Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.

--
*Letting a cat out of the bag is easier than putting it back in *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 25/03/2023 13:42, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.

I'm pretty sure that one I have unscrews giving you good access below.

Acetone is said to dissolve chewing gum.

On 25/03/2023 1:42 pm, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.
>
Usually the plug can be unscrewed withe a pair of pliers. This gives
access to the mechanism below which can also be unscrewed and removed
for cleaning.

Another Dave
--
Change nospam to techie

On 25/03/2023 14:34, Another Dave wrote:
> On 25/03/2023 1:42 pm, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has
>> got
>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I
>> don't.
>>
> Usually the plug can be unscrewed withe a pair of pliers. This gives
> access to the mechanism below which can also be unscrewed and removed
> for cleaning.
>
Pliers shouldn't be necessary.
Just a rubber glove, for friction.
That's what I've done the few times I've needed to.

On Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:55:53 +0000, Fredxx wrote:

> On 25/03/2023 13:42, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has
>> got blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting
>> pals. And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it.
>> And asked if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it.
>> Which I don't.
>
> I'm pretty sure that one I have unscrews giving you good access below.
>
> Acetone is said to dissolve chewing gum.

.......and any pvc pipes it comes into contact with.

On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 00:55:53 +1100, Fredxx <fredxx@spam.uk> wrote:

> On 25/03/2023 13:42, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has
>> got
>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And
>> asked
>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I
>> don't.
>
> I'm pretty sure that one I have unscrews giving you good access below.
>
> Acetone is said to dissolve chewing gum.

Very few hits on that with google and doesn't sound very plausible.

On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.

sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.

On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:31:11 +1100, Animal <tabbypurr@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has
>> got
>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And
>> asked
>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I
>> don't.
>
> sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.

Including the plumbing.

Conc nitric works a lot better if you don't care about the plumbing.

On 3/25/2023 9:59 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
> On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:31:11 +1100, Animal <tabbypurr@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
>>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
>>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.
>>
>> sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.
>
> Including the plumbing.
>
> Conc nitric works a lot better if you don't care about the plumbing.

First you have to consider what modern gum is made of.

"By the 1960s, most chewing gum companies had switched from using chicle
to butadiene-based synthetic rubber, which was cheaper to manufacture.
Only a handful of small gum companies still use chicle, including
Glee Gum, Simply Gum, and Tree Hugger Gum"

Some of the companies did not take enough care when concocting
their polymeric treat, causing the customer to dump the product
and walk away. Because the consistency of the new chemical gum
was awful.

https://www.polymersolutions.com/blog/chewing-gum/

"We learned that after chicle was phased out, synthetic rubber became the
main ingredient used in gum base. One of these synthetic rubbers is
styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). SBR is a copolymer of styrene and butadiene
that used in many different applications, including car tires! Other
synthetic rubbers used in gum bases are polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate."

And SBR is a bastard (nobody needs me to tell them that). No chemistry is
suited to cleaning plumbing really. When the gum is in an open area,
you can consider more toxic or dangerous materials. The officials take
a dim view of dumping explosive solvents down the sewer system.
Which takes all the fun out of the project.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/In-which-solvent-styrene-butadiene-rubber-SBR-will-be-soluble-except-water

"Only UNCURED SBR will dissolve in a good solvent"

Even if you solvate it, all you're doing is smearing it around
and making a mess somewhere else.

I think they've used a pressure washer, to remove it from
the facade of buildings.

https://web.archive.org/web/20151120060502/https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/travel/seattle-pike-place-gum-wall-cleaning-feat/index.html

"Clad in rain gear, gloves and rubber boots, the workers are using
industrial steam cleaners to shoot out a gallon of 260˚ water per minute.
Gum and water are flowing out of the alley, where a collection system is
catching gum and trash before the water flows into a storm drain.
"

Paul

Paul

On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:08:06 +1100, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

