Sludge in drain

[Help4me]

Hi everyone,

In an outside drain, where the bathroom water and water from washing machine goes, there is quite alot of black sludge.
There is no smell, and no debris. We have just moved here, and the drains are old, plus doesn't look as if they have been cleaned for years.
I've tried a drain cleaner but it didn't touch it. I've heard of 'drain snakes'. Could one of those get rid of it?
I put my hand down the drain, and put my fingers into the small pipe and it was full of sludge.
Would be thankful of any suggestions please.

Help4me

 

[HoodedClaw]

Sounds like silt, maybe from an old mains break or just poor water, I've a customer down here with the same problem, found when the washing machine water wasn't draining.

Buy a cheap snake from toolstation (cheap and flimsy housing but the wire is fine) for under £10 and run that down whilst running water through the drain, it will all flush out. The snake will go though bends, but I found 3 90deg's about its limit.

Might want to get a cheap water meter from ebay to check your water quality.

 

[stevetheplumber]

if you mean the gully outside the kitchen just carry on doing what youve been doing put your hand down and scoop it out if it realy bad with crud stuck to the sides i find a small scraper or the garden hoe is good for scraping

 

[WHPES]

You need to clear out all the sludge (use gloves). WHat you can't get up, give a good stir up (an old loo brush is ideal) and tip a bucket of water down it from a height until clear.

If the pipes from the washing machine etc are push-fit, open them up and clean out with the drain snake, then reassemble.

 

[Help4me]

Thanks for your replies. I'll see if I can get rid of it now then.

Help4me🙂

 

[WHPES]

If the water is still slow to run away, you may need to open up an inspection chamber downstream and rod out the drain (if you don't know anyone with a rod set you can hire them from a tool hire shop). Always twist in a tightening direction so you don't unscrew them accidentally!