Are you currently seeing…?
Black gunk or slime in drains?
Mold around the sink drain?
Black sludge in or on a faucet?
We hear a lot from customers experiencing black substances appearing in their drains and having no idea where this gross, sticky, and sometimes, smelly black goop is coming from. However you want to label it, something odd is going on in your sink drain, and it needs to be dealt with. The black slime you are seeing while alarming is actually normal.
So what is it?
What is this black Slime in my drain?
Black slime can build up on your drains and fixtures. It will cause water to pool in your sink or bath that takes a long time to drain, which is an annoyance to everyone in the home.
The black goop is created by an accumulation of bacteria living on hair, skin cells, phlegm, and personal care products like soap, shaving cream, lotion, toothpaste. This black slime will not go away on its own. Dumping more water down the drain and hoping for it to unclog will not dislodge the clog.
If you’ve seen this black slime and continue to use your sink or bathtub, the gunk will only continue to build up- making it a lot harder to clean. Once you’ve seen it, it’s best to clean it right away.
Like any plumbing problem, you have two choices. You can call a plumber to get the gunk out of your drains and not worry about handling the cleanup, or you can attempt to rid the drain of the black slime yourself.
DIY Approach
Grab some sturdy gloves and get cleaning! The black goop is sticky, so there’s a risk of the gunk getting stuck to your skin if you choose not to wear gloves. Then you’ll have to clean the drain, and yourself! We also recommend a breathing mask and goggles to keep any slime away from your eye and lungs.
Removal of the black build up should take care of any clogs so be sure to take out the drain stopper and clean it thoroughly. This will probably take a little bit slime tends to latch on to the drain stopper. Get scrubbing, and once its clean put the stopper back in and turn on the water. If the water is not draining, then the black gunk was not the issue, and you have a secondary clog deeper within your drain.
If you have a deep clog, take the following steps to unclog any drain in your home:
Get the Plunger!
Black goop backing up into your sink can be caused by a clogged pipe. Plunging it can effectively remove the clog. Give it a couple of good plunges, boil a kettle then pour the hot water down the drain.
Cleaning Your Drains Using Baking Soda!
Here are the steps to unclogging your problematic drain using baking soda.
- Boil a pot of hot water, 2 cups should do it
- Pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain
- Pour the boiled water down the drain
- Give the formula 10 minutes – the baking soda and the hot water will work together to unclog the drain
This method to remove the black slime in your drain can also be repeated once a month as a preventative measure against black ooze from occurring again.
Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Kansas City and a qualified plumber will come and solve your drain problems!