Do drain enzyme sticks/strips work?

[y_p_w]

I tried a few thinking it looked like a good idea. Really just Green Gobbler BIO-FLOW but I've seen ads for others like Sani-Sticks. I like the concept that they just go in the drain and are supposed to stay in the trap while they slowly dissolve - up to 30 days - rather than an instant hit of bacteria/enzymes where the drain has to be kept unused for some time to allow them to work. However, I'm not sure how effective they are at staying in the trap. I tried putting one in a cup with water, and within a few hours it had started getting soft and curled into a circle. The photos they show are of them as straight sticks that seemingly stay because of the curve of the trap.

I have a kitchen drain that's completely white plastic pipes and I can shine a light and see what's at the bottom of the trap. I found that it started softening up where it was lying against the curve. I was using the sink, and I checked again after a few hours and the thing was gone. It just seems to me that they eventually flush out the drain like anything else that goes in the sink.

 

[Davejam]

Hmm, i don't think its supposed to sit there for a significant period of time.
Whether it actually does anything is another issue altogether.

 

[Hall]

They don't expect anyone to look down into the trap....

 

[JTK]

For your average clog, I don't see how these type of things will do anything but push the clog further downstream.

 

[Hall]

For your average clog

Enzyme, bacteria, or combination products are not for clogs. They are only really suitable for drain maintenance. If the drain or pipes are clogged, you need to use something mechanical or something very harsh/strong/dangerous.

 

[Davejam]

Yeah, so reading your OP, I think you're misunderstanding how its supposed to work...its not supposed to sit in the trap for a month.
It dissolves slowly and contains enzymes that theoretically could break down wall buildup on pipes to prevent future clogging.
But slowly could equal a few hours to a day.

The using it monthly part is just a recommendation for how often to use for preventative maintenance. Not the length of time it takes to dissolve.

 

[y_p_w]

Yeah, so reading your OP, I think you're misunderstanding how its supposed to work...its not supposed to sit in the trap for a month.
It dissolves slowly and contains enzymes that theoretically could break down wall buildup on pipes to prevent future clogging.
But slowly could equal a few hours to a day.

The using it monthly part is just a recommendation for how often to use for preventative maintenance. Not the length of time it takes to dissolve.

I contacted the manufacturer and was told it was supposed to slowly dissolve over 30 days, although I'm skeptical that it's supposed to be that long. Maybe a week if it stays in there. I saw how slowly it was dissolving in a cup, so the likely thing that happened was that it was flushed out. Maybe stuck to something along the way where it's releasing its contents, but possibly all the way to the sewer.

 

[y_p_w]

For your average clog, I don't see how these type of things will do anything but push the clog further downstream.

That's not the idea. The idea is maybe slow removal of waste/sludge that's stuck to the side of pipes. I've been having issues with grease down the pipes so I was hoping some sort of treatment would help prevent having to call the plumber again. I've seen some drain sludge before after pipe disassembly. It wasn't blocking anything, but there was a mm thick layer of light brown stuff on the down pipe to the trap in my kitchen sink. I took it apart and scrubbed it with a toothbrush. Something further down the pipes won't be as accessible, and I understand that metal pipes (especially cast iron) can have a lot of stuff just sticking.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Tie a string to it and tie the other end to your faucet. I bet it will not go anywhere.........until the stick dissolves.

 

[Hall]

Tie a string to it and tie the other end to your faucet. I bet it will not go anywhere.........until the stick dissolves.

Haha ! I thought the same thing.

 

[y_p_w]

Tie a string to it and tie the other end to your faucet. I bet it will not go anywhere.........until the stick dissolves.

It's just going to break in half. I thought of maybe putting one of these things in a mesh bag in my toilet tank. Or maybe the equivalent of a urinal cake in a screen. Hey - if they form one of these things like one of those dissolving urinal screens.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

It's just going to break in half. I thought of maybe putting one of these things in a mesh bag in my toilet tank. Or maybe the equivalent of a urinal cake in a screen. Hey - if they form one of these things like one of those dissolving urinal screens.

I can't see a urinal getting a clog, unless a drunk takes a #2 in it.

 

[y_p_w]

I can't see a urinal getting a clog, unless a drunk takes a #2 in it.

That's probably happened before. But I wasn't really think of a urinal. I was thinking of some way to dispense it other than just dropping it into the trap where in my case it seems to just have flushed out. A urinal cake was the first thing that came to mind, but maybe something like those dishwashing rinse agents in a cage that hangs from the side.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

That's probably happened before. But I wasn't really think of a urinal. I was thinking of some way to dispense it other than just dropping it into the trap where in my case it seems to just have flushed out. A urinal cake was the first thing that came to mind, but maybe something like those dishwashing rinse agents in a cage that hangs from the side.

Something that has the stick on one end going into the J bend and at the other end a "TEE" that sits down in the basket strainer.

 

[y_p_w]

Something that has the stick on one end going into the J bend and at the other end a "TEE" that sits down in the basket strainer.

Well - I'm probably getting obsessed over this, if only because I never treated the drain for years (had some old Zep Drain Care that sat under the sink) and had a pretty nasty sewer line grease clog.

I like the idea of something that will constantly put out "stuff" that will break down waster for a while compared to just dumping something in that has to stay untouched overnight in order avoid getting washed away until it can establish. I think we've seen it with stuff like automatic toilet bowl cleaners that plumbers hate. But I have seen things like those little drip systems that dispense a steady drip of sanitizer/deoderizer into urinals. Of course that may make sense in a commercial setting, but I don't know of anyone who sell stuff to produce a steady liquid drip into a kitchen sink.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Well - I'm probably getting obsessed over this, if only because I never treated the drain for years (had some old Zep Drain Care that sat under the sink) and had a pretty nasty sewer line grease clog.

I like the idea of something that will constantly put out "stuff" that will break down waster for a while compared to just dumping something in that has to stay untouched overnight in order avoid getting washed away until it can establish. I think we've seen it with stuff like automatic toilet bowl cleaners that plumbers hate. But I have seen things like those little drip systems that dispense a steady drip of sanitizer/deoderizer into urinals. Of course that may make sense in a commercial setting, but I don't know of anyone who sell stuff to produce a steady liquid drip into a kitchen sink.

The commercial reply got me to thinking about something. If you've ever been in a McDonalds restaurant bathroom you will notice that they smell like cherries or strawberries. I had a friend that would take those scent sanitizer cups that they place on the floor beside/behind the toilet. He would put them in his bathroom so it would smell good.

 

[y_p_w]

The commercial reply got me to thinking about something. If you've ever been in a McDonalds restaurant bathroom you will notice that they smell like cherries or strawberries. I had a friend that would take those scent sanitizer cups that they place on the floor beside/behind the toilet. He would put them in his bathroom so it would smell good.

I don't recall those. I was thinking of of those battery powered drip systems.

I do remember the smell of ripe urine at this public pier restroom. It takes a while for it to get to that point, so it was probably a matter of infrequent cleaning.