The hot water does help melt it, but it does build up in the drain after a while. Your best bet is to clean off as much as possible then wash them. If you have a dishwasher you can put them in it.
Also after doing cake decorating for years, I have learned that it helps to run something like Drano down your drians a couple of times a year.
Also after doing cake decorating for years, I have learned that it helps to run something like Drano down your drians a couple of times a year.
Ypp, just had to rent a power snake to get our drains clean--4 years of icing build up! YUM! 
I squeeze as much icing out as I can into the trash can. Then I turn it inside out and wipe as much icing off as I can with a paper towel and throw that away. Then I rinse with hot water and then I stick it (still inside out) into the dishwasher.
Yes, any grease (like icing) is bad for your pipes. DO NOT USE DRANO!!! Any plumber will tell you using drain cleaner is bad for the pipes too. You can pour boiling water down your pipes about once a month (maybe more if you do a lot of cakes). For better cleaning you can pour in some baking soda and then pour the boiling water in.
I was fixing to suggest the same as koolaid stains. Either boiling hot water or if you have your hot water tank set to the hotest it will go then that helps. My mother-in-law uses Crisco in her cooking. And pours the grease down the drain with the hot water on. Never has had to fix her drains. She suggests I do it when cleaning the bags.
I have always just used hot water and dawn or any other grease dissolving soap down the drain. My grandmother used to use baking soda and vinegar. She said it would expand and clean.
I use the Dawn also and it works really well. Just hot water with the Dawn then I still put them in the dishwasher after.
Here's a tip I have shared several times. Blob your frosting onto a piece of plastic wrap. Fold the pastic wrap over the frosting (just on the sides, leave the top and bottom open (so it's like a tube). Shape the "tube" of wrapped frosting into a "cone" and drop the cone into your icing bag. Twist the open end shut. After you've piped out all of your frosting, just pull out the squished plastic wrap and toss it. There is hardly ANY frosting in the bag to wash out! Use your bag over and over with the same color.
Once you try this, you'll never put frosting in your bags again!
Or you can leave them on the counter overnight to crust in the bag. Then the icing "chips" drop right out. I always just clean mine with dawn and hot water. Never have put them in the dishwasher and never had a problem with grease....except when my MIL washes them....yikes
I just use Dawn and hot water. I have used hot water to rinse out my bags forever, and I do the same thing when I drain grease while I'm cooking, run it down with hot water........ I've never had a clog yet.......... 'course, knock on wood......
I just got a dishwasher, forget you can put them in the dishwasher. I oughtta do that sometime....... the process I use to wash my bags is kinda long.....
Here's a tip I have shared several times. Blob your frosting onto a piece of plastic wrap. Fold the pastic wrap over the frosting (just on the sides, leave the top and bottom open (so it's like a tube). Shape the "tube" of wrapped frosting into a "cone" and drop the cone into your icing bag. Twist the open end shut. After you've piped out all of your frosting, just pull out the squished plastic wrap and toss it. There is hardly ANY frosting in the bag to wash out! Use your bag over and over with the same color.
Once you try this, you'll never put frosting in your bags again!
You are right on TheVienneaus!! 
I use the same method now and if I get a speck of frosting in the bag, I'm surprised. No more greasy sinks, no more boiling water to soak. It's the easiest way by far. Thanks so much for a terrific tip!!! 
kos
I used the icing plug for the first time earlier today too. ~~~ LOVE IT ~~~
I even told my husband about it I was so excited, lol. I will be taking my icing to my next wilton course class like this too.
Funny how things like this can get one excited, huh? 
kos
That's a fabulous idea kos! I'm looking forward to trying it out I wonder if it would work for multi-colored icings..
I'm sorry - TheVienneaus This is a fabulous tip, thanks so much for sharing 
I used the icing plug for the first time earlier today too. ~~~ LOVE IT ~~.
What's an icing plug?
I use Dawn to clean everything, it works great for breaking down grease. Also, I'm not sure if this helps with the grease but I do know it helps with the odors you can get from the kitchen drains, just pour baking soda down your drains followed by vinegar, wait till it stops fizzing then rinse the sink and drains very thoroughly with hot soapy water. Just a tip I thought I would share.
I squeeze as much icing out as I can into the trash can. Then I turn it inside out and wipe as much icing off as I can with a paper towel and throw that away. Then I rinse with hot water and then I stick it (still inside out) into the dishwasher.
Agreed. Inside out is the way to go for sure.
Just be sure that if you're putting them in the dishwasher that they are secure. One got away in the dishwasher this weekend and got a hole burned in it. Had to trash it 
Also if you didn't see the ebay post, there are some GREAT deals on the Featherweight bags. I got 10, 2 of each size from the smallest up to 16" for $18 including shipping! They had different combos of sizes and quantities.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=wilton+featherweight
I used the icing plug for the first time earlier today too. ~~~ LOVE IT ~~.
What's an icing plug?
Someone called it an "icing plug" awhile back. It is the tip that TheVienneaus shared earlier about placing your icing into plastic wrap and then inserting it into your featherweight bag.
This was also posted in another thread from freddyfl:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-33574-plug.html#top
1) take a sheet of plastic wrap, a decent rectangle size.
2) Take your frosting and blob it on the plastic wrap
3)roll the frosting up in the plastic like you would a hotdog. Sort of making the frosting the shape of a sausage or hot dog as you go.
4)once rolled, grab the edges of the plastic and twist them tight (like with a peppermint or salt water taffy)
5) cut one twisted end off when ready to ice your cake
6) place cut end tip side down into the icing bag
7) squeeze until gone =-), pull out empty plastic wrap, and repeat process
[quote="paxpuella4)once rolled, grab the edges of the plastic and twist them tight (like with a peppermint or salt water taffy)
5) cut one twisted end off when ready to ice your cake[/quote]
That seems redundant to me, I just leave one end open in the first place ... and place the frosting closer to the end of the plastic wrap that is going to stay open. It'll keep your scissors clean too!
Whenever I did it, I pulled one twisted end through the hole at the bottom and then cut it with the scissors. I hadn't squeezed the icing down very far yet. That kept the scissors clean. Anything I can do that keeps me from cleaning more stuff I am all for it. 
I use Dawn dish soup and plain old hot water. I scrape the excess frosting into the trash the I pour the soap directly onto the piping bag. I wash it just like I would a fine handwashable shawl or shirt. Rub rub rub!! I do this once or twice depending on the colors I used. For the life of me I cant bring myself to put them in the dishwasher. I guess it goes back to my mother telling me it would greasy up the other dishes. 
I cant bring myself to put them in the dishwasher. I guess it goes back to my mother telling me it would greasy up the other dishes.
Me either. I swear any time something goes in with a little frosting residue on it, I end up hand washing white stuff off the silverware. BTW, enven though I gave the tip on wrapping frosting in plastic wrap, I do still have to wash my bags, and I do like most ... turn inside out, scrape off anything I can into the trash, scrub with Dawn.
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