Clogged drains

As a plumber’s daughter, I have a genetic dislike of Drano, Liquid Plumber and other uber-chemical solutions to clogged drains.

They eat pipes. And they aren’t too great for septic systems, either.

So I usually use a little wire snake for the bathroom sink, and hot water with baking soda and vinegar for the kitchen.

I was tackling this lovely chore today at the condo. In two years, all the hair and soap can combine into a nasty glop, so I had lots of filthy minutes to contemplate the concept of clogged drains.

Like most 50-somethings, both Tom and I have been accumulating glop for years in our bodies. That’s probably contributed to our twin strokes.

Alcohol. Air pollution. Smoking. Stress. Sugar. Food preservatives. Too much swallowed anger. Too many hours in front of a computer screen.

Not only does crap clog your arteries – crap clogs your mind, slows you down, blocks easy passage of waste.

They say the best way to avoid clogged drains is to not dump grease down them, and to clear them out regularly with hot water and baking soda. Before they get clogged.

So, Dad, I’ll try to be a better plumber’s daughter.

I’ll empty my mind. Let go of everything. Every day. And try not to clog myself with dirty grease.

Today’s penny is a 2014, probably the last time that the condo drains were cleaned.