# How do you remove acid water from a drain line?



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

How do you remove acid water from a drain line? When you need to jet a kitchen line and they have poured draino or even worse sulfuric acid in there. Right now I use a shop vac on top of a 5 gallon bucket to empty the sink but what about the drain line going into the wall and into the basement?

Anyone have a undersink contraption to jet 1 1/2" lines to help against splashes and excess water coming back? I have a plan for one but I would like to know if anyone else has made one.


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

a straw comes to mind...lol......why dont you use backing soda to nuetralize the acid inthe line to make it more safe to work with?..
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct..._bicarbonate&usg=AOvVaw0DoL5XZ30wQkOjl0XjgVDY


----------



## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Tango said:


> How do you remove acid water from a drain line? <snip>
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> a straw comes to mind...lol......why dont you use backing soda to nuetralize the acid inthe line to make it more safe to work with?..
> https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct..._bicarbonate&usg=AOvVaw0DoL5XZ30wQkOjl0XjgVDY


I did that twice for regular cabling(sulfuric acid on these 2 occasions). First time took 45 minutes to stop bubbling with baking soda but I was only able to remove the water in the sink and trap.

Second time I did that I tested with several litmus and the paper said okay. Well the papers were wrong! Droplets burned my pants and it burned through the asphalt when the the vacuum dripped on the street.

I have to literally find a way to remove all water on these occasions. Maybe I can use a small hose with a spring lead and go as far as I can first.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

I just remove drain cleaner from lines with a shop vac, gloves, and a pair of balls.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> I just remove drain cleaner from lines with a shop vac, gloves, and a pair of balls.


The question is how do you vacuum the line all of it?


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> The question is how do you vacuum the line all of it?



You don't/can't, that's when you start using the balls.


The female end of a washing machine hose will fit into a small shop vac hose pretty tightly with only like two wraps of electrical tape. It is also pretty rigid and can be forced down most drains with a bit of back and forth twisting. Just get a 6' one and cut one end off. Force the cut end down the drain and put your shop vac to the other end. That should clear at least a couple feet past the tee in the wall. Might even get the clog.


Just wear a face shield, gloves, and long sleeves if you're still worried. You're drain cleaning, you should probably be wearing that stuff even if there aren't any drain cleaning chemicals present.



Honestly I find most sink line clogs will clear with the shop vac if it's just normal stuff in plastic piping and they haven't put anything stupid down. Then I run the hot with everything back assembled and every couple minutes shove the shop vac into the sink basket and suck back that hot water with the remaining sludge. 



Sometimes when I first get it sucking out I will run hot water at another appliance or flush the toilet so I can suck some water back through which helps to erode the clog like snaking upstream. Having put my camera in afterwards I can tell you this method works pretty well. 



Then as with anything I take apart I test it, in this case I use my plunger to plug the sink basket and fill the sink with only the hottest water. That's why I use my plunger, so I don't have to reach into the hot water to let the water go. 



If that doesn't clear it I would then try running my small snake or mini-jetter or use a drain cap to hook a hose to the adapter and pressurize the line.


All of this is only if I don't have the option to cut the line open below. If I can do that and it's galvanized I will replace it with pvc. I keep a bucket of 2" fittings and a bucket of 1-1/2" fittings in the van along with lots of ferncos and no hub connectors.


Those of you out there solely for profit might just make a list and tell them you have to come back. I have more than enough drain work, I would rather fix it while I am there. Some of my customers, usually old guys, recognize that keeping enough drain fittings on my van to replumb their sink lines is going the extra step and appreciate my work ethic and thoroughness.


I think at the end of the day if you have been thorough and done a good job they wouldn't care if you tacked on an extra 35$ for having to deal with the acid/base they poured down the sink. It also might get them to spread the word so you'll encounter less clogs with chemicals.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

In hind sight I should have split that into multiple posts so I could reach that secret 500 club faster lolz.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> In hind sight I should have split that into multiple posts so I could reach that secret 500 club faster lolz.


You'll be there by the end of the week. :smile:


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> I just remove drain cleaner from lines with a shop vac, gloves, and a pair of balls.



you got a pic of them there balls???:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> you got a pic of them there balls???:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:



I didn't know you swing that way. Also, my camera isn't big enough.


.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

You ever seen truck nuts? Those things that idiots belching black smoke like to put on their way too jacked up rusted out dodge trucks.


I really want to hang a couple ball valve balls under the rear of my work van. Now I just need to demo some 2" valves 


I have one 1" ball but I don't want to destroy any of the other good valves I have laying around.


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> I didn't know you swing that way. Also, my camera isn't big enough.
> 
> 
> .



not at all, but sounds like your bragging, so a pic would back up your claim...or does your wife hold them for you?:vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> You ever seen truck nuts? Those things that idiots belching black smoke like to put on their way too jacked up rusted out dodge trucks.
> 
> 
> I really want to hang a couple ball valve balls under the rear of my work van. Now I just need to demo some 2" valves
> ...



use tennis balls they have the correct fuzz on them paint them whatever color matches...:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> not at all, but sounds like your bragging, so a pic would back up your claim...or does your wife hold them for you?:vs_laugh::vs_laugh:





Not that it's any of your business but yes, sometimes. Truth be told they're pretty ticklish so it's infrequent.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> use tennis balls they have the correct fuzz on them paint them whatever color matches...:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:



I don't know about yours but I keep my balls as smooth as chromed brass :smile:


----------



## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

yeah that falls into the ( too much info) cataglory...wax em if you got em..:vs_laugh:


----------

