How to clear a blockage in the bathroom with a plunger. Removing blockages in the kitchen sink

A blockage in the sink in the kitchen is not uncommon: each time the water leaves the sink more and more slowly, and an unpleasant persistent smell comes from the sewer. Sooner or later, the pipe becomes completely clogged and cleaning is required. At home, a whole arsenal of tools is available to quickly solve the problem. In most cases, there is no need to invite a plumber - you can get rid of local blockages yourself.

Causes. Contamination can lead to:

  • "Plugs" from foreign objects that accidentally fell into the drain: scraps of food packaging, vegetable or fruit peelings, food leftovers.
  • Fat and oil that do not enter the sewer, but settle on the inner surface of the pipes. Over time, the sticky layer increases, and the clearance decreases, preventing drains from passing unhindered through the pipe.
  • Errors during installation plumbing equipment, including an incorrectly chosen angle when installing pipes.

Shop and folk remedies

Tools to help clear the blockage in the sink can be found in any hardware store: take a look at the brands Mister Muscle, Mole, Domestos, Tiret. The composition of such "chemistry" includes potent alkalis and acids that break down fat, as well as dissolving "plugs" of organic and inorganic origin.

The method of application of caustic liquids usually boils down to one thing: pour required amount funds into the drain (the exact dosage is indicated in the instructions for each specific composition), after a certain time, spill the pipes hot water.

In order not to cause inconvenience to yourself and your household, pour the gel at night. In the morning it remains only to lower hot water and wash the sink.

Please note that chemicals are quite aggressive with respect to any surfaces. Do not use the product more often than once every 3-4 months, otherwise the pipes will wear out quickly. During work, wear household gloves, do not allow liquid to enter the mucous membranes. Store "fat splitter" in a tightly closed container, out of the reach of children and pets.

Folk methods

Among folk ways, allowing to eliminate clogging of the sink, the following are popular among housewives:

1. Dissolve in a glass of hot water 3-4 tbsp. tablespoons of table salt. Pour the resulting solution into the drain, after 5-10 minutes pour the drain with boiling water or remove the softened “plug” with a plunger.

2. Ignite in a pan 5-6 tbsp. tablespoons of baking soda, let cool. Prepare a soda solution (you will need 250 ml of boiling water), mix thoroughly so that there is no suspension. Pour the drain with the solution, after 10 minutes skip the hot water.

3. Pour 4-5 tbsp into the drain. tablespoons of baking soda, pour a glass of 9% table vinegar. Wait for the substances to react and dissolve the fat (the process takes about 15-20 minutes). Run hot water over the drain for 5 minutes.


Baking soda and vinegar is the most affordable solution

Do not confuse vinegar and acetic acid! The latter corrodes chrome, brass and metal-plastic pipes, significantly shortening the service life.


4. The above remedy, supplemented with any washing powder, helps to remove the blockage in the sink. Together with soda, pour 4-5 tbsp into the pipe. spoons of powder, pour 9% table vinegar and leave for 20 minutes.

5. In the event that stagnant water is caused by a “plug”, you can use a plunger or plumbing cable.


Plunger - universal mechanical method clearing blockages

6. If all means and methods have been tried, but the result is “zero”, you will have to disassemble the siphon: waste accumulates in a curved pipe over time, interfering with the normal outflow of water.


The siphon is stuffed most often

Prevention of clogged sinks in the kitchen

  1. Install a special metal or plastic mesh in the drain that does not let food residue through.
  2. Do not pour grease or grease down the drain vegetable oil: Drain waste into a waste container or sealable bag and dispose of.
  3. If you change pipes, make a choice in favor of metal-plastic ones: unlike cast-iron ones, if they are overgrown with fat, then less intensively.
  4. Clean dishes from food debris and grease with paper towels before washing.
  5. Use fat-breaking dishwashing detergents.
  6. Periodically clean the pipes with a blockage remover (according to the instructions), a solution of baking soda (4 tablespoons per cup of hot water), or at least boiling water.

