Strange blockage

[Vicario]

A Happy New Year to everyone! My washing machine was not emptying properly this morning and the waste pipes in the kitchen were gurgling. I looked at the gully outside and found it totally covered in this gunge (picture attached). When I first saw it it looked rubbery and had ridges like you see on the back of mats etc. but it disintegrates when touched and does not smell. We never wash anything rubbery in the machine, of course. The gully receives waste water from the upstairs (shower and sink) plus the kitchen sink, washing machine and dishwasher. Does anyone have any idea what could produce this 'ridged' gunge? There were a couple of handfuls of it! Sorry if the gross piccy puts you off your breakfast.

 

[Nige F]

It's just the normal residue from the fittings you describe - Gulleys are so 19th Century and need cleaning regularly with an old mop, and a bucket of water (mix with Jeyes Fluid) thrown down it

 

[Madrab]

Yup, it's just bacteria that been mixed up with all the stuff you have draining into the gulley creating the stuff. Everyone these days think that will all the new chemicals and cleaners/soaps that everything keeps itself clean. Drains, Traps and wastes need maintenance and cleaned thoroughly at least once a year, use bicarb or vinegar with boiling water mix to sterilise and deodorise all the internal stuff. Washing machines/Dishwashers etc need a good clean and flush too.
Ideally if they are installed correctly then they should be self cleaning but it's a long time since I've seen an install that doesn't have at least one bad area.

Avoid using acids or drain unblockers as they are acids/alkalines and aren't good.

As suggested a good outdoor steriliser like Jeyes to clean outside drains and gulleys will work wonders too.