The Press., 1901-08-29
CLOGGING THE PIPES
A sgNeleLg SERMON ON HOUSEHOLD
SANITATION.
some sum@e~ti0nn About the Plumb-
Ing and the Care THAT should No
Bxereised Ia the Avoidance Both OF
Expense and Disease.

some BWM@@@tt0mm AbDWf tmD kAwmn@
Ing and the Care THAT should Ne
Ipxereised Ia the Avoidance Both OF
Expense and Disease.
Nowadays tho plumber and his bill
arc your true household spoctsrs. Like
other specters, careful common sense
will put them to rout and confusion
nine times In ten. Wise men have been
studying this subject ever no long to
devise plumbing that would take care
Of Itself but they have not yet sue
ceeded. Neither are they likely to
without revolution In mechanics
whereby the tendency Of fluids always
to seek their own level may DO elimi-
mated and other things as wonderful
brought to pass. so long as knowledge
remains nearly static 10 long will It
behoove every houscns!stress to look
well to the usage Of her pipes and her
traps
A bit of rng or oven string, burnt
match, wisp Of hair. seems very lit
tic thing, ono that tho pipes can carry
Off with no possible hurt, but the rag,
by hanging over tho bend OF the trap,
may serve as a siphon to take awny the
water seai, which Is all that stands be-
tween tho household and unlimited
sewer gas And the rag may keep on
doing Il for weeks and weeks until
deadly disease IN rampant.
A string snnrlcd and twisted may
work tho same Ill. Tho match end, of
course, ought to float away harmless,
but III very much likclier to be caught
In some eddy of tho flush water, jam.
med into crcvico and there to take to
itself other solid particles until they
form clot both offensive and danger
Gus.
| IA for hair, there IN no end to the
harm II harbors. A wisp quickly forms
itself into a. sort of strnincr, catching
and holding all that passes. Aside
from that, Il has n trick Of lodging In
tho most inconvcnicnt places. catching
upon the lcnst roughness inside the
pipo and staying there until by nccre'
ton II has cloggcd tho whole space.
Hair has special affinity for bits Of
soap. Solid soap. by tho way, should
never be sent down the pipes. Very
strong soapsuds even IL Objectionable
unless you follow II with food OF
clean water, preferably hot water
Coffee grounds and tca leaves either
clog pipe very soon or else. II tho
flush water prevents that, wear Il
through quickly. partly by mechanical
action. partly by chemical. Neither
should ever be permitted in sink
Even II you are wise enough to keel
out all grease, and thus make sure tha
the grounds shall get safe away from
your own pipes, in the sewer they ma.
come in contact with grease from pipe
less carefully kept and cake and cloi
your whole pipe system, making neces
sary costly and inconvenient unclol
ging.
Every kitchen ought to have Its greas
can. emptied once week In winte
and in summer every three days. Al
sorts of refuse fat should go into II
even the scrapings from plates ant
dishes. Greasy water, as from boiling
hams or corned beef. should be allowe'
to cool thoroughly. then have tn
grease carefully taken off before it goe
down the pipes. Skillets and frying
!, pans ought to be filed with very ho
soda water and let stand half an hou
before washing. This gives time 70
the soda to partly saponify the greas
and keep it from sticking to the pip
or caking on top of the trap.
In securing faucets be careful to kee
the securing grit out Of the joints
Even the finest particles cut ava,
screw threads turning many times
: day. After securing also take care t
let the water run at least a minute be
fore catching any for use. In wash
ing sandy vegetables, as spinach. tul
nips, potatoes, use big pan and drai
off the dirty water. so the sand may b
caught. Even a spoonful of sand gt
ing down a pipe will cut and wear
more than hogshead of water.
Milky water is one Of the hardes
! things to manage. Even small quar-
, tity daily fouls pipes unless the milk
water is followed by flushing of sod
water moderately strong, with lime
water flush about every three day
The limewater is made more efectV
) by adding salt to it. Sea salt Is bes
Put lump as big as the fist in a
earthen or wooden vessel along wit
/, twice the bulk of quicklime and cove
with four gallons of hot water. ST
well and let settle. Pour the clea
LIQUID down the pipes and follow 1t
half an hour with q flush of clear WI
ter boiling hot. Thus every kind OF
; sink may be kept sweet and fresh
: New York Sun.