> On 3/25/2023 9:59 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
>> On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:31:11 +1100, Animal <tabbypurr@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home..
>>>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which
>>>> has got
>>>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>>>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And
>>>> asked
>>>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I
>>>> don't.
>>>
>>> sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.
>> Including the plumbing.
>> Conc nitric works a lot better if you don't care about the plumbing.
>
> First you have to consider what modern gum is made of.
>
> "By the 1960s, most chewing gum companies had switched from using
> chicle
> to butadiene-based synthetic rubber, which was cheaper to
> manufacture.
> Only a handful of small gum companies still use chicle, including
> Glee Gum, Simply Gum, and Tree Hugger Gum"
>
> Some of the companies did not take enough care when concocting
> their polymeric treat, causing the customer to dump the product
> and walk away. Because the consistency of the new chemical gum
> was awful.
>
> https://www.polymersolutions.com/blog/chewing-gum/
>
> "We learned that after chicle was phased out, synthetic rubber
> became the
> main ingredient used in gum base. One of these synthetic rubbers is
> styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). SBR is a copolymer of styrene and
> butadiene
> that used in many different applications, including car tires! Other
> synthetic rubbers used in gum bases are polyethylene and polyvinyl
> acetate."
>
> And SBR is a bastard (nobody needs me to tell them that).

> No chemistry is
> suited to cleaning plumbing really.

Conc nitric works fine with porcelain plumbing.

> When the gum is in an open area,
> you can consider more toxic or dangerous materials. The officials take
> a dim view of dumping explosive solvents down the sewer system.
> Which takes all the fun out of the project.
>
> https://www.researchgate.net/post/In-which-solvent-styrene-butadiene-rubber-SBR-will-be-soluble-except-water
>
> "Only UNCURED SBR will dissolve in a good solvent"
>
> Even if you solvate it, all you're doing is smearing it around
> and making a mess somewhere else.
>
> I think they've used a pressure washer, to remove it from
> the facade of buildings.
>
> https://web.archive.org/web/20151120060502/https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/travel/seattle-pike-place-gum-wall-cleaning-feat/index.html
>
> "Clad in rain gear, gloves and rubber boots, the workers are using
> industrial steam cleaners to shoot out a gallon of 260˚ water per
> minute.
> Gum and water are flowing out of the alley, where a collection
> system is
> catching gum and trash before the water flows into a storm drain.

Dont see it on building fascades here, lots of it on the concrete
paths outside supermarkets where there are seats used by those
waiting for a taxi or uber to pick them up.

On Sat, 25 Mar 2023 17:31:11 -0700 (PDT), Animal <tabbypurr@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.
>
>sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.

but not at the same time.

--
Regards, Paul Herber
https://www.paulherber.co.uk/

On 26/03/2023 09:13, Paul Herber wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Mar 2023 17:31:11 -0700 (PDT), Animal <tabbypurr@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
>>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
>>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
>>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
>>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.
>>
>> sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.
>
> but not at the same time.
>
>
>

otherwise you end up with sodium sulphate, water and possibly hydrogen
gas too for good measure....!

On Sunday, 26 March 2023 at 12:24:36 UTC+1, SH wrote:
> On 26/03/2023 09:13, Paul Herber wrote:
> > On Sat, 25 Mar 2023 17:31:11 -0700 (PDT), Animal <tabb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 13:42:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> >>> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
> >>> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
> >>> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
> >>> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
> >>> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.
> >>
> >> sodium hydroxide & conc sulphuric acid destroy most things.
> >
> > but not at the same time.

:)

> otherwise you end up with sodium sulphate, water and possibly hydrogen
> gas too for good measure....!

It's the vigor wot's more important. Sulphuric boils at 300+, you don't want to piss it off with alkali.

On 25/03/2023 13:42, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> Chatting to a friend today who knows I do most tasks myself at home.
> Seems he has one of these pop up wastes in a cloakroom basin which has got
> blocked. The cloakroom being his kids domain. And their visiting pals.
> And says it seems to be something like chewing gum blocking it. And asked
> if I knew if there was a drain cleaner that would shift it. Which I don't.

Perhaps you should volunteer to go around and help his kids fix it -
since they caused it!

Andy