....and how does one get the coconut oil out of the sink??

[MeganE]

Yes. I spill things. A lot. This time hot coconut oil went right down the drain, where it happily cooled, clogged, and stayed.

I've tried boiling hot water mixed with dish detergent and nothing. Tried a wire from what used to be a hanger down the sink to loosen it up, but it's not long enough. The pipe goes straight down for quite a ways before it makes the U, which is I'm sure where it's clogged up.

This must have happened to a lot of you before, but funnily enough I haven't seen a thread about it. So tell me.... what worked for you? I need ideas, before I start trying to take the pipes apart or resort to something nasty like Drano. It's been two days and I'm going nuts without my bathroom sink!!

[Kaelee]

Can you heat the pipe from the outside? Coconut oil has a low melting point, but if you pour in boiling water it might only melt the top layer (I'm imagining that you dumped a large quantity, like a whole jar. :laugh:) Maybe if you warm the pipe from the outside it will melt the ENTIRE clog, and then flush it out with hot water.

[mz_butterfly]

Try some Drano or the straight lye drain cleaner, it heats up and will unclog that mess.

[MeganE]

I know!! The low melting point made me think for sure a sink full of hot water would heat it up enough. That stuff is liquid at around 70F isn't it?? I thought about trying to warm the pipe, but I don't have a heating pad or a hot water bottle. I did get a hairdryer on sale that mostly just warms up my pants, maybe I'll give that a shot. Or.... I could fill my biggest pot with hot water and maybe find a way to fit the U of the pipes into it for a bit.... Hmmm....

And no!! It was only about.... half a jar...... :rolleyes:

[Firefox7275]

Keep repeating the hot water/ dish soap combo. Don't dilute the dish soap too much, should be no need for boiling water, just hot from the tap.

If that fails try something alkaline like washing soda in hot water, that should saponify the oil bit by bit.

[excentricat]

If you have access to the u trap, can you remove it, clean out the mess, and put it back together? That would be my first attempt.

[Rilig]

I suggest making a drain volcano with a boiling water chaser. Basically, pour baking soda into the drain, then pour vinegar in. The mix will fizz and expand, pushing on the oil and clearing the drain. Maybe plug up the drain, forcing the mixture to only go downward. Leave it sit for a few hour or overnight, then follow with a kettle full of boiling water.

I haven't tried this method, but I've heard good reviews.

[TiaKitty]

You have to put the plug in to keep the pressure that builds from the baking soda and vinegar going towards the clog. Then flush with hot water...

If that doesn't work, you'll need to take the U trap out. It isn't hard. I've done it myself a couple of times. YouTube will have videos or tutorials. It really isn't very hard, at all!

[Kimberly]

I've had good luck with hot vinegar, followed after a while by hot water.

[YamaMaya]

Lye, also known as caustic soda, will eat through anything that's clogging your pipes :D. You know, it never occured to me that coconut oil may clog the pipes, something to think about if I ever try it.

[LauraLongLocks]

You could warm your house up to 75 or 80 degrees for a day and run the warm/hot water or whatever concoction you want to try.

[TiaKitty]

Oh, yeah... I forgot to mention, you can also use a plunger on your sink. Just put it over the drain hole and plunge like mad!

[durgidog]

I'd remove the trap and boil it to get all the oil out. It's a good idea to routinely clean the traps under sinks, anyway.

[TrapperCreekD]

Hope you get it fixed soon! shudder: I knocked my jar of coconut oil - solid chunks - into the sink once but managed to grab it all and put it back in the jar before it jumped down the drain. Had a close call with an almost full bottle of EVOO, too. :whistle:

[jrmviola]

my dad (he works at a University in the dorms) suggested to first Fill sink with extremely hot boiling water and also use hairdryer on pipes (at same time). Then turn on hot water and continuously flush with Hot water for several minutes. If that doesnt work then try removing the U trap. Barring that, If Draino Doesnt work, Professionals use hydrocloric acid . Its basically Battery Acid and Very Strong. Good Luck!

[truepeacenik]

Recently had to clear my bathroom sink. Baking soda/vinegar and a seal to push though the pipes, not just fizz upward, then a couple tea kettles of boiling water did the trick.
My clog was about 1/3 hair. Need a screen in there.

[spidermom]

I advise against anything caustic. If it doesn't work and you have to get a plumber in there, you are liable for any injury the plumber might incur.

Taking out the U-trap is probably your safest effective option.

[Aingeal]

Oh no! Good luck! Let us know how you fared!

[MandyBeth]

Honestly, from knocking melted cocoa butter down the drain, the only method I'd go near is pulling the U bend, then clean any straight pipes and replace the U. Those are a bigger hassle to clear than it's worth.

Lye doesn't work, nor washing soda. My guess is the solid clog doesn't allow enough contact to saponify enough. Other, a lack of enough heat.

A plumbing snake helps, but it's a slow, boggy mess.

The reason to not remelt the oil is you'll clear that section - which is easy to access. Further down the pipes, such as in the walls or main line, the oil will solidify again. Where you can't reach it and you'll get a lovely bill from your plumber. At least.

[monsoonstorm]

Honestly, from knocking melted cocoa butter down the drain, the only method I'd go near is pulling the U bend, then clean any straight pipes and replace the U. Those are a bigger hassle to clear than it's worth.

Lye doesn't work, nor washing soda. My guess is the solid clog doesn't allow enough contact to saponify enough. Other, a lack of enough heat.

A plumbing snake helps, but it's a slow, boggy mess.

The reason to not remelt the oil is you'll clear that section - which is easy to access. Further down the pipes, such as in the walls or main line, the oil will solidify again. Where you can't reach it and you'll get a lovely bill from your plumber. At least.

See, I have to admit this is my concern with Lush Caca's... I had enough problems at the drain end, had to wonder what the rest of the pipes would look like a year down the line...