Need to unblock the shower and sink what do I need to buy?

[Yellow Fang]

I've rarely ever found chemicals or plungers any use in unblocking drains.

 

[slowmotion]

Lob a few kettles full of boiling water down the drain. Then set to work with a plunger. As somebody mentioned, you will have to bung up any overflows first ( often hard to do, but a wet flannel held really hard against the OF often works). If that fails, get out the Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda) and leave it to work for a nice long time before flushing it away. If you don't have bottle traps, you can try poking a "net curtain spring thingy" down there to push out the junk.

Edit: If you can get to the trap, just take it to bits.

 

[snorri]

Blast water down the drain with a garden hose. You will need to hold some rags around the end of the hose to ensure all the water is being forced down the drain.
Works for me, usually.

 

[Blue]

If you don't have bottle traps, you can try poking a "net curtain spring thingy" down there to push out the junk.

Edit: If you can get to the trap, just take it to bits.

I use a thicker colied wire and plunger that I bought in the plumbing section of Homebase - they work very well.

 

[bad boy]

Forget everything this stuff is lethal quite literally !!!!!!!!!.

Its called One Shot and you will need to go to a proper hardware shop or plumbers merchants its £5 and its Sulphuric Acid based so you need gloves and eye protectors on when using it. Also open all the windows and clear the vicinity of any animals and people for that matter as the fumes are dangerous.

When you pour it down do it very slowly and at arms length as sometimes you get splash back hence the eye protectors !!.

It will get through anything and I do mean anything its a professional product my plumber mate got it for me for a similar situation.

 

[Debian]

Forget everything this stuff is lethal quite literally !!!!!!!!!.

Its called One Shot and you will need to go to a proper hardware shop or plumbers merchants its £5 and its Sulphuric Acid based so you need gloves and eye protectors on when using it. Also open all the windows and clear the vicinity of any animals and people for that matter as the fumes are dangerous.

When you pour it down do it very slowly and at arms length as sometimes you get splash back hence the eye protectors !!.

It will get through anything and I do mean anything its a professional product my plumber mate got it for me for a similar situation.

Read post #13 first!

 

[bad boy]

Read post #13 first!

I must admit I didn't see that before I posted but obviously you have to use it wisely its meant as a last result before jetting etc.

I would suggest if it has not shifted with anything else try a small amount as normally thats all thats needed.

I have used this stuff safely all over the house as preventative treatment and have not had any nightmares to date, but I do shoot myself when using it.

 

[swee'pea99]

You could start out trying with one of these before you get stuck in with the nasties. They quite often do the trick. Tho' I'd follow up with some thick bleach, once you've cleared a route thru' the crap.

 

[gbb]

There's no denying the sulphuric acid based products are very very effective (we use it at work to clear urine crystal blocked urinal drains...and they're a bstard to clear) it is very good....but dont use it if you have any stainless steel fittings or traps, it stains the metal horribly.

It's be a last resort at home for me...

 

[sheddy]

Those wire spring tools rarely pass through the trap, I'd start with the biggest plunger you can find

 

[Fnaar]

We've got an old, red sink plunger. It's always worked so far, and also makes rude noises.

Is the colour significant? I'd like it to be

 

[Over The Hill]

If it is the shower AND sink then do they run to a common pipe and so is it blocked further down? If problem is connected then it will not be the (usual) trap problem.

If you can get to it then it all is easy to dismantle.

The parts are very cheap so better to replace gunked up traps with new ones.

If you cut pipes (or inspect old cut pipes) smooth off the inner edge of the cut with sandpaper or a sharp knife as they get a burred edge that collects hair and gunk which then blocks it up.

If you cannot easily get to the pipe then look at the other options. But if the block is furthter down then you need the gunk to get there to the block not sit in the trap and then get washed away!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

thnaks all..lots of help, much appreciated.

Think Aperitif may have the answer...get a haircut..hmm...nah...is against the roolz of rock

 

[Globalti]

I shared my shower with a frog this morning. I'm in South Africa.

 

[thomas]

Go to Poundland (or similar shop). The stuff I got there worked fine with all the crud that was blocking our bath.