Who washes sweaters in bathroom sinks?!

Question

So after spending some quality time to resolve a clogged drain (hair) and replacing some worn parts our tenant's bathroom sink was working perfectly. Draining like a champ. We did not charge the tenant figuring this was basically maintenance. Barely a week later I get a note that she washed a sweater in the sink and now it doesn't drain again. I'm going to go do my baking soda/vinegar/boiling water treatment but if that doesn't work is it fair to say I'm calling a plumber and she's responsible for the cost? I'm digging up my lease now to make sure it has something in there about repairs due to tenant damage but of course I have to hear what all of you have done. Thank you!

Sylvia B. · Answer

Buy one. Today.

Jon Holdman · Answer

When you did the previous cleaning did you take apart the drain and really clean it out?  This is really easy to do if you have plastic drain piping from the sink to the trap adapter in the wall.  Its somewhat of a routine operation, especially if you have a pop-up stop.  The rod that works the pop-up stopper tends to catch any hair or fiber and combined with soap residue makes clogs.  Simply unscrew the piece that holds in that rod for the popup and pull that apart and you'll be disgusted at how much goo accumulates there.  Then pull off the trap piece and clean it and the tailpiece (part from the sink to the trap) and you'll be good.  Nothing you pour down the sink will be nearly as effective as this simple cleaning.  Show the tenant how to do this and they can deal with it themselves.  Calling a plumber to do this is a waste of money.

Yes, washing a sweater or other hand-washable items in the bathroom sink is perfectly reasonable.  Where else would you wash such things?  You should see the stuff my wife washes.  She starts with a fleece freshly sheared off a sheep or (more commonly) an alpaca.  They make screens you can put over or in the drain to catch stuff.  I first encountered these in a VRBO rental and now use them in out sinks just to catch bigger junk before it goes down the drain.

Jay Hinrichs · Answer

@Patrick Liska  I always wondered why the buy and hold rehabbers  never put garborators in the units.. and or buy and hold investors..   seems to me the expense would out weight the inevitable plumbing issues.. unless tenants that have always rented maybe they never got to take a ride on a garborator and don't know how to use them.. ???

Jay Hinrichs · Answer

Wow i have never had a home without a Garborator.. unless it was on a septic system even then i put one in and just used it carefully.. I hear ya on tenants though.. they can do some strange things.

Patrick Liska · Answer

@Jay Hinrichs, The problem is just like you said, people do not know how to use them and you actually end up having more issues than without one. People throw bones and stuff down there and jamb them up all the time. There are also towns out there that actually do not allow them in the houses.

@Jon Holdman, I agree, you can wash stuff in the sink, best spot is actually a slop sink if the house has one. But why chance it, you show them how to prevent it or clean the drain out and they will just keep doing it. May as well prevent it by prohibiting it. Chances are it's not just the washing of sweaters in this instance, probably added to it, but normal use will clog a drain and I agree as to what you said, pull the drain apart and clean it, then run a snake down the main drain for a bit to make sure it is clean.

Patrick Liska · Answer

Yes i do, every time i come home, take off my shoes, put my slippers on and sing wont you be my neighbor..... the first time would be OK but being that this happened again then that would be enough to charge the tenant. i would also send a letter to them saying that cloths or anything else other than washing your hands and brushing of teeth are not allowed in bathroom sinks and the same goes for the Kitchen sink with the added exception of washing dishes, provided no food scraps  are dumped down the drain.

Eileen Murray · Answer

@Sylvia B.- I had one of those and loved it! Until it got caught on a really bad clog and I broke it in the drain trying to pull it out. Then I had a broken zip it and a hair clog, LOL!!! But that,  I’m sure, was just Murphy’s Law coming to call!!

Gail K. · Answer

I agree with Sylvia.  "Zip It'"s are great.  It's amazing what they will pull out of drain.  And they are cheap.  I must own about a dozen of those things.

I have also found "Thrift" (purchased through ebay or Amazon) to be a highly useful product to clear clogged drains.   It has never failed me yet but one must a bit careful with this stuff as it is pure lye (won't hurt pipes but it does smoke when boiling water is poured over it so don't breath the stuff in).

Gail

Ola Dantis · Answer

@Deanna Boss Tenants sometimes do the weirdest things. I think its best to make the tenant pays for the cost, as this is a good way to get their attention.

Who washes sweaters in bathroom sinks?!

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