There is probably no hostess who has never encountered problems associated with home plumbing. Small particles of various origin, falling into the drain hole, form blockages. Even the most careful hostess is not immune from such a nuisance. Gradually, blockages accumulate in the drain pipe and reduce its permeability. The most problematic in this regard is a curved section of the pipe, or a water seal. If the sink is still clogged, it is not necessary to call a plumber. In this article, you will learn how to clean the sink from blockage at home on your own. The methods outlined in the material have been tested by many people who have experienced all the “charms” of plumbing surprises.

plunger

This is the easiest way to clear a clogged sink. The tool consists of a rubber cap mounted on the handle. The principle of operation of the plunger is based on the creation of a hydraulic shock. Under the influence of water hammer, the waste stuck in the drain pipe moves towards the sewer riser.

Mode of application:

  1. Fill the sink with water to cover the rubber part of the fixture.
  2. Press the cap firmly against the drain hole and make a few sharp forward movements from top to bottom. As a rule, 3-5 shocks are enough to restore the patency of the drain pipe.
  3. If the water still does not go away or leaves too slowly, then the procedure is repeated until a visible result is achieved.
  4. Dirt that has come out of the drain must be removed immediately so that the sink does not clog again.

Important! If the house uses an old sewer system with rough cast iron pipes you may have to try again a few more times. Sometimes the first attempt is ineffective.

A few folk recipes, or how to clear a blockage in the sink with soda

All these methods are time-tested, but they are based on the property of soda to dissolve fat in the blockage, thereby reducing its volume and density.

So, here are these recipes on how to clean the sink from blockage at home:

  • Pour 3 tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and then pour a large volume of hot water over it.
  • Pour 3 tablespoons of soda with one glass of 9% vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain, then fill it with hot water. In this case, a chemical reaction will occur with the dissolution of the fatty component of the garbage plug. Thus, the pipe will again become passable.
  • Pour equal amounts of baking soda and washing powder down the drain, then pour vinegar into the drain hole. Wait 20-30 minutes for the chemical reaction to take place, then wash off the mixture with hot water.

Important! Baking soda and vinegar are often used to clean kitchen sinks, since it is in the kitchen drain that fat deposits most often form and must be dissolved.

  • Here's another good preventive measure. Prepare a composition containing 1 part citric acid and 2 parts soda and salt. Pour the mixture into the drain, add two parts of boiling water. Wash off with water after 5 minutes. Do maintenance once a week.

Important! Recipes on how to clean a blockage in the sink in the kitchen at home with baking soda and salt are good for the kitchen. If you need to clean the drain of the bathtub or bathroom sinks, it is best to use a mechanical method.

Household chemicals

Along with folk remedies, they are used to clear blockages. special means, which are sold in household chemical stores. These drugs are easy to use. It is enough to fill the sink drain with the amount of the product provided for by the instruction, and after a certain (again, the instruction!) Time, rinse it off with water. In this case, the dissolution and rapid elimination of blockage occurs.

mechanical cleaning

Of course, this manipulation cannot be called pleasant, but in order to effectively clean the pipes while maintaining their integrity, the mechanical method is fully justified. How to clean the drain in the sink at home?

PVC siphon

Under the sink is a siphon, which serves as a kind of sump for sedimentation of contaminants. This prevents contaminants from getting inside the pipe, which can make cleaning too difficult. not an easy task. If the siphon is made of plastic, then it must be cleaned and disassembled, after releasing water from the sink.

Important! After cleaning the siphon, it is necessary to check whether the corrugated outlet is dirty. After that, the siphon is twisted again

Cast iron siphon

If the siphon is cast iron, then cleaning it is somewhat more difficult. This is a non-separable structure, which, in case of contamination, must be cleaned with a special cable and rinsed. After all these manipulations, you can install the siphon back.

If you do not want to disassemble the siphon

To clean the sink drain without disassembling the siphon, you can use a special plumbing cable that is inserted inside the drain and rotated in different directions. The drain turns out to be cleaned with sufficient quality and reliability.

The procedure for this is as follows:

  1. Insert the end of the cable with a drill inside the drain hole. Using a drill, direct the cable to the intended blockage.
  2. Push the cable through the pipe while turning around its axis. It is advisable to do this manipulation with an assistant. Working alone is not very comfortable.
  3. Keeping the cable taut, push it through the pipe.
  4. Upon contact with the cork, scroll the cable first into one, and then - reverse side. Alternately push the plumbing cable forward and pull back.

