Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

Above the trap is a nut holding the stopper in place where the rod to
close the drain connects. Remove that and pull out the stopper and you
will likely find a hairball.
Bleach won't hurt anything but it does speed corrosion, there's a new
bleach with lye in it -clorox plus or extra or some such name. Works
even better on clogs.
rob wrote:
Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

Are you sure the clog is not simply in the piping directly
beneath the vanity top?

The plastic (PVC etc.) is typically very easy to disassemble
and then thoroughly clean. Just put a pan beneath it while
you work, to catch the water in the piping "trap," and put a
reminder note or similar at the faucet handles, so as not to
turn them on while you have things apart.

rob wrote
Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and
wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to
loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first
regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for
interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that
matters.
thanks.

rob writes:

Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

99% of the time, you can clear up a clogged bathroom sink by making
yourself some sort of hook gizmo with a long handle, and using it to
pull out a big tangle of hair. No chemicals necessary.

-Sandra

On Tue, 05 Sep 2006 11:21:40 -0500, rob wrote:

Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.


Bleach is safe on PVC but I doubt it will have much of an effect on a
clogged drain. It will remove stains and bacterial growth. Bleach
can attack metals if left on them too long. The plunger is your best
bet; stuff a wet rag in the overflow before using the plunger. A
bathroom sink is often clogged with hair especially if there is a
household member with long hair. Try dumping a gallon of boiling water
down the drain. Lye will dissolve hair and skin, so use with great
care.

On 05 Sep 2006 12:25:22 -0400, Sandra Loosemore
wrote:

rob writes:

Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

99% of the time, you can clear up a clogged bathroom sink by making
yourself some sort of hook gizmo with a long handle, and using it to
pull out a big tangle of hair. No chemicals necessary.

Very true: Home Depot and such places sell this long (2-ft?) narrow
white plastic blade with teeth on it that's very flexible and does a
great job of grabbing and pulling out hair clogs. I can't find a link
to it, but I have one, and it's very useful.

Sandra Loosemore wrote in :

rob writes:

Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

99% of the time, you can clear up a clogged bathroom sink by making
yourself some sort of hook gizmo with a long handle, and using it to
pull out a big tangle of hair. No chemicals necessary.

-Sandra


A pickup tool.

Click on item image for Flexible Retrieving Tool. 23" long shaft at:

http://www.tessco.com/products/displ...18&eventPage=1

When you squeeze the handle plunger 4 prongs extend. When you let the
plunger go they close and retract grabbing and holding whatever. I've
even seen them in Wally World.

rob wrote:
Looks like most of my interior plumbing is pvc piping and wonder if
its safe to use a little bleach for a bathroom sink to loosen a clog?
It drains but slowly. I'll probably try a plunger first regardless
but I've been meaning to ask if the bleach is safe for interior
plumbing? My house was built in the late 90's if that matters.
thanks.

The bathroom drains in my 8-year old house have gotten slow. I also
have PVC. I saw a drain cleaning recipe in an RV group that has
cleaned them out. It's as follows:
Mix 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup cream of tartar. Pour
1/4 cup of mixture down the drain and follow it with 2 cups of boiling
water.
I don't know how it works, but it has helped keep my drains clear
without dumping a lot of chemicals down the drain.

Dan

"Quint 5" writes:

Mix 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup cream of tartar. Pour
1/4 cup of mixture down the drain and follow it with 2 cups of boiling
water.
I don't know how it works, but it has helped keep my drains clear
without dumping a lot of chemicals down the drain.

Um, last time I looked, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride,
potassium bitartrate, and dihydrogen oxide were all "chemicals". ;-)

-Sandra the cynic

Quint 5 wrote:
... follow it with 2 cups of boiling water.
I don't know how it works ...

The boiling water will often clear up a slow drain all on its own.

Sandra Loosemore wrote in
:

"Quint 5" writes:

Mix 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup cream of tartar. Pour
1/4 cup of mixture down the drain and follow it with 2 cups of boiling
water.
I don't know how it works, but it has helped keep my drains clear
without dumping a lot of chemicals down the drain.

Um, last time I looked, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride,
potassium bitartrate, and dihydrogen oxide were all "chemicals". ;-)

-Sandra the cynic


Sounds like a Chucky Cheese pizza to me...