Cleaning Mortar or plaster mix buckets

[purplemonkey]

hi all,

After doing a lot of mixing and stuff to do with mortar and plasters I notice there is usually a sandy residue in the bottom of the bucket, and any water I pour away will obviously contain some of this sand. I've been tipping it out back in the yard, but this runs off into a normal kind of drain i.e about 1cm grid guard.

I'm wondering what is 'normal' practice here, I'm worried if I keep tipping it down this drain I'm just going to have to unblock it at some point. and I guess if it dries out it could set as hard as concrete, considering that's whats down there!

 

[jeds]

Best to work out of a large water butt or bath. Clean everything in the butt/bath and residue will collect at the bottom. When job done put the residue in a suitable receptacle.

 

[pinenot]

Not to put the wind up you, but it's against Environment Agency regs to put these things down the drains. Jeds has given you good information there, which you should heed, no harm done though hopefully!...pinenot

 

[JohnD]

if you have a decent garden, put it on there or on the compost heap. Sandy grit will improve heavy soils, and gypsum plaster actually opens up a clay and makes it more crumbly (this is true)

fork it in later.

 

[purplemonkey]

cheers for the posts guys. I just wanted to make it clear I'm not pouring sand or cement down my drains, but the contaminated water that is used will be poured out onto my land which eventually will run down the drain. There is some grassland up the road but its too far to lug the buckets to every time.


I am already following Jeds comment. i.e. if the water is left standing the sand does settle on the bottom which is then put into rubble bags. of these settled buckets I'm currently pouring the water out through a hessian sack which seems to be picking up any remaining floating contaminate.

cheers

 

[pinenot]

Good lad