If your attempts were unsuccessful, the most reasonable way out would be to call a plumber from the Housing Office.

Application of hydraulic pump

Using a conventional hydraulic pump, you can create a strong water flow directed to the side sewer runoff. If the blockage “sits” too tightly and it is impossible to wash it off with a stream of water, then you can try to move the “plug” using the suction method.

The algorithm is the following:

  1. Moisten a piece of cloth with water.
  2. Cover the overflow hole with a cloth.
  3. Draw water into the pump.
  4. Press the pump wort against the drain hole.
  5. Pump the pump by releasing water into the pipe and sucking it up again.

Prevention

Everyone knows the proverb that a disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Given preventive measures will allow you to avoid clogging the drain for a long time and questions about how to clean the sink from clogging.

The sink is an important attribute in the kitchen. It is here that fruits and vegetables, fish and meat, dishes and kitchen appliances are washed. Grease, food, debris get into the drain hole different sizes, which leads to blockage. What to do if the kitchen sink is clogged?

What blockages can you clean yourself?

Without preventive measures, sooner or later it will clog. It is impossible to use the sink in this case: water simply accumulates in the bowl of the sink. It is not worth it to immediately despair and call specialists. Most clogs can be cleared out on your own, saving you a lot of money on plumbing fees.

If your sink is clogged, don't despair, most clogs are easy to fix.

What are kitchen sink clogs?

  1. Operational- without preventive cleaning, over time, they are formed in each drain. The reason for the formation: long-term accumulation of plaque on the walls of pipes from fat, dirt, food waste, garbage.
  2. Mechanical- are not so common, but it is more difficult to eliminate them. The reason for the formation: large debris that fell into the drain.
  3. Technical- a simple cleaning in this case will not help, you will have to completely change drain system. Reason for formation: malfunction of the drain system, marriage, incorrect installation.

You can remove large debris from the siphon by completely unwinding it.

If any housewife can cope with the first two types of blockages, then only a specialist or an owner with “golden hands” can eliminate the technical reasons.

Cleaning the sink with a plunger

A plunger is the most common and easy-to-use tool for cleaning sinks. It is known to almost everyone since childhood. The design of the plunger is very simple - a wooden stick with a rubber cap.

It is advisable to have a plunger in the house in case of a blockage.

The principle of operation of the plunger:

  • with the help of a rubber cap, a tight grip of the plunger with the surface of the sink is created;
  • translational power movements of the tool handle create a water hammer action in the system;
  • dirt and plaque in the siphon or knee is set in motion by a water hammer, rising to the level of sewer pipes;
  • water easily washes away the raised debris.

Important! If the design of the sink provides for an overflow hole, it must be closed (for example, with a gag from a wet rag). Otherwise, all efforts will be in vain.

Everyone can work with a plunger. Just a few movements and the accumulated water will go into the sewer, forming a water funnel in the sink.

Rinse the drains after using the plunger big amount water

Working with a plunger:

  1. Press the plunger firmly against the sink surface. The edges of the rubber cap can be smeared with any cream. So the adhesion of the plunger to the surface will be tighter.
  2. Pour water into the sink so that the rubber cap is covered.
  3. Make several forward movements with the handle with effort.
  4. Remove the plunger. The water must drain quickly.

It is important to know! To clean a double sink, you need to use two plungers. In one part of the sink, the drain hole is simply blocked with a plunger, and in the second part it is cleaned with forceful movements.

The method for difficult blockages - a cleanser in combination with a plunger

If the first attempt to clean the sink with a plunger failed:

  • in the drain hole, you can add a glass of a mixture of soda and salt in a 1: 1 ratio;
  • then pour a glass of hot water;
  • withstand 10-15 minutes;
  • apply plunger.

Sometimes, when working with a plunger, some debris and sludge comes out into the sink. They must be cleaned immediately, avoiding re-clogging.

Folk remedies for cleaning sinks

In cases where the blockage was formed due to the accumulation of fat and small fractions of food waste, you can do without the use of a plunger. It will be quite enough to use improvised means available in every kitchen.

