The problem of a clogged toilet is widespread today. It is useful to be able to fix it yourself; calling a plumber is not always an affordable alternative. Understanding how to deal with a clog in the toilet without outside help, you will be able to save a lot of money that a specialist would have charged for the work. There is more than one way to solve the above problem; each option will be discussed in detail below.
There are three main ways to solve the problem of a clogged toilet:
- simple mechanical - using a plunger, a plastic bottle;
- chemical - using ready-made or improvised means;
- plumbing - using a cable or mandrel.
First way
Plunger. This device will turn out to be a very useful unit and will help eliminate contamination in the shortest possible time if you use it correctly. The blockage should not be too large. The size of the suction cup of a rubber plunger is determined toilet model. The most commonly used diameter of the suction cup is 10 centimeters. The rubber sides of the suction cup can be coated with Vaseline to ensure a good seal, but this is not necessary. Afterwards, the plunger is plunged into the toilet with the suction cup down. If excess water has formed that needs to be disposed of, its edge should not be higher than the suction cup. You need to grab the handle of the plunger tightly and make fifteen movements down and up. After completing the movements, the toilet plunger is immediately removed. This process requires approximately three repetitions to achieve a good result.If the effect is achieved, the water will quickly drain away, and the clog will disintegrate into pieces, pass through the sewer pipes or climb up into the toilet.
When you urgently need to deal with a blockage, and you don’t have a plunger at hand, you can use homemade devices. Such devices are an indispensable aid in the fight against toilet contamination, despite their simple appearance.
It can be:
- Plastic bottle, cut off at the bottom; in this case, in order to cope with the blockage, a sharp, short-term increase in pressure in the pipe is created in the water that has stagnated in the toilet. It turns out that a plastic bottle should work according to the laws of science that studies the movement of liquids. Before creating a water hammer, it is better to have rubber gloves, there is a chance of getting pretty dirty. The bottom of a two-liter bottle is cut off; its cap must be screwed tightly onto the neck. Then the cut bottom of the bottle is lowered into the toilet. After pressing the bottle into the water, resistance will be felt inside it. When the resistance is noticeable, you need to quickly and firmly press on the bottle and immediately pull it out of the toilet. In this case, the clog is pushed into the drain due to high pressure. A couple or three repetitions are enough to remove the blockage; the main thing is not to be afraid to use this method.
- A “pusher doll” made from a stick and rags; here the rag should be firmly secured to the stick.
Second way
There are a great variety of chemicals on store shelves that are designed to remove blockages in the toilet.However, they are often not able to get rid of pollution, but you should try what the market offers before carrying out more serious manipulations. Chemicals come in liquid, powder, granule, and spray form. The use of any one of the proposed remedies depends on the type and severity of the blockage. Such products as “Mr. Muscle”, “Sanfor”, “Domestos” “Mole” and others have become widespread. They dissolve contaminants that cause blockages and thereby allow water to flow freely. In order for the above chemicals to help deal with the blockage, you need to pour the required amount inside the drain hole and wait as long as stated in the instructions. The exposure time can be either 40 minutes or 8 hours. Next, you need to rinse off the product with as much not very cold water as possible. Chemicals for cleaning the toilet contain alkali, you must not forget about the time specified in the instructions; you should not increase it.
Hot water and soda. If the blockage is small, you should try the old method, where it is important to use hot water. Water is poured into the toilet in a large stream from a bucket or a hose is used. One end of the hose is lowered into the toilet, and water from the tap flows through the second, it must be hot. For this technique to work even better, you should add ½ of a whole pack of soda to the toilet, and after 10 minutes you will have to rinse it off with plenty of water through the hose. The use of soda results in a chemical reaction, but it can only overcome a small blockage.
Carbonated drink "Coca-Cola".This unusual solution to the problem, according to those who have experienced it, is effective. Here, to defeat pollution, about a liter of carbonated drink is poured into the toilet and after an hour it is rinsed with plenty of hot water. It turns out that Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid, which is used to clean a clogged toilet.
Third way
Professional plumbing cable. It is a tool specially designed for plumbing work, namely a rope with a nozzle at one end and a handle at the other. There are a large number of types of cables, namely: spring, tension, rope, rigging and others. Their length can be up to 60 m, diameter is 6–16 mm.
How is plumbing cable used? First, the side where the nozzle is is immersed in the toilet to the limit. Afterwards, the cable handle is vigorously rotated in a circle. This is done so that the cable gets into the bend of the pipe, designed so that some water remains in the pipe. Through rotational movements and pushes, the cable penetrates deep and reaches the dirt. Then the pollution is crushed by blows and pushed, or picked up and lifted upward.
Mandrel. It is a steel tube in the form of a spring, on one of its sides there is a nozzle. The mandrel is similar to a plumbing cable. The difference from the cable is that the rotation of the mandrel is prohibited due to the danger of disrupting the operation of the pipes and toilet. The principle of operation of the mandrel is to push it in until it gets dirty and then pull it out after that. Sudden and careless movements are likely to lead to unpleasant results. Dorn is capable of cracking inside the structure and leaving its parts there.If this does happen, you won’t be able to cope without a plumber. Therefore, we must not forget about vigilance and caution when handling the mandrel.
The most common ways to deal with a clogged toilet have been described above. It is necessary to choose the appropriate method individually, it depends on the severity of the contamination. Don’t despair if the blockage is not cleared right away. If the easiest mechanical methods may not work, more serious manipulations in the form of the use of chemicals or plumbing measures will certainly help.
