Need suggestions for removing chemical from kitchen drain (hand pump maybe?)

[Arkitech]

Long story short. I got a clog in the kitchen drain, usually if I put lye based drain cleaner it works well. This time it did'nt work and the cleaner is in the pipes. I don't want to risk taking the pipes apart under the sink to avoid splashing. I'm thinking if I could rig some kind of pump with plastic tubing, I could put that down the drain and draw out the water. Not exactly sure what kind of pump I would need though. Needs to be something cheap. Any suggestions?

 

[jaedaliu]

how long has it been stewing?

You could get a snake and run it down the drain, too.

 

[Juddog]

Get a snake, use the snake. Flush with hot water afterwards.

 

[Arkitech]

I have a snake but I don't think it will fit through the drain opening.

 

[Arkitech]

I was thinking of using some thin tubing like this, but I need some kind of pump to draw out the lye

 

[lokiju]

I have a snake but I don't think it will fit through the drain opening.

Is it a grate kind of drain covering? Can you not just unscrew it?

 

[jaedaliu]

problems with pumping out lye is that it will spray everywhere. You could conceivably use a bilge pump type of thing.

The snake is the proper way to go. If you can't get it in, consider getting to the air vent and snaking from there. Though, this may involve cutting a hole in your wall. We had this at our frat house, where the twin shower stalls got clogged, and we and plumber couldn't get the snake into the shared drain. Ended up attacking it from the hallway wall.

 

[railer]

A snake is your best option.

If that fails, remember the adage "the solution to pollution is dilution."
Add some water to the sink, aerate the lye that's trapped in the drain with something - that flexible tubing in your pic would work, perhaps a turkey baster or a long straw depending on what kind of access you have from the top side. You can remove the water/diluted lye from the sink and discard down another drain, and you'll eventually get to the point where the lye trapped in the drain is diluted enough that it will not be harmful.
At that point put some gloves and and break the pipes apart. Be sure and take a pic of the spooge to post in this thread.

 

[twinrider1]

Juddog and railer have it.

If you can get a tube in, you can get a wire coat hanger in. A coat hanger will get you a big enough hole to drain the lye. I'd probably fill the sink up halfway with water for added pressure (and not that it's a big concern, but it will insulate you from the lye if there's enough in the drain to splash up somehow).

 

[Arkitech]

I managed to drain it out. I loosened the drain just a fraction and managed to safely get out in a bucket.

 

[D1gger]

I managed to drain it out. I loosened the drain just a fraction and managed to safely get out in a bucket.

Glad you found the solution. I was going to suggest an aquarium siphon.

 

[twinrider1]

Do we want to see pics of what was clogging the drain?

 

[railer]

Do we want to see pics of what was clogging the drain?

Show us the pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!