We removed the door to the closet space where the apartment-sized washer sits with a drier above. The old, Inglis top-loading washer was easily pulled out, but had probably not been moved since a new floor was installed years ago. I looked at the angle of the pipe and decided to wait to speak to the building maintenance guy. We are on the 10th floor and I don't know how our apartment ties into the main pipe. I wasn't sure if I could just shove a snake down in there. I don't have room for many tools but I do have one of those infrequently used devices.
The long weekend is over, so this morning I spoke with Dax. We were given some 'go-for-it' advice. So, I first ran down to buy a bottle of Draino. Now, we're back in the laundry business, so to speak.
Suppose, as I don't have any plumber friends, the Internet will advise me about preventing a re-occurrence. I wonder if primarily using a cold-water detergent is a problem. If pipes are unused for many months, as when we were away for the winter, does build-up harden?