should last a while once
done.

These 'Mr Muscle' products are probably all based on sodium carbonate and
sodium hydroxide, which are available at a tenth of the price which they
charge. Are you sure the slow draining isn't caused by a blockage in the
outside drains? Is you toilet water level low- this is often a clue. Have
a look in the manholes outside. On three occasions, I've had similar
problems and the problem was in the outside drains - a blockage in next
door's manhole, which was communal to 7 properties, and probably due to
disposable nappies - the smell was horrendous. The solution was achieved by
using drain rods and later a pressure washer with a back-flush attachment.
If this is your problem, Mr Muscle is a waste of time. The local council
used to do this job free of charge but sadly no longer.

Terry D.