Very simple and just as effective remedy for cleaning drains in the kitchen - soda

Elimination of operational blockages with soda:

  • pour a glass of soda into the drain hole (better than technical, but food is also quite suitable);
  • pour a glass of vinegar on top, so the effect of soda will increase;
  • stand up to 15 minutes until the chemical reaction is complete;
  • rinse the drain with a liter of boiling water, and then with a plentiful stream of water from the tap.

Advice. The drain hole during cleaning in this way must be closed so that the resulting foam and gases do not come out.

For a better effect, you can add washing powder or bleach (3-5 tablespoons) to the soda. Another trick - you can rinse not just with boiling water, but with fresh potato broth. This eliminates the bad odor.

You can replace soda with Alka-Seltzer anti-hangover tablets, using them according to the same principle. Tablets will help not only to eliminate blockage, but also to get rid of an unpleasant stagnant smell.

Folk remedies can be used both to eliminate blockages and in preventive measures.

Chemical cleaners for sinks

Household chemicals stores offer a wide range of chemicals to clear blockages in kitchen sinks. They may be liquid, powder or granular. They are made on an aggressive (alkaline or acid) basis.

Algorithm for working with household chemicals:

  1. Drain the drain hole with a small amount of boiling water.
  2. Pour in the cleaning agent and leave for several hours.
  3. Rinse the sink with plenty of cold water.

Advice. The action of the product is designed for several hours and it is impossible to use the sink during this period of time. Therefore, it is better to carry out the procedure in the evening before going to bed.

Chemicals help not only clean pipes from blockages, but also get rid of rust if the sewer is metal.

Chemicals for cleaning drains can be purchased at any store.

Chemistry must be used very carefully, observing safety precautions. Contact with aggressive substances on the skin or mucous membranes causes a chemical burn, so you need to work only with gloves, avoiding splashing of the product.

Cleaning the drain mechanically

When the plunger, folk and special chemicals can not cope with the clogging of the sink, you have to resort to radical ways cleaning. You can perform them with a plumbing hook or cable, and even using a washing vacuum cleaner.

To use the vacuum cleaner for this purpose, you will need a special nozzle. Outwardly, it looks like a plunger cap. The nozzle is pressed against the drain hole, and the vacuum cleaner is turned on for blowing. It will take a few seconds to clear the blockage. You can also use a home car mini-wash. After cleaning, the drain is washed with cold water.

Drain cleaning cable

Plumbing hooks and cables must be used very carefully so as not to damage the siphon and pipes.

  1. The cable is lowered into the drain hole until it rests on the accumulation of debris.
  2. When the movement of the cable is limited, they begin to turn it, while simultaneously making pushing movements.
  3. When the blockage is eliminated, the drain is washed with plenty of water.

In some cases, you will have to disassemble and clean the siphon. This is not difficult to do, but you need to remember that there is always water in the siphon, and the most dirty and fetid. Before spinning it, be sure to substitute a bucket or other container.

Prevention of clogged sinks

Timely prevention helps to avoid many serious problems. Preventing clogged sinks in the kitchen is no exception.

Removable drain grate in the kitchen sink keeps debris out of the system

  1. Install an additional removable fine grate on the drain hole.
  2. Beforehand, thoroughly clean the dishes from food debris and grease with a napkin.
  3. Wash dishes in hot water with fat-breaking agents.
  4. Spill the drain with boiling water regularly.
  5. Once a week, clean the sink with the folk remedies described above.

If you follow the recommendations, the sink in the kitchen will not clog and cause unpleasant chores. If the blockage could not be avoided, do not despair, but feel free to get down to business. Plumbing services will be needed only in the most difficult cases.

Removing blockages in the kitchen sink: video

Self-cleaning blockage in the sink: photo





From time to time, we all face a problem - blockages in the sewer. Either the drain in the sink stops working, then in the bath, sometimes water is generally everywhere. In this case, you can call a plumber, or you can clean the sewer with your own hands.

Where did the blockage occur?

To choose the right sewer cleaning method, you need to understand where the blockage has formed. To do this, alternately drain the water at all points. If the water does not go somewhere in one place, the siphon is most likely clogged. The second reason is a blockage in the pipe section, before connecting to the main sewer.

