Do the soaps we use clog our sinks?

[shave/brush]

Awhile back I mentioned in a thread that since I started traditional wet shaving about 8 years ago my bathroom sink seems to clog up in about 2 years. That seems very unusual to me since it never use to do that before. It seems to have started since I started using these quality soaps and creams. I’m wondering if it is the fats or something else in the soap.

Someone mentioned to me that if I were to use a soap that contains sodium laureth sulfate it may help the problem. This is because SLS is a dispersant and a surfactant.

A dispersant or a dispersing agent helps to improve the separation of and to prevent settling or clumping. Dispersants consist normally of one or more surfactants.

A surfactant are compounds used in an array of cleaning products for their ability to lower the surface tension of water, in essence making the molecules slipperier, so they are less likely to stick to themselves. Hopefully this will help prevent the soap from sticking to my drain pipes.

Some people don’t like SLS because it is considered to be toxic. But it is present in most cosmetic products, body washes, soaps and shampoos.
So I am going to do an experiment and only use soaps that contain SLS for the next 2 years and see what happens to my sink drain.

 

[ScottChapin]

I’ve been shaving over 33 years here. It’s never happened. Had a hair clog more than 20 years ago.


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[Yukonmark]

Yes, definitely. I clogged my sink with Turkey's finest (Arko).
I know run boiling water down sink to avoid this problem. My u bend was clogged with soap. I wonder if this is only a problem with tallow based, hard soaps

 

[ScottChapin]

Yes, definitely. I clogged my sink with Turkey's finest (Arko).
I know run boiling water down sink to avoid this problem. My u bend was clogged with soap. I wonder if this is only a problem with tallow based, hard soaps

No. Almost all of my soaps are tallow based. Most tripple milled.


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[shave/brush]

I know I never had this problem until I started using all these soaps we like to use. High quality ingredients.

 

[Yukonmark]

It's happened to me twice, may be other factors are in place.

 

[ScottChapin]

It could be that I prefer a thinner lather than most, because I don’t like clogging razors. It could be that I use water that’s at least 120°.


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[Cal]

I’m wondering if it is the fats or something else in the soap.

If you happen to be a fan of clogged drains, move to an area with the hardest water you can find.

The chemicals in the hard water to cling to just about anything.

 

[shave/brush]

Some of the soaps I have that contain SLS are, Van der Hagen, La Toja cream, Nivea stick, and Pereira's puck.

 

[ScottChapin]

If you happen to be a fan of clogged drains, move to an area with the hardest water you can find.

The chemicals in the hard water to cling to just about anything.

I was going to suggest that Atlanta’s water is among the softest in the nation. So there’s that.


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[shave/brush]

I was going to suggest that Atlanta’s water is among the softest in the nation. So there’s that.


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I have soft water in my city.

 

[Cal]

I was going to suggest that Atlanta’s water is among the softest in the nation. So there’s that.

Lucky you, Scott!

 

[Cal]

I have soft water in my city.

Do you shave using water in the sink, or running water, Ron?

 

[shave/brush]

Do you shave using water in the sink, or running water, Ron?

Running water. When the razor head is full of cream I rinse.

 

[Cal]

Running water. When the razor head is full of cream I rinse.

OK. Here's a small experiment for you:

Next shave just use a sinkful of water for your shave; i.e. use it for rinsing your razor, dipping your brush in, and preliminary clean up. Before unplugging take good note of the amount and consistency of the gunge floating there (maybe even a photo).

Return to your normal "running water" system until you use a different soap... then do the experiment again.

Do the experiment on all your soaps.

It will soon become blatantly obvious to you which one/ones is/are the problem. Then, either cut out the problem soaps or get used to cleaning out the U bend.

---

One of my favorite soaps is Proraso Red. It's also my "top of the line" sink blocker... so I currently use it a lot less than I used to.

 

[ScottChapin]

I always have a sink full of clean hot water to rinse my razors. Been doing that since my dad and grandfather showed me. Maybe that’s why I don’t get clogs.


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[shave/brush]

OK. Here's a small experiment for you:
Next shave just use a sinkful of water for your shave; i.e. use it for rinsing your razor, dipping your brush in, and preliminary clean up. Before unplugging take good note of the amount and consistency of the gunge floating there (maybe even a photo).
Return to your normal "running water" system until you use a different soap... then do the experiment again.

Do the experiment on all your soaps.
It will soon become blatantly obvious to you which one/ones is/are the problem. Then, either cut out the problem soaps or get used to cleaning out the U bend.

---

One of my favorite soaps is Proraso Red. It's also my "top of the line" sink blocker... so I currently use it a lot less than I used to.

That is an interesting experiment. I wish it were just the U trap. I ran a snake thru the drain for about 9 feet and it still didn't solve the problem. I had to do it again for a greater distance.

 

[Yukonmark]

Ah, yes I'm in a very hard water area. Puzzle solved

 

[Cal]

That is an interesting experiment. I wish it were just the U trap. I ran a snake thru the drain for about 9 feet and it still didn't solve the problem. I had to do it again for a greater distance.

Unfortunately, I fully understand your problem Ron.

 

[Alohawyatt]

Could someone help me understand how hard water would be a contributing factor? When you clean out your drain, is it a sludge? Or is it more of a hard scale deposit? Like on the showerhead.