# Black jelly in bathroom sink drain pipe



## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

Umm, have you noticed any changes in people near you?

Do you notice any traces of slime leading from to and from the bathroom when you wake up in the morning?

Have you noticed any changes in your eating habits?

Does the Blob quiver and shake and slowly slide up your finger when you poke at it?

Now for some real questions

Since you have cleaned it out, have you noticed it returning yet?

BTW, if you hadn't put it together correctly, you would know right away when you turned on the taps. 

What are the pipes made of?

Are you on a sewer system or septic system?

Are any other drains affected? 

Oh, and by the way, welcome to the forum. Please put your location in your profile, it can provide some help in answering your questions.


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## ryancab (Aug 16, 2018)

Thanks for replying!



ktownskier said:


> Since you have cleaned it out, have you noticed it returning yet?


Yes.



ktownskier said:


> BTW, if you hadn't put it together correctly, you would know right away when you turned on the taps.


Yeah. Seems to be back together properly.



ktownskier said:


> What are the pipes made of?


Copper mostly. At this spot under the sink, it's just a silver metal pipe and a plastic pipe. (Please see attached photo.)




ktownskier said:


> Are you on a sewer system or septic system?


Sewer.



ktownskier said:


> Are any other drains affected?


Not that I've noticed. I just have the kitchen sink and haven't noticed the water backing up at all.



ktownskier said:


> Oh, and by the way, welcome to the forum. Please put your location in your profile, it can provide some help in answering your questions.


Thanks. Okay, done.


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

Okay, that is some funky stuff going on. 

Have you added anything to the water system? Like a water softener, descaler, whole house water filter or anything like that?

Since it doesn't appear to be at any other drain (have you checked the shower drain?) one would then give credence to it must be some product you are using that is reacting with something else to create the slime. 

Is there any product that anyone who uses the sink that is not normally not used in a bathroom sink?


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## ryancab (Aug 16, 2018)

Thanks for the help!



ktownskier said:


> Okay, that is some funky stuff going on.


I know. :sad: It literally stops up my drain and that's how I know it's time to clean it out. I remove the plastic P trap pipe and then have a couple popsicle sticks taped together that I use to scrape down the side of the drain pipe and push the jelly down the pipe and into my bucket below. I'm hoping it's not building up further down the pipeline or else I'm seriously hosed. I used my little endoscope camera to try and look and from what I can tell it doesn't seem to be building up beyond the P trap part, though.



ktownskier said:


> Have you added anything to the water system? Like a water softener, descaler, whole house water filter or anything like that?


No.



ktownskier said:


> Since it doesn't appear to be at any other drain (have you checked the shower drain?) one would then give credence to it must be some product you are using that is reacting with something else to create the slime.


I did use a little endoscope camera in the shower/tub drain and it didn't have anything like this. It looked okay. I too think it's a product we're using.



ktownskier said:


> Is there any product that anyone who uses the sink that is not normally not used in a bathroom sink?


The only thing that regularly goes down the drain is our toothpastes. There are 4 of us and we all use something different. My wife's is the most off-beat one. Here are links to the toothpaste's we use. Maybe you'll notice a culprit ingredient?

Uncle Harry's Natural Tooth Powder

Sensodyne Toothpaste

Dr. Bronner's Toothpaste

Tom's Toddler Toothpaste


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

It is rotting hair. I know it isn't pleasant, but that is what it is. I use one of the reverse barbed cleaner outer's to remove it while it is still in strand form. Once it sits in the trap for a long time, it turns to jelly.

I just replaced the trap and pipes for our kitchen sink, and had the same crud in it. I didn't bother cleaning it as the parts were too cheap, and I didn't feel like dealing with the mess.


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Now that you have you cleaned out, use bio-clean going forward. It eats that stuff up. Also great in kitchen sink drains as well. Just a suggestion.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

I agree start treating the pipes with bio clean. It eats all that stuff.


https://www.amazon.com/Bio-clean-Drain-Septic-Bacteria-2/dp/B001N09KN4


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Eye makeup and mascara.


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

I still want my other questions answered:

Umm, have you noticed any changes in people near you?

Do you notice any traces of slime leading from to and from the bathroom when you wake up in the morning?

Have you noticed any changes in your eating habits?

Does the Blob quiver and shake and slowly slide up your finger when you poke at it?


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## ryancab (Aug 16, 2018)

Thanks for the replies, everyone!



chandler48 said:


> It is rotting hair. I know it isn't pleasant, but that is what it is. I use one of the reverse barbed cleaner outer's to remove it while it is still in strand form. Once it sits in the trap for a long time, it turns to jelly.
> 
> I just replaced the trap and pipes for our kitchen sink, and had the same crud in it. I didn't bother cleaning it as the parts were too cheap, and I didn't feel like dealing with the mess.


