Cleaning your pipes. How to deep clean European drains and say goodbye to that mold.

Sugin’s Corner Presents:
Cleaning your pipes. How to deep clean European drains and say goodbye to that mold.

Questions:  “How do you get rid of the horrible smell in the drains? I have tried pouring bleach down the drain, but it comes right back.” ~Guest from a spouse stationed Germany for the Spouse Information Center.

Sugin’s reply: I think your pipes and drains may smell for two possible reasons. One reason is the pipes could be dirty. I have made two videos on how I clean my drains. The other reason is the drain could be clogged. I am not a maintenance person or a plumber here is a link with information on clog drains http://www.wikihow.com/Unclog-a-Sink. I recommend you contact a plumber if you are renting or live on base to call the landlord or base housing maintenance.

Here is how I clean my drains. I clean my pipes as needed. It will depend on the time of year and the location of my drains on how often I have to clean them. You may have to repeat the steps on cleaning a few times before the drain pipes are clean.

I used different types of tools and cleaners depending on the types of opening to the pipes. I typically use Dawn dish soap and a spray bottles with my homemade cleaners. For some of the hard dirtier drains, I like Comet (I use comet with bleach powder) and a double-sided scrub sponge “Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Sponge.” I use my homemade cleaners. In one bottle I will use mixture equal parts Bleach & Water. In another spray bottle mixture of ½ vinegar, ¼ water, and ¼ dish soap. *Never mix bleach with other cleaners*

The tools I used are different size bottle brushes, pipe brushes, old toothbrushes, and sponges. I have found most of the pipe brushes off base on the local German Economy. You can also find pipe brushes bottle brushes on Amazon.

Step one: Spray using the stream setting inside this drain. Spray the mold repeatedly using the spray bottle with the mixture of bleach water spray stream in the open areas repeatedly and let set two minutes.
Step two: Add a little soap to the pipe cleaner or bottle brush you will be using and then vigorously clean inside the areas.
Step three: Rinse with clean water and repeat steps until the area is clear of mold.

How to clean stainless steel sink and lime around sinks.
The hard water leaves stuck on lime using the spray bottle mixture of ½ vinegar, ¼ water, and ¼ dish soap. Spray area and let set one to two minutes.
Now use the green back side of sponge scrub the area. For smaller hard to reach areas using the small kitchen brush cleaner or a toothbrush.
Repeat if necessary until the area of hard water is cleaned away.
Step one: Sprinkle Comet all over the sink area.
Step two: Wet the double-sided sponge. Use the green side of the sponge to scrub the whole sink. In the video clean the entire area for 2 to 3 minutes. 
Step three. Rinse with clean water thoroughly and dry. Repeat cleaning process in any areas that are needed. If the area is not shining or has a white residue more rinsing is required.

I would love to hear from you; please share your ideas and tips in the comments below. If you have a question, please email me at Sue@suginscorner.com. In the subject line, please title your email “Question for Spouse Information Center.” The reason I am calling this the Spouse Information Center and not Sugin’s got the answer; is I do not have all the answers, and I have not been stationed all over the world. I encourage others who are stationed overseas to make a video to contribute to the Spouse information Center and help expand our library of topics.

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