Smokin' Sink!

Today my kitchen sink billowed out white smoke!

I always wondered why a popular cleaning solution for unclogging kitchen sinks isn't available anymore in supermarkets. The cleaning solution was very popular back in the 90s and even had TV ads. My only chore at home when I was single was washing dishes and I really hated it when the sink didn't drain well so I'd usually buy this cleaning solution to clear up the pipe. It worked really well.

To keep the kitchen sink clear from clogs I always have Miguel lino (clear out) dishes before I wash them. Of course sometimes there would still be small bits and pieces that fall into the drain. To keep it clear I usually pour in 2 cups of hot water in the drain to make sure that the pipe doesn't clog up.

Earlier today we went to the nearby convenience store after hearing mass. Saw that the cleaning solution in one of the shelves and bought one. I was in a cleaning mode the whole day so I thought I'd use the cleaning solution after washing dishes after dinner. The bottle said to pour in about 100 ml (for maintenance) and leave it in for about 15 minutes.

A few minutes later I was wiping utensils when I smelled something acrid. I thought it came from outside so I continued wiping utensils, but the smell was really awful so I turned away from the window. That's when I saw that the sink was billowing out white smoke! Good thing I kept calm and remembered the instruction to pour in cold water into the drain after 15 minutes. I immediately tuned on the faucet and let water flow in the drain. Eventually the smell went away, but I poured in about 5 liters more of water just to make sure that the whole thing got drained out.

Whew!

After making sure that the sink was okay I re-read the bottle label and it said that the product wasn't to be used in several types of pipes. Funny but I don't remember seeing that warning during my previous use (and I've used it quite a lot). Now I know why this product isn't offered in supermarkets anymore... it's dangerous!

Found this great article on homemade solutions. Next time I clear up my kitchen sink I'll try using 1/2 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of vinegar. Definitely safer.

*P.S. The hubby was resting in the sala when this happened. The mishap wasn't as bad as our dancing washing machine, so I didn't wake him up.