I thought about this for a while, but I'm 99% certain that it's not hair for a handful of reasons:

I found no strands of hair present in the black jelly.
The jelly forms and clogs up my drain in just a couple months after I clean it out.
We use a little metal mesh net over the sink drain to catch any hair that does end up in the sink. (See attached photo.)
While there are 3 girls in the house, they don't actually brush their hair over the sink, but elsewhere in the bathroom. I'm the one that ends up vacuuming it all up. :biggrin2:



jmon said:


> Now that you have you cleaned out, use bio-clean going forward. It eats that stuff up. Also great in kitchen sink drains as well. Just a suggestion.





Ghostmaker said:


> I agree start treating the pipes with bio clean. It eats all that stuff.
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Bio-clean-Drain-Septic-Bacteria-2/dp/B001N09KN4


Thanks you two! I haven't heard of that stuff before. I'll have to read up about it first, as I am afraid of damaging the pipes, especially behind the walls and difficult to reach places. Is it safe for copper pipes, plastic pipes, and basically any pipes? (I don't know what's behind my walls.) I'm definitely interested in something like this, though, if it's safe. Thanks!




Windows on Wash said:


> Eye makeup and mascara.


Nope. The girls don't use any of that stuff.




ktownskier said:


> I still want my other questions answered:


You got it. :wink2:



ktownskier said:


> Umm, have you noticed any changes in people near you?


I'm definitely crankier and more stressed since moving into the house.



ktownskier said:


> Do you notice any traces of slime leading from to and from the bathroom when you wake up in the morning?


No, but my 3 year old does leave a little pee on the toilet seat sometimes.



ktownskier said:


> Have you noticed any changes in your eating habits?


I think I'm eating too much wheat and it's making me gassy.



ktownskier said:


> Does the Blob quiver and shake and slowly slide up your finger when you poke at it?


It does quiver and shake and, while it doesn't slide or climb up, it sure clings to the pipes for dear life.


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

It’s a combo of soap, toothpaste& body oils. I get the same stuff in my drains. I have found pouring a large stockpot of almost boiling water stops the growth and helps clear the pipes.


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## ryancab (Aug 16, 2018)

djlandkpl said:


> It’s a combo of soap, toothpaste& body oils. I get the same stuff in my drains. I have found pouring a large stockpot of almost boiling water stops the growth and helps clear the pipes.


Thanks, Dan. I'll give that a try too. I need to remember the "almost boiling" part, as I don't want to damage the pipes. Thanks again.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Little heads up on bioclean it's so safe feel free to eat it. It will not damage pipe it's bacteria that loves grease slim hair and other goodies in your pipe. It poops water when it has been feed.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

YES !!!! I have seen that. As a matter of fact I had that for years when. Guess ? My Daughter moved back in with us. She was using all kinds of crap on her face ( masking stuff) and many other beauty related items. It was the same crap you have rotting hair black jelly looking stuff all clogging up the traps. Since she moved out 10 years ago I haven't touched the drain since. You got Daughters and wife ? That is most likely the problem. Good luck trying to handle that one. 
PS. That was the only sink she used.


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## ryancab (Aug 16, 2018)

Thanks again, everyone.



Ghostmaker said:


> Little heads up on bioclean it's so safe feel free to eat it. It will not damage pipe it's bacteria that loves grease slim hair and other goodies in your pipe. It poops water when it has been feed.


I ordered some of the Bio-Clean. I'll read and follow the directions carefully. The one thing that has me nervous about it is all the reviewers talking about increased pipe clogging in the beginning months from all the junk that comes off of the sides of the pipes and then gets stuck. They all mentioned lots of plunging and I hope that does it for me. That's the part that has me scared at the moment, but hopefully I'll be able to successfully make it over that hump. Thanks!



COLDIRON said:


> YES !!!! I have seen that. As a matter of fact I had that for years when. Guess ? My Daughter moved back in with us. She was using all kinds of crap on her face ( masking stuff) and many other beauty related items. It was the same crap you have rotting hair black jelly looking stuff all clogging up the traps. Since she moved out 10 years ago I haven't touched the drain since. You got Daughters and wife ? That is most likely the problem. Good luck trying to handle that one.
> PS. That was the only sink she used.


I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone. :smile:

I do have a wife and 2 daughters, but they don't use any face stuff at all. My guess is still something with one of our toothpastes. I was using a mouthwash in the beginning too when we first moved in, now that I think about it, but I haven't used it in months and the black jelly still grows and clogs my sink. Not sure if remaining residue from the mouthwash could just keep on sustaining life and reproducing, or not, but the growth does still keep happening. If it doesn't live-forever that way, then it's gotta be the toothpastes, I'm guessing.

I'll be trying either the super hot water first and then the Bio-Clean, or just the Bio-Clean.

Thanks!


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

I've definitely heard good things about bio-clean over the years, but I never tried it. Personally, I've had luck running a ton of hot water down. Just empty your whole hot water heater down that sucker. It breaks up.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Follow the instructions. Multistory house you start in the basement treat for 5 days then move up a floor. That way is cleans the lower pipe first.


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