Unblocking the sink

@5thHouse (1678)
Sheffield, England
October 26, 2016 9:00am CST
Last night the sink in our en suite refused to drain, so I spent an exhausting half hour or so with the sink plunger and got nowhere. My husband went out to buy some drain unblocking fluid from Tesco which produced more fumes than the San Quentin gas chamber. We had to sleep with the windows open but even that didn't get rid of the smell. (The cats were rolling around getting high, like they do whenever I've been using bleach. It's always a bit disturbing to witness, though it doesn't seem to harm them.) This foul-smelling liquid did absolutely nothing to solve the problem. This morning the sink was still full of water and my husband told me to "ring the man who did the bathroom." He then went to Paris (my husband, not 'the man who did the bathroom'), leaving me plunging cluelessly away. Call me stubborn, but I just had too much pride to call someone out to see to a minor inconvenience. I've sorted sinks out before, so wasn't going to let this beat me. I resorted to the internet for advice and realised that what I needed was baking soda, vinegar and boiling water. One trip to Tesco later for the baking soda and I put the plan into operation. No horrible fumes this time, no cats getting high, just a satisfying moment when the baking soda began to fizz like it meant business. The water is now draining away freely. I did not need 'the man who did the bathroom.' Hurrah! So when hubby calls later, I shall be able to tell him of my humble DIY triumph. Then he can get on and tell me about Paris. (I didn't want to go, anyway. I'm quite happy holding the fort here. Sinks to unblock, work to do, etc.......honestly.)
8 people like this
10 responses
• Philippines
30 Oct 16
OH, yeah! victory against the sink! wait a minute? Cats getting High? I wonder what that look liked
1 person likes this
• Philippines
31 Oct 16
@5thHouse oh, that's how it is, I actually research on it
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
30 Oct 16
They were rolling around as if in a trance. It seems to have a similar effect to cat nip.
1 person likes this
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
27 Oct 16
You will love Paris. I had a similar issue with a sink.Again the expensive stuff did nothing and a cheap old fashioned remedy did the trick. I have stoped looking for anything other than old fashioned remedies for most things.
1 person likes this
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
30 Oct 16
I used to watch the TV show, 'How Clean is your House' and they used all kinds of natural remedies.
• Preston, England
27 Oct 16
well done - I know to call you for such tasks rather than a plumber now lol
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
26 Oct 16
Wow! I am impressed! And you missed a trip to Paris to unblock your sink? Unbelievable!
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
26 Oct 16
Sadly I was never invited to Paris in the first place. It's a work trip. I suppose I could've gone but would've had to pay for it and couldn't really justify the expense right now. I told him to take lots of photographs of the merry-go-round next to the Eiffel Tower for me, as I would love to have a ride on it if I was there.
@Tampa_girl7 (50069)
• United States
27 Oct 16
Way 2 go
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
26 Oct 16
Congratulations on getting it done yourself...
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7084)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
26 Oct 16
I'm glad that unblocked. We have not so good plumbing in this house. My dad used to have to snake out the kitchen drains about every six months. Then when he couldn't do that anymore we started having to have to have a plumber do it. Now we are using a powder you mix with water and put down there a few days every month. Seems to be working so far. Some kind of enzyme bacterial eater thing.
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
26 Oct 16
So far so good. At least I don't have to worry about toxic fumes. I was really concerned going to sleep last night as the smell was so strong. I did wonder if we might not wake up again!
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
26 Oct 16
Well done for getting the job done. My son has this problem at the moment and has tried those expensive drain unblocking liquids, to no avail. I'll tell him about this, hopefully it will be before he calls a plumber.
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
26 Oct 16
I hope he has some success with this method.
1 person likes this
@shivamani10 (11035)
• Hyderabad, India
26 Oct 16
This is one of the troublesome work I noticed. But luckily I got a vacuum cleaner. When it stuck I immediately use and get rid of the problem.
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
26 Oct 16
Now, that's an idea I hadn't thought of.
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
26 Oct 16
You are amazing!! WTG!! Hubby will be so proud of you! Glad to hear that it all worked out and that you didn't have to call and wait for somebody to come in and solve the problem for you!
@5thHouse (1678)
• Sheffield, England
26 Oct 16
I feel quite proud. I would've hated to have to call out a plumber and pay for something that was actually quite simple to fix once you know how. I could just imagine how a plumber would be rather scathing to think I had called him out for such a daft job!
1 person likes this