Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-07-19
CLOGGING THE PIPES
A SENSIBLE SERMON ON HOUSEHOLD
SANITATION.

Some Suggestions About the Plumb
ing and the Care That should he
Exercised In the Avoidance Both of
Expense and Disease.
Nowadays the plumber and his bill
are your true household specters. 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 so long to
devise plumbing that would take care
of itself, but they have not yet sue
ceeded Neither are they likely to
| without a revolution in mechanics
whereby the tendency of fluids always
to seek their own level may be elimi-
mated and other things as wonderful
brought to pass. SO long as knowledge
remains nearly static so long will it
behoove every housemistress to look
well to the usage of her pipes and her
traps.
| a bit of rag or even string, burnt
match, wisp of hair, seems n very lit
/ tie thing, one that the pipes can carry
off with no possible hurt, but the rag
.
may serve as a siphon to take away the
water seal, which is all that stands be-
tween the household and unlimited
sewer gas. And the rag may keep on
doing it for weeks and weeks until
deadly disease is rampant.
/ A string snarled and twisted may
work the same ill. The match end, of
course, ought to float away harmless,
but is very much likelier to be caught
in some eddy of the flush water, JAM
med into a crevica and there to take to
itself other solid particles until they
form a clot both offensive and danger
Gus.
AS for hair, there is no end to the
harm it harbors. A wisp quickly forms
itself into a sort of strainer, catching
and holding all that passes. Aside
from that, it has a trick of lodging in
the most inconvenient places, catching
upon the least roughness inside the
pipe and staying there until by acre.
ton it has clogged the whole space.
Hair has special affinity for bits of
soap. Solid soap, by the way. should
never be sent down the pipes. Very
strong soapsuds even is Objectionable
unless you follow it with a flood of
clean water, preferably hot water.
Coffee grounds and tea leaves either
clog pipe very soon or else, if the
flush water prevents that, wear it
through quickly, partly by mechanical
action, partly by chemical. Neither
should ever be permitted in a sink.
/ Even if you are wise enough to keep
out all grease, and thus make sure that
the grounds shall get safe away from
your own pipes, in the sewer they may
come in contact with grease from pipes
less carefully kept and cake and clog
your whole pipe system, making neces-
sary costly and inconvenient unclog
ging.
Every kitchen ought to have its grease
can, emptied once a week in winter
and in summer every three days. All
sorts of refuse fat should go into it,
even the scrapings from plates and
dishes. Greasy water, as from boiling
hams or corned beef, should be allowed
to cool thoroughly, then have the
grease carefully taken off before it goes
down the pipes. Skillets and frying
pans ought to be filled with very hot
soda water and let stand half an hour
before washing. This gives time for
the soda to partly saponify the grease
and keep it from sticking to the pipe
or caking on top of the trap.
In securing faucets be careful to keep
the securing grit out of the joints.
Even the finest particles cut away
screw threads turning many times q
day. After securing also take care to
let the water run at least q minute be-
fore catching any for use. In wash
ing sandy vegetables, as spinach, tur-
nips, potatoes, use big pan and drain
off the dirty water, so the sand may be
caught. Even a spoonful of sand go
ing down a pipe will cut and wear 1t
more than a hogshead Of water
Milky water Is one of the hardest
things to manage. Even a small guam
tty daily fouls pipes unless the milky
water is followed by flushing of soda
water moderately strong, with lime
water flush about every three days.
The limewater is made more effective
by adding salt to it. Sea salt is best.
Put a lump as big as the fist in an
earthen or wooden vessel along with
twice the bulk of quicklime and cover
with four gallons of hot water. Stir
well and let settle. Pour the clear
liquid down the pipes and follow 1t in
half an hour with q flush of clear wa
ter boiling hot Thus every kind Of a
sink may be kept sweet and fresh
New York Sun.