Traditional shaving and sink becoming blocked?

[R181]

In the old house the pop up in the bathroom sink would unscrew. With that off, I used a length of metal clothes hanger which I put a small hook to the end. I used the to fish the long hair and soap scum out that had built up on the internal pop up riser mechanism. Followed that with Liquid Plumber. In the new house the pop up does not unscrew so I just use Liquid Plumber but more frequently than in the old house. I doubt I'd have this problem if I had a sink that used the old rubber plug instead of the pop up system. As mention previously, as a last resort you can just remove the grease trap and clean that out.

Bob

 

[Chris]

I get the same problem, not helped by the fact that the sink I tend to use has a stupid clicky plug instead of a proper one on a chain. One day the entire waste assembly's getting replaced with a proper one.

 

[Vacumatic]

I get the same problem, not helped by the fact that the sink I tend to use has a stupid clicky plug instead of a proper one on a chain. One day the entire waste assembly's getting replaced with a proper one.

You were going to get a blaster of some sort, did that not help clear the problem?

 

[sev-8]

I've also not had this problem. My dad told me to run hot water from the tap through the drain for 15 minutes once a month to get rid of/melt any fatty build up. I guess it's working.

 

[Railwaychief]

Never had a problem of this nature. After every daily shave, I do clean the sink out using bubble bath and as hot a water as my hands can tolerate.

 

[R181]

I've also not had this problem. My dad told me to run hot water from the tap through the drain for 15 minutes once a month to get rid of/melt any fatty build up. I guess it's working.

Probably less expensive today, considering the cost of metered water these days,
to put some Liquid Plumber down the drain every few months followed by a sink full of hot water to rinse it away.

Bob

 

[Twelvefret]

One problem are dry drains. I do understand that water is expensive, but disuse or little going down the drain is not good.

 

[Holyzeus]

I've also not had this problem. My dad told me to run hot water from the tap through the drain for 15 minutes once a month to get rid of/melt any fatty build up. I guess it's working.

My tap is running the whole time I shave

 

[Dipesh]

Yes, especially the American gooey fatty stuff.

 

[Estariol]

Everyone with bathroom sinks clogging often should think of the possibility that the ladies he shares it with may brush or dry their long hair above it, and then just wash what falls off down the drain. That is a more likely cause of clogging than shaving soap residue.

The cheapest "plumber" for sinks with lever plugs: the sink needs to be dry, then a half of a cup of sodium bicarbonate is poured in the drainhole, use something to get it all down. Next, plug the sink and pour a full cup of vinegar in it. Unplug the sink, and plug it again when the vinegar goes down the drain. If it starts to foam before all the vinegar is gone down the drain, plug it untill the sound of the reaction wears down. The reaction itself and the heat from it melts and dissolves the goo on the pipe walls, and the pressure from the gas created pushes it further down because of the plug.

 

[sev-8]

Probably less expensive today, considering the cost of metered water these days,
to put some Liquid Plumber down the drain every few months followed by a sink full of hot water to rinse it away.

Bob

Water isn't yet metered here, but point taken. I do normally run the hot water fairly slowly, not gushing out of the tap.

 

[Twelvefret]

Yes, especially the American gooey fatty stuff.

Nice to know it occurred no where else . …

 

[UKRob]

Simple solution is to run very hot water down the drain after shaving. Of course, if you are losing your hair then that’s a different problem that will need some chemical assistance,

 

[SeanC]

My shower drain gets blocked because of my uncanny resemblance to Piltdown Man, but an overnight dose of £1 per bottle drain cleaner from Savers soon sorts it out. Never had a problem with the basin I use for shaving

 

[Chris]

You were going to get a blaster of some sort, did that not help clear the problem?

No. I got a plunger but it didn't make a difference. There's not much resistance when plunging the sink but it still drains really slowly.

TBH I hate fancy sink plugs anyway, solution looking for a problem.