DIY: Scottsdale

I should warn you that this post has absolutely nothing to do with new food groups, clever recipes, or superior sources of protein.  It has to do with food debris (an oxymoron if ever there was one).  I'm talking about the food debris that can build up in your kitchen sink and result in sloooooow draining -- not a clog, just sloooooow draining.  

When our sink started getting a little sluggish recently, we tried several commercial drain cleaners and put a couple of magic spells on it, but to no avail.  And running the garbage disposal just made the situation worse.  So we lived with it for a while (you know how you put off calling the plumber as long as possible with the hope that the problem will just magically fix itself?), but last week I decided enough was enough.  

I went online and searched "slow draining kitchen sink" and was treated to literally dozens of repair suggestions ranging from too simple to possibly do any good to replacing the entire sink.  I was hoping for something in between.   Then I pulled up a post from five years ago and found a suggestion from a retired licensed plumber who said, "Here's a little-known tip for clearing a slow-draining sink that most plumbers won't tell you."  I was all ears. 

Here's what he recommended:

Assuming you have a two-sided sink, plug the left (non garbage disposal) side.

Run water in the right side until the sink is almost full.

While the water is still running, turn on the garbage disposal.  

Stand back.

Well, let me first tell you just how loud a garbage disposal can get.  Yowza!  It started out kind of slowly, but then the draining water began picking up speed, and suddenly there was a distinct sucking sound and things started happening very quickly.  The rest of the water swirled out of the sink at a rapid pace and when it was all gone, I peeked down into the garbage disposal and there wasn't a drop of standing water remaining.  I turned on the water and the disposal again, and both ran with enthusiasm.  I put a piece of lettuce (harmless, right?) down the drain and ran the disposal again, and it ran with equal enthusiasm.  I resisted the strong urge to raise my arms in the air Rocky Balboa style and strut around the neighborhood -- it wasn't yet time for that kind of celebrating.  So I left the kitchen.

I went back half a dozen times in the next couple of hours and ran the same simple little tests, and the water continued to drain quickly and left nothing behind.  I was starting to feel a little cocky.  

It's now been five days, during which I have run the dishwasher twice (the kiss of death for a slow-draining sink because it leaves nasty food debris all over the sink), and I am declaring our kitchen sink REPAIRED.  By me.  Little old me.  Go figure.  Now my husband thinks I'm the most brilliant blond in the history of brilliant blonds, and I'm seriously thinking of getting myself a truck and a onesie coverall with my name embroidered over the left breast and going out into the community to do my good works.  It's remarkable how much a small victory in the kitchen can boost one's confidence.  

I wish I could send that retired plumber a "thank you" e-mail, but the posting is so old that I can't get through.  If you're out there anywhere, sir, my sink and I are smiling.

Next project:  Rebuilding the engine of my car.  I'm sure it can't be that difficult.