If the water does not leave at all, and even overflows from one device to another (you open the water in the sink, it appears in the bathroom or the level in the toilet bowl starts to rise), the common sewer outlet is clogged.

If we are talking about a private house, is it a tap to a septic tank or cesspool if about the apartment - this is a plot to the riser or even himself sewer riser. In the case of a clogged riser in an apartment, there may be an unpleasant situation in general - when the upper floors drain water, due to a plug in the sewer, it is poured into yours, rises in the bathroom, toilet bowl. If the situation is like this - call the plumbers - you can’t do it on your own, you need powerful equipment.

If the sewerage system in a private house is clogged, the first thing to check is whether the pit or septic tank is overflowing. If the level is not above normal, the problem is in the pipes or drain devices.

How to remove pollution in the siphon

The simplest case of a clogged sewer is that only one sink does not drain water. Most often, this problem occurs in the kitchen, a little less often in the bathroom. In this case, cleaning the sewer is the easiest. It is necessary to unwind the siphon, remove the debris there, wash the insides with detergent, set everything in place. If this was the reason, the drain should work.

Parsing

How to disassemble the siphon at the sink, see the photo. The lower part of the siphon is unscrewed - there is a regular thread. Before unscrewing, substitute some kind of container down - a certain amount of water will drain. Having removed lower part, you will see pollution. It is necessary to wash the removed part and clean the one that remained on the sink - there, between the walls, a decent amount of dirt accumulates. We delete everything, we clean it.

Under the bath, the siphon has a different shape. It is more difficult to disassemble, but if you do remove it, you will see a dense plug of hair and various plant residues there.

In order not to remove the siphon, they usually try to get by with mechanical influences. In the picture on the left, you can see what a clogged tub looks like. The main task when removing it is to push the plug further into the pipe so that it goes into the sewer. To do this, they usually use a plunger - this is a rubber nozzle on a wooden or plastic handle.

How to clean without removing

The plunger is pressed tightly against the drain hole, water is poured into the bath / sink. Next, you need to sharply press and lift up the plunger handle, creating water vibrations that break up deposits and push the remnants further. In this case, it is desirable that the rubber part of the plunger fits tightly, without cracks, to the surface of the bathtub or sink. Then, when it is detached from the surface (sharply press and pull towards you), a sharp push occurs, which breaks the plugs best of all. This operation must be repeated until the water leaves without problems, forming a funnel. But even in this case, it is also desirable - for prevention - to clean the sewers using any of the fat-dissolving agents described below.

If some family members have long hair, blockage of the bath, most likely caused by them. Usually the hair clings to the grate, then dirt sticks to them and all this together blocks the flow of water. In this case, you can remove the grate, make a hook from a piece of wire and use it in the drain. Most likely, you will pull out something that looks like a dirty tow. Gradually, you will pull out everything that has accumulated there, it will be possible to wash off the remnants.

Blockage in the corrugation

There is another place in our sewer where blockages most often form. These are corrugated hoses. Their structure is such that it contributes to the accumulation of any debris. If the sink from which the corrugation comes from does not work, first check the siphon, then the corrugation. If everything is clean in them, but the water does not go away, the problem is somewhere further, in the pipes.

The corrugation is attractive because it easily adjusts to any length and is easy to mount / dismantle. So, take it off, clean it, put it in place (you can put a new one in order not to bother with cleaning).

If such "pleasure" does not attract you, you can try. They cope well with almost all pollution, in any case, they are good until everything is completely clogged.

How to clear clogged pipes with home remedies

If it is more or less easy to deal with siphons, everything is much more complicated with pipes. To disassemble them is still a hassle, so few people agree to it. They try to use all available methods - both chemical and mechanical.

Here it must be said that the most reliable mechanical methods are the plunger and the cable. They can deal with a cork of any nature - both fatty and classic blockage due to hair or rags. Chemicals - both homemade and store-bought are more for prevention. If you only have suspicions that the water began to leave a little worse - use chemistry. It will work fine for a while.

If there is already a cork, then after using “fat solvents”, it will simply settle on it, turning it into a monolith. If the water used to somehow leave, then after applying the "chemistry" it can become tight. Removing such a clogged sewer is even more difficult. And then there is only one way out - to clean the sewer with a cable, maybe with special water equipment or "Karcher" if there is one on the farm.

