# Clogged the sink with growing gel balls



## Lasair

Hey I did something really really stupid.....I poured growing gel balls down the sink. I had it done before I realised what I did and now the sink is blocked. I can see them if I look down the drain but I can't get them out :roll.

Anyone know of a way to dissolve them....my mother will go mental if I tell her.....:no:no:no:no:no:no

I feel so stupid

I don't have a plunger.....


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## Lasair

Ventura said:


> Try boiling some water and putting it in the sink and use a plunger to try to plunge them threw.


Can't find the plunger hun


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## Resonance

:rofl


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## melissa75

What is a growing gel ball? 

If you have some white vinegar and baking soda, you can use them to unclog the drain.


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## Lasair

Resonance said:


> :rofl


:bat


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## Lasair

melissa75 said:


> What is a growing gel ball?
> 
> If you have some white vinegar and baking soda, you can use them to unclog the drain.


This is them


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## melissa75

Janniffy said:


> This is them


Oh okay! Well, the vinegar, baking soda, and hot water might work. If you have those, you can warm up like a cup of vinegar in a pan until hot. Pour it down the drain first. Then, pour like a cup of baking soda down the drain. I let it sit for 5 minutes...it should bubble. Then, boil some water and pour it down the drain last.


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## Amocholes

> Grown Orbeez will maintain their shape for weeks if kept in a closed container, away from heat and light. If Orbeez lose water, simply add more water to regrow.
> Going Green Dispose of Orbeez in the trash or even better, work them into your yard soil. Orbeez help soil stay moist and reduce the need for watering. After all, they were developed by the agricultural industry to protect crops during times of drought. Today, superabsorbent polymers, from which Orbeez are made are often planted under the sod of golf courses to keep them green and reduce water usage.


Liquid is not going to work. These things are designed to absorb water.
Try removing the trap below the sink. You may be able to get them out.


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin

Acid, lot's and lot's of acid.


And I'm talking Lsd, slip it in your mothers cupain tea and let her think she clogged the drain.


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## Bbpuff

I want orbeez now.. o-o


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## laura024

You clogged the sink with growing balls?


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## Lasair

Amocholes said:


> Liquid is not going to work. These things are designed to absorb water.
> Try removing the trap below the sink. You may be able to get them out.


You really think I can do this. your a brave man to suggest I do this.....knowing my luck I'd flood the house


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## Lasair

JimmyDeansRetartedCousin said:


> Acid, lot's and lot's of acid.
> 
> And I'm talking Lsd, slip it in your mothers cupain tea and let her think she clogged the drain.


Oh how funny that would be, best Idea yet!


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## Lasair

laura024 said:


> You clogged the sink with growing balls?


I'm an idiot...yes :roll:roll:roll


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## Hallucinating Zebra

[gone]


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## KelsKels

:teeth Wow thats kinda funny. Uh.. do you think you could try to fish them out, since you dont have a plunger? Like fashion a hook out of a hanger or something? Ive done that before, but not with gel balls or whatever. Hm.. buy a plunger? Lol.


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## KelsKels

JimmyDeansRetartedCousin said:


> Acid, lot's and lot's of acid.
> 
> And I'm talking Lsd, slip it in your mothers cupain tea and let her think she clogged the drain.


LMAO! :haha

Scratch my idea, this is gold.


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## Lasair

Right - yes yes have a good laugh..... in fact I can't laughing myself at how stupid it is.

But right....if I go the acid rout - what should I use? I don'y have chemicals just laying around


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## Lasair

KelsKels said:


> :teeth Wow thats kinda funny. Uh.. do you think you could try to fish them out, since you dont have a plunger? Like fashion a hook out of a hanger or something? Ive done that before, but not with gel balls or whatever. Hm.. buy a plunger? Lol.


Oh yeah....spend an hour doing this - got a few out but not many....


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## Nada

Try a hair dryer blowing hot air down the pipe and leave it for about an hour or so. It will gradually shrink.


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## laura024

Janniffy said:


> I'm an idiot...yes :roll:roll:roll


You're not an idiot. You just made a mistake.


