Soda crystals: please tell me the magic powers

[georgesmummy11]

I bit the bullet yesterday and got some soda crystals, I put some down my bathroom drains yesterday.
Apart from what's stated what else can I use it for don't want to miss out on anything amazing they do!

• they get greasy stains out of clothes really well, just add a bit to the washing powder.
• maintainance of dishwasher and washing mashine
• sprinkle on stove and scrub with wet sponge for those greasy cooking stains

(a bit controversial

• removes hard skin from feet, just mix with body lotion and put on your feet, after 10 min rub off with a towel and wash well)

Do they freshen drains? The one in my kitchen sink stinks and powdered sink and drain freshener only works for a day or two.

I love them!
Yes they will freshen and clean any drains just put a load down followed by hot water.

Thanks, Lifebegins. I will give them a go.

Thank you
mousy loving the sound of the foot scrub going to try that one

this stinky drain, if you rummage around inside it, does it have a grease accumulation, or what? there is presumably something in or above the water seal that is decomposing, unless there is a crack or leak, smells should not be able to get past the seal.

grease accumulation usually comes from cooking fat being poured down the sink.

Piglet, my DH took the pipe apart and cleaned it with some grot buster stuff 2 or 3 months ago, but it was stinking again within a month. I am as careful as I can be about putting food down the sink, and most gets scraped into bin. I rarely fry food too. So do you think we need to seal it and how would we go about it? Thanks.

no, I meant the water forms a seal to prevent smells coming up from the drain.

are you sure the overflow is clean?

is the smell coming up the plughole?

are there any other pipes and hoses connected to the waste. e.g. from a washing machine?

Washing soda and hot water are good for keeping drains clean as they remove soap sludge and grease.

Thanks, Piglet. The overflow was definitely cleaned 2 or 3 months ago. The smell comes up from the plughole when I run the water. I hadn't realised before that's when I can smell it. It doesn't stink constantly. It's a sink and a half, actually, and I think the washing machine is connected to the half sink plughole, although that one doesn't smell since DH cleaned the overflow and the machine itself is ok.

mousy - do you just chuck yours straight in the dishwasher with a dirty load and a tablet before you start the cycle?

I put a cup full directly into dw and a bit into the powder compartment and do an empty wash.
more or less the same with thewashing mashine= cup full directly into drum for an empty hot wash.
when clothes are dirty I add half a cup or so to the detergent. works a treat.

Righto, will try tomorrow. Wasn't sure about using it with dishwasher as eat off plates afterwards, so makes sense to do it on empty. God I'm soooo sad. But thanks anyway!

"The overflow was definitely cleaned 2 or 3 months ago"

time to do it again

Once a month is infrequent. If you have a smelly prob, try doing it weekly. Washing soda and boiling water are very cheap.

If you have appliance waste hoses attached to the trap, look at the hose run. It should be in a loop where the top of the loop is higher than the water level in the sink when it is full. OItherwise, dirty water, tealeaves and fish heads will flow down the hose towards the machine. Preferably have the waste hose loops up so it touches or is clipped to the underside of the worktop.

Cheers, PigletJohn, I will give it a go.

and are they OK with septic pits?

Dishwasher maintenance? How so? When you say you 'chuck it in the machine', where do you mean? I currently have major dishwasher woes, with glasses & crockery coming out with bits all over them - even though I clean the filters every other week.

I cleaned my dishwasher with a cup of soda crystals last week. It's nice and clean but the crystals have left a white residue all over the inside of the machine which isn't shifting even though I've used it every day since.

Does anyone know how I can get rid of this please?

ifancyashandy have you changed dishwasher powder/tabs lately? I bought some supermarket own brand ones and they've been useless. Also keep the dishwasher clean, but unless I wash the plates first, they come out dirty?!