INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you suspect that your sink is clogged with hair or other solid masses, you might be able to fish it out with an old, bent wire hanger.  Straighten out a wire clothes hanger as much as possible. Bend one end slightly to create a small hook capable of fitting into your sink drain. Slide the wire hanger down, hook-side first, into the drain. Try to keep the wire pressed to the side of the drain rather than pushing it down the center of the pipe. Doing so will minimize the risk of pushing the blockage further down. Once you feel resistance, twist and maneuver the hanger in an attempt to hook the blockage. Pull the wire back up to remove as much of the blockage as possible. Run hot tap water from your sink and into the drain for a couple of minutes. Make the water as hot and rapid as possible, but if the sink starts to back up, turn the water off. Use a standard plunger to vigorously suction the blockage out.  If you are working with a sink that has two sink drains, hold a wet cloth tightly over one drain to seal it off. Place a plunger over the other drain, holding it fairly upright. Fill the other side of the sink with 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) of water. Doing so helps the plunger seal around the drain. Roll the head of the plunger into the water, forcing water into the drain. Pump the plunger up and down for a solid 20 seconds using a vigorous, rapid motion, but do not break the seal between the plunger and the drain. Pop the plunger off the drain on your last vertical upstroke. You may need to plunge the sink for several minutes in order to loosen the blockage. The P-trap often catches debris and other blockages before they make it further into your pipes. This portion of your piping is located directly under your sink and can be removed and cleaned out manually.  Place a large bucket below the trap. This will catch any water or debris that falls from the pipe once you remove the trap. Use slip joint pliers to loosen the slip nuts on the trap and unscrew the nuts by hand. Slide the nuts away from the connections and carefully slip off the trap. Use a small wire brush to scrap out any debris from the trap, emptying it into the bucket below. Also clean the trap out by scrubbing with the same wire brush. Carefully rinse the trap with hot water. You may want to use another sink, since you just removed a portion of the drain pipe for the sink you are currently working on. Reattach the trap to the rest of the piping. If any slip nut washers show notable signs of wear, replace them. If the blockage lies deeper in the sink line, you may need to use a snake to clean it out.  Remove the P-trap and any pipes that connect to the drain stub-out at the wall. Pull out 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) of snake cable. Thread the tip of the snake into the drain stub-out. Tighten the setscrew. Turn the crank clockwise to feed it into the pipe. Any initial resistance you feel is likely caused by turns and corners the snake must make. Once you hit a blockage, continue cranking until you feel the tip of the snake cable break through to the other side. The tension in the cable will be reduced dramatically after it breaks through. Turn the crank counter-clockwise to pull the cable out. Clean the cable as you remove it. Repeat as needed until you no longer feel any blockage and restore your piping to its usual state.

SUMMARY: Clear out the blockage with a bent wire hanger. Use a plunger to loosen the clog. Clean the P-trap. Snake the line.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The main factor in deciding when to hold your pool party will be the weather, unless you plan on having your party at a climate-controlled indoor pool.  Choose a day with little to no chance of rain and high temperatures. However, if possible, avoid the hottest days of summer. Extreme temperature increase your risk of heat exhaustion.  Plan your party on a weekend. This will allow for those that work during the week to be able to attend the party, and you can host the party during the day. If you’d rather have an evening pool party when it’s not as hot outside, any day of the week could work. If you live in an area where rain is frequent, consider setting an alternate “rain date” for your party. This way, guests will know what to expect if it rains on the party day, and you can still have your party later. If you have a pool at your house, you can host your party at home. Otherwise, you’ll want to look into local neighborhood pools and exercise facilities.  Inquire about parties well in advance of when you’d like to have your party. Different pools require reservations and party fees. Depending on the facility, you may be able to rent the entire pool or just host your party during normal pool hours. You can either send your invitations electronically or as paper invitations. Make sure to send them out at least a week in advance.  Use cute water-themed phrases in your invitations. Say something like: “Dive in for a night of fun with us at our summer pool party!” If you can hand-deliver your invitations, consider giving out a “message in a bottle.” Roll up your invitations, and place them in clear plastic bottles. You can even add a bit of sand or seashells to the bottom of the bottles for extra beach flair. If you’re inviting a lot of kids to the party, make sure to include their parents, as well. At a pool party, you want to have as much supervision as possible for maximum safety. Having a pool party theme will help you to decorate and decide on food for your party. Possible themes include:  “Luau”: Give all of your guests flower leis, and encourage everyone to dress up Hawaiian style. Decorate with tiki torches, and play Hawaiian music. “Patriotic Party”: If you live in the U.S., and it’s close to July 4, you might want to make your pool party a patriotic one. Decorate with flags and red, white, and blue. “Surf’s Up”: Throw a classic beach bash. Decorate with surfboard images, and play music like the Beach Boys. Place seashells around your tables for an added nautical touch. When you’re planning a pool party, make sure to have plenty of pool supplies that guests can use and enjoy.  Practically, have extra sunblock on hand, and some extra sunglass, since it will most likely be bright outside. Also, have a few extra towels, in case someone forgets to bring one. Even if you plan on having other drinks, make sure to have cold water available to party guests who get overheated. You can also have an array of pool noodles and rafts for guests to float around on. Encourage guests to bring their own, as well.

SUMMARY:
Choose a date. Find a pool for your party. Send out invitations. Create a theme for your pool party. Stock up on party supplies.