Most often, water does not drain well from kitchen sink due to the accumulation of fat on the walls of the pipe. It first fills the irregularities on the walls, and then grows, gradually closing all or almost the entire gap. In this case, cleaning the drain means dissolving the grease. If you do it right, the rest of the fragments will go along with it.

On the left - a pipe overgrown with fat

Since fat dissolves better when heated, it is advisable to heat the pipes. If the water leaves even a little, turn on the hot water and just pour it for a while. If the problem is fat, you will notice that the water began to drain better. But don't stop there. If the pipes are not drastically cleaned, after a while the sewer will clog again. So let's continue.

Remove clogs with baking soda and water

As you know, ordinary baking soda dissolves fat well. Therefore, it is logical to use this inexpensive tool. If there is a blockage in the siphon, and you don’t want to remove it, just pour soda into the drain hole (for starters, half a pack), pour boiling water over it. Pour boiling water in a thin stream, together with soda, it will gradually corrode the fatty plug, at the same time other deposits will become softer.

Pour soda deep into the pipe will not work. So this method is effective for plugs that are close to the drain hole. If the problem is further, it is advisable to cook water solution soda. To do this, soda is preheated in a pan.

To get a strong alkaline solution, you need 150 grams of soda (5 tablespoons with a slide) and 200 ml of water. Pour soda into a dry frying pan and heat on the stove for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly. We continue heating until a light smoke rises above the pan - there is a reaction of converting sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) into sodium carbonate - soda ash. During the reaction, water and carbon dioxide. The gas escapes, and we observe the evaporation of water in the form of a haze over the pan.

When the soda has become more free-flowing and the release of steam has stopped, set aside the pan and wait about 10-15 minutes until the soda cools down. Then pour water into it (do not pour it right away - you will get a chemical burn) and dissolve the powder. Received a concentrated solution of soda ash. It is poured into the pipe, left for an hour and a half, then spilled with hot water. Enough effective method clean drains with home remedies.

Baking Soda and Vinegar for Drain Blockages

Everyone knows that if vinegar is poured into soda, a violent reaction begins, which is accompanied by abundant foam formation, the mass increases significantly in volume. The substances formed as a result of the reaction are practically neutral, but it is the reaction with the formation of foam that destroys the blockage. So in this way, you can also clean the sewer.

So, we pour dry soda into the drain hole (at least half a pack), pour vinegar - about 500 ml. So that the soda does not get stuck on the grate from a piece thick paper build something like a funnel, pour soda into it.

When the reaction stops (the hissing in the pipe subsides), take a bucket of boiling water and pour it into the pipes. Should help. If the water is still not draining well enough (no funnel is formed), the treatment can be repeated.

Mechanical methods

We have already talked about the plunger. It can also be used for clogged sewer pipes. Preliminary, it is also desirable to warm up the contents of the pipes, pour at least the same soda solution, and then “pump” all this with a plunger. Such a comprehensive measure can clean the sewer even with a serious plug.

How to work with a rope

If a rag, a tuft of hair, or something similar is stuck in the pipe, none of the above methods will work. You will need a special plumbing cable. This is a cable (or flexible steel wire) with a handle on one end and a hook, brush or spiral on the other.

Some cables may have interchangeable nozzle, simpler ones end with some one device. The handle is made in such a way that the handle remains stationary, and the cable inside turns.

Using a plumbing cable is not difficult, but it is better to work with an assistant. Put on gloves dirty clothes and start cleaning the sewer. First, provide access to the sewer pipe. You can remove one of the siphons, and in a private house it is better to provide such a backup point for cleaning sewer pipes when planning a sewer.

The principle of "working with a cable" with a spiral or hook at the end is to hook the cork that clogged the pipe and pull it out. It is unlikely that it will be possible to pull out the whole thing at one time, but in parts it is real.

