Clay masks have been used over the centuries to maintain healthy hair and skin. Clay masks are made from different types of healing clay, such as bentonite clay and kaolin clay, that remove dead skin and remove excess grease from oily skin.
Unfortunately, clay masks (including Aztec clay) can also easily cause a clogged drain. This is because, in most cases, removing the clay mask for your face will require you to wash your face over the sink. This can lead to the accumulation of clay in your sink drain, resulting in clogs.
How then do you prevent the clay mask from clogging up your drain?
In this plumbing guide, we explain the following ways to keep from getting a clogged drain in your bathroom sink after you wash off a clay mask:
Natural cleansers
Plunger
Sulfuric acid drain openers
Hydrochloric acid drain openers
Disassemble the P Trap
Professional plumbing services
What's In This Guide?
How to Dissolve Clay in Drains, Naturally?
Try The Natural Way (Mixture of Salt, Bicarbonate of Soda, and Hot Water)
This is one of the easiest ways to combat a clogged drain, whether it’s from your bentonite Aztec clay mask or otherwise. You will use natural enzymes from a mixture of half a cup of salt, one cup of vinegar, half a cup of baking soda, and near boiling water.
This natural homemade drain cleaning method is safe and is harmless to you and your plumbing. You can repeat this method as many times as you would wish since it is also harmless to the environment.
Following these steps will often help, but won’t be very effective if you have a severe drain blockage from years of washing clay masks off in the sink. If this DIY method doesn’t work, try using a bacteria-based enzyme drain cleaner. You will love the results and the pleasant smell vs. a stronger opener that also works, but isn’t as fun to deal with.
Avoid using chemical drain cleaners as these can be caustic and oxidizing and can cause damage. If you have an older home, you’ll need to choose wisely as to not damage cast iron drain pipes. Even in newer homes, be sure to use a drain cleaner that is safe for PVC pipes.
Consider using one of these drain products for how to remove bentonite Aztec clay mask buildup, below.
This is the old-fashioned way of dealing with most drainage clogs, and it works quite well. Using a plunger to force the blockage from the plumbing has been used repeatedly, and it never disappoints. This method will only work if the clay mask isn’t fully hardened in your drain…or after you loosen it up by the above step.
The force on the plunger forces air out of the pipe, creating a vacuum and clearing the clog from your sink drain. Before using a plunger, you will need to cover the overflow with a wet cloth or thick paper towel to create a drain seal and force air out through the blocked drainage.
In case you have two sink openings, make sure that you block the other sink opening to increase the pressure. This method is reported to be the most successful by people who try to unblock their drainage without professional help.
You might want to give it a try a couple of times before completely giving up on the drain clog. If it does not work, it’s time to look for other options to unclog your drain.
Using Sulfuric Acid Drain Openers on Bentonite Clay Mask in Drains
Most emergency drain openers have sulfuric acid as their active ingredient. In most cases, their content has 90 percent sulfuric acid, with the rest being corrosion inhibitors that help reduce damage on the metallic drain ways.
Sulfuric drain openers are often not available for retail use because they are restricted to use by trained professionals. However, there is a super-powerful product called Liquid Fire drain opener that is sold online.
Sulfuric drain openers are ideal for unclogging drains blocked by Aztec clay because its great for disintegrating organic matter. It is important to note that sulfuric acid drain openers should be used with great care.
They cannot be used in drain pipe systems made of galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and chrome components. Read the label thoroughly if you use one of these.
Serious Clay Mask Clog? Use Hydrochloric Acid Drain Openers
Hydrochloric acid-based drain openers are ideal for drainage systems made with plastic components and any metallic component that is not galvanized steel or aluminum. Hydrochloric acid drain opener is made of 30 percent hydrochloric acid and is made to inhibit corrosion and stop foaming.
This drain opener works by disintegrating the solid salts in the clay. When your drainage is clogged by clay, it will help dissolve it and thereby unclogging your drainage.
By the way, never pour bleach down your drain as this will not resolve the bentonite clay clog. It will only cause other problems for you.
Disassemble The P Trap To Unclog Your Drain
Before deciding to use any of the above chemicals, make sure that the drain blockage is not on the sink’s P trap. (Some people call this a U bend.) In most cases, most blockages do not go beyond the P trap. You might be surprised to find that the problem is located just below the sink.
To do this, you will need to place a bucket under the sink to catch the waste and water when you unscrew the two connections. Please get rid of any debris in the P trap by cleaning it thoroughly.
This is a very easy solution for your blocked drainage; you will be very surprised to find that not many blockages go far in the drainage.
If you cannot disassemble the P trap by yourself, call a qualified professional to do it for you.
Has your bentonite clay mask built up beyond your DIY remedy? Getting a licensed plumber is the easiest way to solve your clay mask drain problems. A qualified plumber will advise on which chemical to use to unblock your drainage or even advice whether you need to use a chemical in the first place.
Trained plumbing professionals come in well-stocked vans that are equipped to carry out most plumbing jobs. They may perform a sewer line inspection with a camera to find the exact clog, and come equipped with a power drain auger to clear it fast. This means that your clogged drain will be clear of clay and working again in no time.
Using a licensed plumber will save you a lot of energy and time that you would rather use doing other things that you are good at. Licensed plumbers will also give you great advice on how to avoid blockages in the future.
Simple Tips On How To Keep Clay Mask From Clogging Up Your Drain
Here are ways to wash off your mask and avoid clogging up your drainage:
Use a cloth or a mesh drain strainer while washing the clay mask off your face. This will help catch all the residue that would have otherwise gone down the drain and later cause a lot of trouble. After you are done, rinse off the mesh with the clay residue in the trash.
Wash the clay mask off your face in a bowl of water rather than the sink. Once done, you can throw the water outside. This will save you a lot of trouble with your drain system.
However, the fact that you are reading this article means that you have probably suffered the unfortunate fate of clogging up your sink with your bentonite clay mask. Hopefully, the tips shared above will help you learn how to keep clay masks from clogging the drain.
Here are some DIY tips that might work for how to dissolve clay in the drain.
FAQs About How To Keep Clay Mask From Clogging Drain
Why do people use clay masks?
People use bentonite clay masks as skin care for sensitive skin and to help people with acne and acne scars.
What can I use instead of a clay mask?
Some people use pore strips instead of clay masks.
Can you rinse bentonite clay down the drain?
No. Do not rinse a bentonite clay mask down any of the drains in your home. Instead, use a separate bowl of water to remove as much as you can.
Does the Aztec clay mask clog drain?
Yes. All clay masks, including Aztec clay masks, will clog your drain.
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We write about "all things plumbing," helping you navigate common questions, repairs, and the best plumbing products on the market.
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We write about “all things plumbing,” helping you navigate common questions, repairs, and the best plumbing products on the market.