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## lazy

lol at this thread . You prolly gonna have to call plumber or listen to amocholes


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## JustThisGuy

You should really consider taking the U pipe off. Like the diagram that someone put up. Put a bucket, or something, underneath it, put on a glove and try twisting off the slip nuts on both ends of the U pipe, then dump it, then reattach.


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## Resonance

Nada said:


> Try a hair dryer blowing hot air down the pipe and leave it for about an hour or so. It will gradually shrink.


Yes, the site does suggest they shrink if they lose water, so the hair dryer plus maybe some baking soda or something else that draws water out of things might be an idea.

Failing that, perhaps a kebab skewer.


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## copper

Janniffy said:


> You really think I can do this. your a brave man to suggest I do this.....knowing my luck I'd flood the house


Just make sure to take most of the water out of the sink. Just scoop the water out with something. If you can't do that take a bucket and put underneath the drain pipe. If you are lucky the drain pipe maybe plastic and you won't even need a tool to do the job. You can take apart everything by hand. It is duck soup. I unclog drains all of the time by doing this.


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## tlgibson97

You dont want them to shrink. If they go down further in the drain and get ewt they will swell up again and possibly clog in an area you can't get to. 

If you have any other balls then you can test different things you have to see if anythign dissolves them. Otherwise, the best thing is to take the trap off. It really isnt that difficult and the only way you can flood the house is if you have the water running when you take it off as there is no water flow in the drain. You can probably get by only taking off one connector to spin the drain around to vaccum the balls out. Just hope none are jammed further down the pipe.


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## Lasair

Well I did nothing......apart from pouring salt down the drain (suggested by wikihow, left me scratching my head as to how this was going to work though)

Went to work this morning, forgot all about it......and mum told me she spent two hours with the plunger and blaming my brother - I told her straight out it was me and she just laughed at me.....:teeth:teeth

Thank goodness I didn't have to dismantle the sink :clap:clap:clap:clap


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## millenniumman75

How many of those things were dumped in the drain?


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## Lasair

millenniumman75 said:


> How many of those things were dumped in the drain?


Lets just say a lot....as in almost a packed full.....


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## millenniumman75

Janniffy said:


> Lets just say a lot....as in almost a packed full.....


Uh oh.
I'd be afraid they would get upset and burst your pipes if they got too inflated....or they can shoot an eye out.

Are they spongy? plastic? Do you think they would break down with a chemical like nail polish remover?


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## rgrwng

i feel sorry for your brother, having to take the temp blame. glad things worked out calmly.


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## Nefury

I hate it when my balls clog the sink


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## Akane

> You're not an idiot. You just made a mistake.


and didn't read the package directions which say the best disposal is in the trash or mix in to garden soil as they help hold moisture for plants.


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## RiversEdge

Amocholes said:


> Liquid is not going to work. These things are designed to absorb water.
> Try removing the trap below the sink. You may be able to get them out.


He's right. And it's really very easy to take it apart and put back together.


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## cglnljl

Lasair said:


> Oh how funny that would be, best Idea yet!


Well he is actually close use CLR full strength it shrinks them back down to normal size
:yes


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## Evo1114

What purpose do these gel balls serve? And what purpose do they serve in a sink drain? Or was it just an experiment gone wrong?


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## Alienated

Before I tell you how to handle your balls... I need to see a picture !! I am serious !!

I study Chemistry, and most are a polymer that absorb water... You might try a Shop Vac to get most out...

But I am Dying to see your balls .... I can't help myself, I laughing so hard... I need to see a picture to get the one in my head out !!


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## Bbpuff

This thread has been brought back from the dead.... o-o' I can't believe I remember posting on this. c:


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## Nevermind me

*Wish I hadnt*

I mistakenly poured gel crystals in my kitchen drain too! I know, dumb. I thought I was using gunk-eating enzymes. BUT, made problem worse! I took drain apart and ran hose water thru all parts (outside) and good as new. And I'm a single mom. So, you can handle it. Read the label next ti


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## Surly Wurly

Aella said:


> After the water cools a bit in the sink and your able to put your hands in the water. Try to cup your hands over the drain and push sorta like cpr. ( I did this when I got my sing clogged) . I was able to make my hands like a suction cup.


i actually defused an awkward situation at a hotel recently using this method. um, i really needed to get rid of those, um, things, in a hurry


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