The cable is unwound, the end is launched into the pipe, they begin to rotate in one direction. The second person at this time pushes the cable through the pipe. If the cable is stuck in some area, you can pull it back a little, then try to push it again (we continue to rotate the handle). This is either another turn of the sewer, into which the end of the cable rested, or a blockage. A couple of times trying to push further, we pull out the cable. If there is a blockage at the end, it was a cork and you are on the right way. We clean the tip, run it into the pipe again and repeat the procedure until the pipe is clean. Not the most pleasant experience, but without this, some blockages simply cannot be removed.

There is another way - to make cable ends with rusty edges. They are able to get through the most difficult and dense blockages. Then the cork will not need to be removed in parts, but it will be possible to crush it and then wash it off. What tips can be made for a plumbing cable - in the video.

Cleaning the toilet with a plastic bottle

If you tried to clean the blockage in the toilet with a plunger, you noticed that this method is ineffective due to the fact that the rubber part does not fit snugly, so the water hardly moves, there is almost no result. There is a more effective, and moreover, cheaper tool - plastic bottle with cut bottom. We take a larger vessel, cut off only the bottom, leave the lid closed.

We bring the cut bottle to the place of the inflection of the toilet bowl, lower it into the water, sharply move it up and down. The movement of water is quite active. In the place of the inflection, “waves” are formed, which break the gradually formed cork. This way to clean the sewer only works if the plug has formed in the kink of the toilet, if somewhere in the pipe, there is only one way out - cleaning with a cable.

First, you can try to break through the toilet drain hole, but if it doesn’t work out, you will need to dismantle the toilet bowl and free up access to the sewer outlet (this is if there is no revision hatch).

All people periodically encounter such an unpleasant everyday phenomenon as a blockage in pipes. This happens from time to time due to banal carelessness when using plumbing fixtures. Clogs can occur in the kitchen sink, if there is no special grate for garbage, or in the bathroom sink, where hair, soap bars and other small objects get caught.

They form dense deposits that obstruct the flow of water. And, since this problem causes a lot of inconvenience, it needs to be addressed quickly. You can call a plumber, but you won’t always find him right away, and calling him and his services are not cheap, so it’s best to study it yourself, in the sink.

A selection of the best ways

There are several ways to clean the sink, and to solve the blockage problem, you can try everything one by one until one of them gives a satisfactory result.

A blockage in the sink is the result of carelessness when using plumbing. Food waste, body fat or hair, soap bars, and other particles eventually clog the sink and water stops flowing out of it

Method # 1 - good old plunger

Most often, the siphon is clogged in the sink, which connects it to the sewer. It is designed so that the drained water does not immediately enter the sewer pipe from the sink, but is partially retained in it by means of a bend. The created water seal keeps the spread unpleasant odors in the kitchen or bathroom. The simplest and affordable way to remove a clog in the sink is to use the old plunger familiar to everyone, which is in almost every home. It helps, as a rule, in most cases, therefore it is a very popular method of restoring the outflow of water in case of blockages.

The classic plunger consists of a rubber cap with wooden handle. When it is pressed, the plugs formed in the sink are destroyed under the influence of mechanical pressure. To clean the sink with a plunger, it is first filled with hot water halfway and vigorously pressed against the drain, creating pressure drops. As a result, the blockage is destroyed, and the water can leave unhindered.

Plunger is the simplest plumbing tool that should be in every home. This is the easiest and most common way to clear blockages in the sink.

You may also find the instructions for clearing blockages in the sewer pipe useful:.

If the clogged sink is caused by small particles of food waste and debris, and if the clogging is small, a plunger will do the job. And if the particles are large and the blockage is quite old, a plunger may not be suitable for solving the problem. Then you have to resort to other cleaning options.

Method # 2 - chemicals

Unlike previous version, there is no need to apply physical strength. Instead of you, everything will be done by special chemical compositions designed to eliminate blockages in sinks and sewer pipes. They contain various alkalis and acids that dissolve inorganic and organic compounds. There are a variety of clog removal products currently available in stores, you just need to choose the right one. For metal and metal-plastic pipes you should choose the tool "Mole", and "Tiret", "Mr. Muscle", "Domestos" are suitable for any pipes.

The purchased product must be poured into drain pipe(while wearing protective latex gloves) and wait about five hours, and it is best to fill it overnight and pour boiling water there in the morning. This type of cleaning may not work after the first attempt. Therefore, actions with a chemical agent must be repeated, which, of course, is a minus this method fighting constipation. In any case, you should not refuse it, it is quite simple and cheap.

