This may sound too simple, but I know nothing about it. My kitchen sink drain was replaced and a small amount of putty comes off around the diameter. I know that is normal but am I suppose to let that 'cure' with no water contact for a certain amount of time? I'm afraid the water (especially HOT) will cause it to remain soft and will keep it having to be wiped off, eventually removing too much of it! I forgot to ask the man that put the drain in and can't reach him.
Plumbing – Putty around a new kitchen sink drain
drainkitchensplumbingputty
Related Solutions
If you don't already have one, go buy a box of wooden toothpicks or bamboo skewers. Very handy for getting into little crevices like that.
If an upstairs drain is flowing out of your washing machine drain then the clog is downstream of the washing machine branch drain and it may not be your (or the washer's) fault.
You will need to run a cable (snake) down the pipe to clear it, starting with the drain you think is closest to the clog (might as well start at the washing machine drain, you at least know that it is closer to the clog than the upstairs kitchen drain).
There are a lot of troubleshooting questions and steps a plumber might ask/take, and experience and skill matter a lot for these jobs. I'm not saying you should not try, but calling a plumber is likely to be less frustrating and a lot quicker than doing it yourself if you have no experience with drain cables.
If you want to learn, there are many questions with good answers already on this site, and lots of guidance on your favorite internet video hosting site. My advice would be to purchase a high quality drum auger like this and try it yourself:
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Best Answer
The putty is plumbers putty which doesn't need to cure, and in fact shouldn't ever shrink, crack, or harden. It's safe to use your sink immediately and just remove any excess that squeezes out. The only concern is if it continues to squeeze out more after you remove the excess, that may be a sign that the drain wasn't tightened down enough.