BioSlime? what is this and why

StopWatch

Total grossness follows.

I bought a new sink from Ikea about 5 months ago, and ever since i installed it the pipes have been filling up with some form of bioslime.
Nothing has changed that i'm aware bar the replaced sink and piping. Water is the same,through copper pipes to sink - same products being used etc.
But twice since installation i've had to remove a jellylike gunk from the pipes. It isn't like the usual buildup of sink crud, it seems more...alive... first time i cleaned it i thought it was an animal or a mushroom or something.

Does anyone have any advice on what this grossness is or how to deal with it? I've attached photos of a tiny amount of the gunk for reference

moonshadow

That is very strange and quite disconcerting, I'm watching this thread ��

foxy farmer

Just a suggestion but would it be possible for slugs- the big long green ones to get into the waste pipe? I had to free a pipe for a cousin twice and we managed to flush out 5 or 6 of them. Had totally blocked the pipe. Took some rogering to free it. Salt from dishwasher and detergent might be killing them and leaving you with the resulting mess. This time of the year they are everywhere due to the wet. They hate salt. Instant death.

StopWatch

It isn't slugs or anything living, it just looks like it!
I've now cleaned it twice, so since first time I've monitored it, and its definitely growing/ building up slowly.
Just to mention, the pattern/ lines on the gunk is from the waste pipes corrugated form, but it really adds to the effect!

DGOBS

When you clean it, have you bleached it when finished?

sidcon

When you installed the new sink, would / could there be a area within the pipes or joints that would catch some debris and what you have in your hand is just a build up of this.

If you look inside the pipe work that was installed you should see something that is catching a hair or similar and everything else just catches onto this.

Actually looking at the photos again shows what looks like ringing shapes on the debris and I would say that your pipe work is not smooth inside to allowork the flow and changing the pipework, we're you removed the debris is the answer to your problem

StopWatch

It's not catching on anything, ive checked, its literally slowly building up, growing. Think- like a blocked artery.it starts from the plughole and runs through various sections of piping, bit only those from the new sink parts, as soon as it gets to the older pipework to flow out there's no issues.
When I cleaned it first I removed the gunk then bleach soaked rag to really clean it out.
I've also used a sink unblocker, but of course the sink isn't blocked fully, its just slowly getting smaller, so any unblocker runs straight through.

Dtp1979

StopWatch wrote: »

It's not catching on anything, ive checked, its literally slowly building up, growing. Think- like a blocked artery.it starts from the plughole and runs through various sections of piping, bit only those from the new sink parts, as soon as it gets to the older pipework to flow out there's no issues.
When I cleaned it first I removed the gunk then bleach soaked rag to really clean it out.
I've also used a sink unblocker, but of course the sink isn't blocked fully, its just slowly getting smaller, so any unblocker runs straight through.

How long does it take for the slime to rebuild ?

StopWatch

Dtp1979 wrote: »

How long does it take for the slime to rebuild ?

2-3 months to be noticeable, I'd say in 5 sink would be fully blocked

Dtp1979

StopWatch wrote: »

2-3 months to be noticeable, I'd say in 5 sink would be fully blocked

Do you pour grease or tea leaves down the drain?

Walter Becket

I fill the sink with very hot water and pull the plug every month to wash away this sort of buildup.. I don't think about it. It's gross when you sugest it's alive I don't think it's actually growing or rather I choose not to believe that it's actually growing.

StopWatch

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Do you pour grease or tea leaves down the drain?

This is the bathroom sink, so no use other than washing hands and brushing teeth.

StopWatch

Walter Becket wrote: »

I fill the sink with very hot water and pull the plug every month to wash away this sort of buildup.. I don't think about it. It's gross when you sugest it's alive I don't think it's actually growing or rather I choose not to believe that it's actually growing.

It really does seem to grow. I tried hot water but it didn't really shift it any. I could swear its organic...

foxy farmer

Do you get any build up in the trap under the sink or is it just the in the waste pipe? Could you put up a pic of the waste pipe layout?

tred

get some dambuster or equivalent and let it clean it back to new...

youtheman

What I can't understand (from the photos) is the horizontal lines, equally spaces, in the film, as if it's being 'moulded' by the pipe.

I'm having a problem with my kitchen sink with a build up of gunk, but I think it's a mixture of congealed food particles and grease from the dishwasher. But you say this is from a sink that is not in the kitchen?.

hatchman

The other half said there was a smell in bathroom so after investigation found the very same rotten stuff in the sinks waste pipe and waste. Only the kids use this sink for brushing their teeth so I believe it from them not rinsing sink after brushing. Guessing the bacteria from their mouths and tooth paste build up over time is causing it.

hatchman

youtheman wrote:

What I can't understand (from the photos) is the horizontal lines, equally spaces, in the film, as if it's being 'moulded' by the pipe.

IKEA waste pipes are usually some what flexible and so the structure is corrugated and these corrugations are also on inside, I'm assuming that's reason for horizontal lines.

moonshadow

hatchman wrote: »

The other half said there was a smell in bathroom so after investigation found the very same rotten stuff in the sinks waste pipe and waste. Only the kids use this sink for brushing their teeth so I believe it from them not rinsing sink after brushing. Guessing the bacteria from their mouths and tooth paste build up over time is causing it.

Ok....
Kitchen sink is off mains cold and cylinder hot water, bathroom is off attic tank and cylinder hot water. Get up to the attic (be careful insuation covers the joists that you can walk on)
Is there a lid on the big black tanks ? (Hopefully)
Use a battery torch and look inside for debris or other things...(dead mice/bats stc...) eek!
Hopefully none of the above are present.

amdublin

StopWatch wrote: »

Total grossness follows....

....I've attached photos of a tiny amount of the gunk for reference

Eeugh! Don't touch it!!!!

hatchman

moonshadow wrote:

Ok.... Kitchen sink is off mains cold and cylinder hot water, bathroom is off attic tank and cylinder hot water. Get up to the attic (be careful insuation covers the joists that you can walk on) Is there a lid on the big black tanks ? (Hopefully) Use a battery torch and look inside for debris or other things...(dead mice/bats stc...) eek! Hopefully none of the above are present.

Have two other sinks with cold feeds from attic tanks and there is no issue but will check tanks tomorrow.

Dtp1979

Did u change soaps lately?

dpofloinn

Ive seen that gunk before. Always in wash hand basins its caused by toothpaste that has been spat out and not properly washed down the drain

goz83

Gloves ffs!

StopWatch

dpofloinn wrote: »

Ive seen that gunk before. Always in wash hand basins its caused by toothpaste that has been spat out and not properly washed down the drain

hmmm, interesting, i'll keep an eye on that, woth 3 adults in the house i'd assume they were rinsing, but, you never know!
Thanks for that

StopWatch

goz83 wrote: »

Gloves ffs!

A valid point, well made.