To eliminate blockages that have appeared, as well as to prevent their occurrence, special chemicals are used that dissolve mud deposits in pipes

Baking soda and vinegar essence are excellent folk remedies to clear blockages in the sink. Gases and bubbles released as a result chemical reaction help to remove contaminants deposited on pipes

If the house was not in right moment special chemicals, you can use baking soda and vinegar essence. A pack of soda is poured into the drain, a bottle of 70% essence is poured and after a while it is washed with hot water.

Method # 3 - disassemble and clean the siphon

When the plunger was tried and dry cleaning, but the blockage still remains, you have to think how to remove it, what other way to choose for this. There are more radical option which will definitely help. This is disassembly and cleaning of the siphon. It is in it that most often accumulates debris that has passed through the grate, which closes the drain hole. This contributes curved shape pipes.

The surest way to eliminate blockages in the sink is to dismantle and clean the siphon, where mud deposits accumulate that prevent water from escaping.

The procedure is as follows:

  • we dismantle the siphon, this is done easily, especially if the siphon is plastic, do not forget to put a bucket under it;
  • unscrew the lower and upper retaining rings, disconnect the siphon from the pipe;
  • remove all debris from the inside, rinse with hot water, degreasing agents;
  • if the siphon is corrugated, then remove it, wrap one end of the corrugation with polyethylene, pour hot water and then tightly wrap the other end of the hose with film. We straighten it and perform circular movements. Water cleans all the folds of the corrugation, washing away fatty deposits;
  • carefully assemble the structure back, check how the situation has changed.

If the cause of the blockage lay in filling the siphon with debris, then after cleaning it, the water will leave instantly from the sink.

This procedure is much more difficult to perform with a cast-iron siphon, since it will take a long time to unscrew the rusted bolts, remove the cover and then clean the pipe with a cable. Therefore, for easy solution blockage problems, it is better to install a modern plastic sewer.

Method # 4 - we clean the pipes with a plumbing cable

There are times when the siphon is already washed, but the water still slowly leaves. This means that the dirt is stuck somewhere far away in the sewer pipe. In this case, you will need a plumbing flexible cable. Let's figure out how to break through the formed garbage plug with a cable to eliminate the blockage in the sink.

A flexible plumbing cable with or without different nozzles will help break through the debris plug that has formed in the depths sewer pipe which will clear the blockage in the sink

A plumbing cable is a three-meter wire wound in a spiral, one end of which looks like a spiral drill, and the other end ends with a handle. The thickness of the cable is different and is selected taking into account the width of the pipe. Here's how it's done:

  • The end of the cable is pushed into the outlet pipe and directed towards the intended site of the blockage.
  • At the same time, with the help of a handle, the cable is constantly twisted around the longitudinal axis.
  • Having pushed the cable to the blockage, you should make several “back and forth” movements with it, which will help destroy the mud plug. We move the cable carefully so as not to damage the surface of the pipe, especially if the communications are old and have not changed for a long time.
  • We remove the cable and wash it from contamination.

After making sure that the blockage was cleaned, we wash the pipes with a large amount of hot alkaline solution.

How to prevent blockages?

Each of the above methods of removing blockages is good in its own way. But do not ignore home remedies for blockage prevention, because by paying due attention to them, you can minimize the appearance of blockages. sewer system:

  1. In many cases, the cause of clogged sinks is the formation of a debris plug in the pipe. To prevent this from happening, you should try not to drain the remnants of food and fat from the dishes into the sink, but rather into the toilet.
  2. In order to get as little debris as possible into the drain, it is necessary to install special metal meshes. At least once a week, it is advisable to rinse the sink drain (but not plastic) with boiling water, and pour special means to remove blockages into the drain hole twice a month.
  3. When replacing the sewer system, it is better to give preference to plastic drains and pipes. Elements made of this material are more durable and not subject to corrosion.

Annoying blockages can also form in the toilet. Our material contains methods and instructions that will help you solve this problem on your own:.

As you can see, preventive measures to prevent blockages are quite simple, but following them will greatly help you not to encounter an unpleasant cleaning situation.