To prevent mold or odour problems, a member suggested opening all your windows for 15 mins/day. It's called Stoßlüften in Germany. Never use Draino or similar products to clear gunk from your pipes. This is a very strong acid that eats away at our pipes and will lead to costly and inconvenient repairs to the co-op, which individuals end up paying for through annual rent increases. Instead, use the natural recipe below on your pipes. We recommend that you clean them every month or two.
Drain Cleaner
Pour down the drain:
1 cup of baking soda
2 cups of vinegar
It will foam briefly. Put the cover on the drain and wait 15 minutes. Pour down a decent amount of boiling water with salt dissolved.
Don't pour cooking grease or oil down the drain, rather let it cool and put it in your garbage. These materials can clog your pipes and it becomes a tenant's responsibility to pay for a plumber to unclog the drains in their unit.
Also, don't put garden chemicals, car oil, or paint down the drain. Dispose of them properly through the Burnaby Eco-Centre. Expired or unused medications should be returned to pharmacies.
Did you know Metro Vancouver has very soft water so the amount of soap needed is less than other locations in Canada? Therefore you can use half of the amount recommended on packaging to get the same results for your cleaning.