San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-10
VALUABLE INFORMATION.
Proper Care and Management Of
Plumbing Apparatus in The
House

LASNlSs
Keep fixtures clean-Water closets,
slop hoppers, basins and all other
plumbing fixtures, should be thorough
ly cleaned and scrubbed with soap, not
water and a cloth or soft brush at least
once a week, and oftener If possible.
After cleansing closets thoroughly
and other fixtures, let clean water run
through the faucets for few minutes
in order to change completely the water
in trap.
The same care and treatment should
be applied to the floors and walls sur
rounding the closets. The woodwork of
the closet seat should be kept scru-
pulously clean. All plumbing work
should be exposed, or enclosed in re-
movable covers. Under no circumstan-
ces allow rubbish of any kind to accu-
mulate under closet basin or sink.
Clean enameled bath-tubs and enam-
eled closets-Use soap, warm water and
cloth or soft brush.
| Under no circumstances use gritty
Substances in cleaning enamel surfaces.
A cloth saturated with coal oil or
gasolene will remove fly-specks, paint,
stains and mineral water discolora-
tions.
Keep exposed nickel plate work
brightly polished.
Keep woodwork dry and free from
soil stains.
| Clean the trap-To properly cleanse
the trap, half cupful of liquid
I've or potash should be poured in each
trap Except water closet trap at
at least once a week, letting remain
over night, when a good flushing should
be given, which will not only cleanse
the trap, but also the pipe
| Clean the pipe-A valuable cleansing
agent for pipe may be found in flush
ing with hot solution of common wash
ing soda, copperas or potash.
| Clean grease trap-The grease trap
should also be cleaned at least once a
week. This is done by unscrewing the
cap on top of the trap, and taking out
all solid or greasy matter with long
spoon, care being taken in getting all
matter from the bottom of the trap as
well as the top. After cleaning always
let water run for a few minutes to
change completely the water in the
trap.
Kitchen sinks-A metallic strainer
should always be used in sink above
the grease trap; no solid plug, under
any circumstances to be used.
Always flush fixtures after using
After emptying slop jars into slop-hop-
per or closet, always flush the fixtures
and it's trap by pulling the chain at
tached to water tank above.
Give attention daily to fixtures
Make it a practice to use each fixture
daily; and if located in an unoccupied
room, require some one to turn on the
water each day, in order to keep trap
full of water.
This is important, otherwise the
water in trap will evaporate, and Will
allow a smell from the sewer pipe into
the room.
Precaution when house is left vacant
in summer-In leaving the house dur
ling the summer special care should be
taken to prevent entrance of sewer
lgases into the house; therefore all
loverflow washbowls, sinks and bath
tubs should be closed with corks, or by
pasting paper over the openings, then
lclose the outlets with plugs, and fill
basin and tubs with water to near the
loverflow line.
| Wash tubs connected with sewers
may be similarly protected, by closing
the outlets, and filling tubs with water.
In case of slop-hoppers and water
Iclosets it becomes necessary to re-
move all water from the trap with a
sponge, or otherwise, and to fill trap
with glycerine or oil, or with solu-
Ition of chloride of calcium.
Precautions when house is left vacant
lin winter-In leaving your residence
Iduring the summer months, it is of the
utmost Importance to remove complete
lily all water from supply and waste
lpipe. traps, fixtures and tanks, so that
nothing can freeze. For this purpose
a stop and waste should be placed at
a convenient point in the supply pipe,
land all supply pipe laid to drain to this
point.
The kitchen boiler and water tanks
Ishould be emptied, and all over
flows must be closed, traps filled with
glycerine, and the outlets of fixtures
closed with plugs, as previously des-
lcribed.
The water closet trap should be
lfued with a strong salt solution, to
which may be added some calcium
lchloride. AS an additional security
the closet trap may be boxed up, and
box filled with sawdust
How to prevent freezing-The same
precautions should be taken on cold
nights during winter, at least to the
extent of cutting of the water supply
from the house and closet and other eX-
posed traps, as described above, and
opening all basin and bath cocks, sink
bibs and faucets. In moderately cold
weather a handful of common salt
thrown in the water closet trap will
lprevent freeing.
What may be put in sewers and what
lnot-Your attention is especially called
to the following clause in an ordinance
now in force, viz: mo butchers offal
or garbage, dead animals, wood, stone,
straw, rags, hair, fruit or vegetables,
lpeelings, or any other matter or thing
whatever, except faces, urine, neces-
sary closet paper and liquid house Stops
shall be placed, thrown or deposited in
lany manhole, sewer, soil pipe OF house
l1s,tip in tho pitv And anv DprSOn so