Soap use blocking bathroom sink - help!

[viccat]

In these days of increased handwashing... can't get liquid handwash anywhere so using bar soap and it's really blocking the bathroom sink drains now!

Obviously can't get out to buy the usual drain blocker products either - what can I use out of ordinary household items? I have bleach, washing up liquid, different cleaning products, bicarb... Have tried hot water from the kettle and it's helped a tiny bit but not enough, the sink is still full of water by the time you've spent 20 seconds washing your hands.

Vinegar? More hot water from the kettle poured from a height?

A knitting needle to make a hole through the soap. Then hot water.

From online
Boil a pot of water and carefully pour the water down the clogged bathtub drain.

Step 4. After pouring the boiling water down the bathtub drain, pour ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar into the drain. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 5. Boil another pot of water and, after you have let the baking soda-vinegar mixture sit, pour the boiling water down the bathtub drain. Test that the clog is clean by running the water.

I managed to get drain unblocker with my regular shop (I visit the supermarket), it was Mr muscle I think. You should be able to get it whether you shop online or in person. There was plenty of it on the shelf anyway.

The only vinegar in the house is red wine vinegar.

I do have gin... shall I drink the gin and worry about this all tomorrow?

Boiling water?

Try water again. You have to wait for the sink to drain, maybe use a plunger. Then use boiling water again, a full kettle.

Boiling water and washing up liquid will emulsify it

Stab it with a knitting needle or unfolded wire coat hanger, repeat the boiling water, and get a big bottle of white vinegar to go with the bicarb next time you need to go to the supermarket.

Thanks everyone, the hot water has helped make it drain a bit better now. Have ordered some actual drain unblocker from Amazon to come on Monday - don't really want to go to the shops just for this at the moment and next Ocado order not due until next Friday.

Boiling water and washing up liquid will emulsify it

How? An emulsion is a mixture of two substances that don’t normally mix. Soap - or washing up liquid or both - mixes with water so it won’t form an emulsion.

Bloody hell, you've got an Ocado delivery 😮

Sorry @FamilyOfAliens you're quite right - brain fart and thinking of fat

Though tag it seems as if plenty of boiling water has helped so it wasn't terrible advice - just scientifically inaccurate

How come you are using something that dissolves in water and managing to block the plughole with it?

I'm baffled.

Washing soda, if you have it/can get it. Just pour it in the plug hole and chase with boiling water - best thing for soap blockages.

next Ocado order not due until next Friday

That’s a very subtle stealth boast in these hard times

It's very strange to have soap block the drain. Are you sure it isn't fat, tealeaves, tissues?

Hot water is the thing. Add Washing Soda Crystals if you have them. You don't need drain chemicals if it's really soap.

I only use soap and have never had blocked drain in sink but do you have hard water as I don't/

Our bathroom basin gets blocked with soap. We have hard water, don’t know of it makes a difference.

I'm in a hard water area (London) and always notice the sink and bath draining slower when using bar soap - there's always more of a filmy residue on the surfaces too, I think it's the oils in the soap reacting with hard water.

Definitely nothing else because it's a downstairs bathroom and the kitchen is not affected.

Anyway. Two cans of coke have sorted it!! Lots of hot water from the kettle first and then coke - all the fizzing, bubbling action seemed to do it!

If it clogs the trap, mix a jug of washing soda crystals with hot water, pour it down the plughole, leave overnight.

Half a pint will do. More just runs away.

Don't use boiling water which may crack the ceramic.

Don't use a metal jug which the soda may stain.

@viccat now it is clear I would check your traps for hair as well as it may have been combining with hair and fluff and they just need a good clean out.

Soda crystals and hot water will help.