Does tallow clog sinks?

[major_works]

A few months after I began (happily) using Mike's Natural soaps, our bathroom sink developed a clog, and I mean a clog. It was so bad that I had to call in a pro, who after some labor with a big electric drain auger produced a ball of slimy, white waxy-looking material. It wasn't in the trap, mind you, but past it in the wall somewhere.

After some discussion, it was determined that the tallow in the soap was a likely main ingredient of the blockage. This leaves me hesitant to use my Mike's any more, and believe me, I'm bummed out about it. Meanwhile, I've been using brushless cream as an alternative until I decide what soap/cream to go with.

Has anyone experienced this sort of issue with tallow-based soap? Is there any consensus on a more benign alternative?

 

[ouch]

Our resident expert on clogging sinks is Harmoni.

 

[tinashubby]

I did not stay at a holiday inn express last nite, and am not a plumber-but I would say no way tallow soap is clogging your drain unless you are making soap and dumping products down the drain. Your professional guy moonlights for a canned goo company!

 

[Attila]

I cannot imagine that this would be a reality...if you use a decent amount of water to wash all the soap away I would think it would be diluted enough. I would also think this would happen to more of us that do use tallow based soaps. Suffice to say, I have never had this issue and virtually all of my soaps are tallow based. Let's see what others say. As to what the waxy substance is..no idea. Do you have any kids that could have stuffed paper down there? I know my 3 year old tried that the other day. Luckily I was able to get it all pretty much out.

 

[mchad21]

I'd be interested to find out who you discussed this with to come to this conclusion. Tallow in it's raw form is not present in soap, it's used during the soap making process. Regardless, I don't think tallow is/was the cause of the blockage. Typically these blockages are caused by months of hair/gunk accumulating in the trap, but not from one type of product.

 

[SinnerinRehab]

I find that the sink backs up on a regular basis with my growing collection of soaps. Just boil a pot of water a week and pour it down the slow moving drain. It will speed things up and keep the drains clear. If its very bad, try lye. Its cheap and works great.

 

[Tom Ford]

I don't believe so. My father has been using tallow exclusive soaps in the same bathroom near on 20 years without one sink blockage to report.

 

[AjaxLepinski]

Sounds like cooking grease. Is the bathroom line close to the kitchen line? The grease could build up where the lines meet blocking the bathroom line but, not the kitchen.

 

[major_works]

I appreciate all the responses so far. As to who I discussed the issue with, it was the plumber. I'd point out that the house is getting on in age and is now 60+ years old; the plumbing is just about all original. We do have occasional drain issues in the bathroom (not with the throne, thankfully). Oh, and my daughter is a little too old to be putting anything down the drain at 16.

Again, I appreciate the collective input.

 

[Disburden]

Boiling water helps. Also use vinegar and baking soda, it creates a reaction of bubbles that eat sluge in the pipes. First load the drain with baking soda then add drops of vinegar.

 

[Seadooer]

Tallow has been known to clog drains. Depends how much you throw down it of pure tallow.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Soap has been made with tallow for hundreds of years, I don't think it is the problem. Every once and a while your drains need a good snaking. Let me refine what I said- yes, soap can leave residue in the drains, but tallow shaving soap isn't going to contribute to the problem more than hand soap. About 4 times a year, I pour a gallon of bleach down each drain in the house, let it set for 15 minutes or so, then flush the line. I have never have drain issues since I started doing this.

 

[reboot]

Ditto on the bleach. It's probably the cheapest, most effective drain cleaner out there. Just use it on a regular basis to prevent clogs.

 

[JHP]

I do believe that the soap could stick in your drain, but not on it's own. It would need to build up on something else like a big clump of hair.

I know you said this wasn't in the trap, but I have seen fat build up in the trap before. My mom use to pour grease down the drain and some of it would float on the water that sits in the trap. Eventually, it built up enough that it clogged the drain. I can't imagine that happening with soap scum though unless you have a brush that loads half a puck at a time!

 

[FL shaver]

Hair. No way enough soap scum collected to clog the drain. The clumps I pull out of the drain are 95% [female] hair. Not my shaving soap. Not my whiskers. Not my new fangled [but really old school] shaving soap. Her hair!

 

[StropShoppe]

I did not stay at a holiday inn express last nite, and am not a plumber-but I would say no way tallow soap is clogging your drain unless you are making soap and dumping products down the drain. Your professional guy moonlights for a canned goo company!

As someone who makes tallow soap daily, I can safely vouch even that won't clog your sink unless you try. The most likely culprit is the total accumulation of toothpaste, soap scum, hair, dirt, heavy particulates and the millions of other things that clog a sink normally.

 

[joser]

Soap has been made with tallow for hundreds of years, I don't think it is the problem. Every once and a while your drains need a good snaking. Let me refine what I said- yes, soap can leave residue in the drains, but tallow shaving soap isn't going to contribute to the problem more than hand soap. About 4 times a year, I pour a gallon of bleach down each drain in the house, let it set for 15 minutes or so, then flush the line. I have never have drain issues since I started doing this.

Ditto on the bleach. It's probably the cheapest, most effective drain cleaner out there. Just use it on a regular basis to prevent clogs.

If you don't have a septic system, carry on.

Otherwise, don't go pouring bleach down your drain if you have a septic system, the bleach will negatively effect (essentially kill) the bacteria in your septic tank and leach field. These bacteria are important to treat your sewer water.

 

[mmack66]

Tallow isn't a separate ingredient in soap that is loosed by the lathering process. Tallow and sodium hydroxide combine to create sodium tallowate, which is soap. That's why you can't melt tallow based soaps, because there is nothing to break down, and you just end up cooking/burning the soap.

 

[Teddyboy]

You mean as in the soap, or as large chunks of fat right off a cow? The hydrolyzed tallow in your soap should not clog a sink.

 

[SinnerinRehab]

You might have hit the nail right on the head with the 16 year old. My wife's sink clogs up repeatedly from all the makeup and things that she uses. I still use the hot water and lye remedy for it. Keeps it running for a month or so at a go.