Washing m/c flooded out my downstairs neighbour

[chris547]

My washing machine waste became clogged up with a white/grey gunge and is virtually closed. Flooded out my downstairs neighbour I replaced the waste pipe/trap and it seems OK now however the neighbour is huffed.

Is there anything I can do regarding choice of washing powders, to prevent this problem.? I have seen posts that suggest liquid detergents corrode the machine.

I need to use a non bio product and use Original Non Bio Persil. I did try a biological powder once and came out in a horrid red rash which took weeks to go away. It was very painful and my doctor gave me special soothing stuff to put in a bath every night for a month.

 

[IanDB]

You can prevent the sludge build up by running the machine once a month on a hot wash with a cupful of soda crystals. This breaks the sludge deposits down and keeps things clean.

 

[chris547]

I presume you mean ordinary washing soda?

Is this white/grey stuff blocking my waste the same as what you get in the kettle, the calcium carbonate from the water supply because I thought it was the washing powder. If so changing the powder to a liquid would not have worked anyway.

I also get deposits in the cistern of my WC which is annoying. Sometimes it keeps flushing. I may try chucking a handful in there once a month as well.

The same situation must also be occuring down the sink waste because there is hot water so I might be as well to chuck a handful down there once a month.

Presumably the washing soda causes a chemical reaction that puts the calcium carbonate back to bicarbonate which is soluble. Trying to remember my school chemistry.


Ian if this works as you say I can keep all my plumbing clear for a couple of quid a year which is well worth doing.

Chris

 

[IanDB]

Yes.

It's not calcium carbonate, it's a build up of residue from the dirt that's come off your washing. The problem is caused by the fact that most washes these days are relatively low temperature. In the good old days of 100 deg C washes everything dissolved and went away. With lower temperatures you tend to get this build up of sludge.

The soda crystals help to dissolve it.

Somebody put a post in a while back saying that they'd used caustic soda which is used to clean second hand washing machines out before selling them on. Sounded a bit extreme to me. Stick with the monthly hot wash and soda crystals.

You can't do much about the deposits in your kettle/cistern unless you try something more radical such as fitting a water softener to the mains supply.

Ian

 

[chris547]

OK I will do a search on water softener but I use a Brita filter for the kettle and assume a softener is mega bucks.

Unless any other kind person responds I think this thread has been successfully closed. My warmest thanks Ian for very useful info.