Cleaning the shower outflow hoses

[Irish Rover]

The head showers on my boat are not used very often and I've noticed a black scum has formed on parts of the hoses between the showers and the pumps. The run from the shower to the pump is around 2 metres of 1" hose. There's not much of a drop, if any, from the base of the showers to the pump. There isn't an issue at present and I'd like to ensure I don't have one in the future. I'd also like to avoid having to disconnect the hoses. So what best to put down the shower drain to clean the hoses?

 

[Minerva]

Probably just household bleach. Perhaps one of the sink unblocker ones that promise to fizz up to treat the whole pipe

 

[johnalison]

Probably just household bleach. Perhaps one of the sink unblocker ones that promise to fizz up to treat the whole pipe

Maybe, or any anti-mould product perhaps. (Not Patio magic in an enclosed space)

 

[capnsensible]

You could try aquaforte that Google tells me is the Greek version of a Spanish product. About 25% solution of hydrochloric acid. Used it on boats and now in a house for 20 years or more.

Should find it available in supermarkets. Inexpensive.

 

[wonkywinch]

You could try aquaforte that Google tells me is the Greek version of a Spanish product. About 25% solution of hydrochloric acid. Used it on boats and now in a house for 20 years or more.

Should find it available in supermarkets. Inexpensive.

Cheapest way for a consumer to buy it in the UK is as brick acid.

I wouldn't pour that down a drain that had a metal
grate or plug hole.

https://www.rolledalloys.com/environments/hydrochloric-acid/

 

[Irish Rover]

Cheapest way for a consumer to buy it in the UK is as brick acid.

I wouldn't pour that down a drain that had a metal
grate or plug hole.

https://www.rolledalloys.com/environments/hydrochloric-acid/

I have a ready supply of hydrochloric acid which I use for my swimming pool, but I'm aware metals don't like it. Apart from the s/s screws attaching the shower drain there's nothing else I can see that might be affected EXCEPT I don't know if there are exposed metal parts inside the Whale shower pumps. I'd hate to clean the hoses at the expense of 2 new pumps.

 

[capnsensible]

Cheapest way for a consumer to buy it in the UK is as brick acid.

I wouldn't pour that down a drain that had a metal
grate or plug hole.

https://www.rolledalloys.com/environments/hydrochloric-acid/

No problems so far on our two shower drains and three sinks. Widely used in nearly every house in Spain!

Also used by me for shower drains, sink drains and heads on yachts.

Gets rid of marine growth on your propellor at lift out time too.....

 

[wonkywinch]

No problems so far on our two shower drains and three sinks. Widely used in nearly every house in Spain!

Also used by me for shower drains, sink drains and heads on yachts.

Gets rid of marine growth on your propellor at lift out time too.....

That's good to hear. I use citric acid or coffee machine descaler.

 

[galeus]

I always think about Nigel Mercier telling us that he thought (I think) that he or his wife had caught Legionaires disease from a Shower head/hose and that he went to some trouble to scald /clean it out on his return to Tenerife where his boat was. I know that was not the cause of his death but made me cautious of a shower that had not been used in a while. I had a quick search for the post but not found it.