Residents of apartment buildings face this nuisance at least once in their lives. In old houses, where the sewage system leaves much to be desired, blockages often become a real disaster. It takes time to wait for the plumber. But, if you have a desire, you can easily remove the blockage yourself. In this article, we will learn how to unclog a toilet bowl, as well as analyze several ways to clean it.
Finding the cause of the blockage
Typically, the main causes of blockage are:Large objects falling into the drain: accidentally thrown rags, remnants of food or garbage;
Formation of too large a layer of limescale during long-term use of plumbing; it forms quickly enough in the presence of excessively hard water;
Illiterate installation of the toilet and the presence in the pipes of excessive convolutions and bends located at a large angle: this is possible when moving the toilet too far from the drain or installing a "cool" toilet of the latest model, the drain hole (inlet) of which is absolutely incompatible with the hole installed in your apartment.
Cleaning chemicals
If the cause of the blockage is the formation of limescale, you can try to soften it with the help of any high-quality compounds intended for this:Domestos: in addition to Domestos itself, the group of these fairly inexpensive and quite effective cleaning agents also includes the Cif brand, produced by the same manufacturer;
Domestos-gel
Procter & Gamble: able to cope not only with plaque, but also with rust;
Cillit: The highly advertised product is also quite suitable for cleaning even heavy plaque;
Jonson & Jonson: used to clean hard-to-reach places, has a "toilet duck" package - a tube with a curved dispenser spout that allows you to spill the composition along the rim of the toilet bowl, cleaning the accumulated plaque in this area along the way;
Tiret: remedy for the elimination of limescale and their prevention;
Sanita Gel: another quality product from a Russian manufacturer.
If you have already encountered the problem of clogging and know some other brands of products that can clean the plumbing from plaque, you can certainly use them. We have listed only the most well-known manufacturers whose products really work (unless, of course, you get a fake).
Important! Before using any formulation, be sure to read the instructions. Most of these cleaning products are designed for use in sewers with cast iron or plastic pipes. Unfortunately, they can damage steel pipes.
If the blockage is small, you can try using a mixture of 9 percent vinegar and baking soda. To do this, you need about half a packet of baking soda and a glass of vinegar. To enhance the effect, it is better to scoop out excess water from the toilet before this.
We fall asleep soda, then add vinegar
Mechanical toilet bowl cleaning
The first step is to make sure that the toilet is clogged. Turn on the faucet, for example, located above the washbasin or the faucet above the bathtub. If the water passes without problems, then the blockage is in the toilet.
If you know for sure that a foreign object has fallen into the toilet, try to get it out. He may not have gone too far yet. Put on rubber gloves (if not handy, you can use a large, sturdy bag) and check the drain.
If we are unlucky and the rag or debris has gone too far and cannot be reached with your hand, try using a plunger. A tool with a small rubber valve will not work here - its diameter should be slightly larger than the drain. Place it tightly against the edges of the drain hole and begin to make sudden forward movements, forcing the water downward. Under the action of hydraulic pressure, an object that has fallen into the toilet will be pushed into a common, wider drain.
Cleaning with a plunger
Advice. The plunger can be replaced by the cut-off top of a 1.5-liter plastic bottle with a tightly closed cap. For the convenience of capturing water along its edges, you can make several cuts.
The plunger will only help if the object that has fallen into the drain is not too large
Cleaning the toilet bowl with a cable
If you do not have this useful item in your house, be sure to purchase it. After all, plumbers use it to clean all types of pipes. With the help of a rope, even compressed and dense and hard deposits can be removed from the drain, as well as to push through sufficiently large debris.
For use in an apartment, it is better to purchase a tool with a diameter of 9 mm and a length of 5 m. At the end of the cable, for convenience, there is a handle that you will rotate. At the other end, there is a small spiral or ruff tip that can be used to crush or pick up debris.
Since dirt and drops of dirty water may fall on the floor and surrounding objects when pulling the cable back out of the toilet, cover the area around with old rags or an unnecessary blanket. When punching, it will be better if someone helps you to unwind the cable (although you can do it alone).
Dip it into the drain and gradually, effortlessly try to push it as far as possible. Note that there are several bends to overcome, so take your time. As soon as the cable reaches the place of the jam and rests against an obstacle, begin to rotate the handle. Try to pull out the cable. You may have been able to catch trash in the drain. If nothing happens, push the cable again until it stops and start turning the handle. And so on to the bitter end!
Punching with a rope
Prevention
In order not to suffer from blockages in the future, use the following tips:do not throw large objects and food waste into the drain;
After washing the floors, be sure to check if there is a rag left in the bucket;
Regularly, for prophylaxis, use modern chemicals to combat limescale; if the water in the house is hard, such prevention should be carried out more often;
If possible, replace old clogged and rusted sewer risers with new ones;
If you find that your toilet is installed incorrectly, call the plumbers or (if you have at least basic skills) change it yourself.
Video: How to clean the toilet with a plastic bottle
