Tripod member scarrr asks:
I have a plumbing problem. My bathtub drain is clogged with tar dust that came in an open window (whoops) when my roof was getting redone. I've already poured a bottle of Liquid Plumber down the drain, but it's still clogged. Any suggestions?

Handy Girl Bernadette suggests:
Tar dust through an open window, huh? Let's blame it on El Nino because that must have been some breeze blowing to cause enough tar to fly in and clog up your drain! This same kind of clog happened to a friend of mine but it was because she thought it'd be a good idea to rinse the tar off herself in the shower.

The only thing that's going to save you, short of a visit from your local plumber, is a solvent that you can pour directly down the drain which will thin out the tar. To be ecologically correct I recommend you try a product called Citra-solve. This is a citrus-based product which has proven quite effective on petroleum-based products. Though I've never used it on tar I have used it successfully for washing paint off my skin. If this doesn't work you'll have to try mineral spirits. This is not really the most ecological of ingredients to be introducing into a water system but should definitely thin out the tar. If neither of these prove effective I suggest you turn to your yellow pages and call in a professional.

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