Clogged bath - what to do?

None of us are safe from such an unpleasant situation as a blockage in sewer pipes. A similar problem can occur anywhere in the water supply, whether it is a bathtub, kitchen sink, sink or toilet. To prevent such troubles, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures, as well as to clearly understand why blockages can occur. Today we will analyze the situation when the bath is clogged, what to do in this case, and by what means and methods to fix the problem.

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Causes of blockage in the bathroom

No matter how neat the owners of the apartment are in using the plumbing, sooner or later every family raises the question: “What should I do if the bath is clogged?”. A blockage in the bathroom is not only unpleasant because the water stops flowing into the drain, but an unpleasant smell is also added. In addition, the plumbing begins to deteriorate from dirty water, and the desire to bathe in such a bathroom disappears immediately.

The drain can become clogged for various reasons, because it is extremely difficult to track what gets into the drain hole. This can be hair and animal hair, spools of clothing and other small debris. All this is collected in a pipe and forms a dense lump, which prevents the free passage of water.

Important! First, water begins to pass slowly through the drain, and then the flow can stop completely.

In addition to violating the operating conditions of plumbing, the following problems can be attributed to the causes of blockage:

• Errors in the installation of sewer pipes. Incorrect pipe tilt can cause a problem.
• Foreign objects falling into the drain.
• The formation of pollution on the inner walls of plumbing.
• Problems with the central sewerage. In high-rise buildings very often there are common blockages associated with the problems of the central sewage system. To detect this type of blockage, turn on the water in the bathroom and the kitchen at the same time. If the blockage is common, then the water will not leave either in the sink or in the bathroom.

Important! The management company or organization responsible for your home should solve the problem with the central sewage system.

If the problem with sewage is only in your apartment, then proceed to eliminate blockage in the bathroom using mechanical or chemical methods, which will be discussed later.

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Elimination of blockage in the bathroom

There are many options for solving the poor passage of water in pipes. First you need to decide how serious the problem is:

• if the water does not go away at all, then this is a serious blockage;
• if water simply flows out very slowly, then this is an easy problem that can be solved by spending a minimum of effort and money.

Important! Of course, there may be exceptions to the rules when, it would seem, a serious problem is solved in the simplest way - with the help of several manipulations with the plunger.

All methods to eliminate blockages are divided into two types:

1. Mechanical. This method involves the use of tools such as:
   1. Plunger.
   2. Plumbing cable.
2. Chemical. To solve the problem, use household chemicals.

All these methods can eliminate blockage in the bathroom without the involvement of specialists.Anyone can use these methods and means - from a healthy middle-aged man to a fragile young girl. The most important thing is to choose the right method for your situation in order to save time and money, and get the best result.

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Mechanical methods of dealing with blockages

If a small blockage occurs or when it first occurs, use the simplest methods: use a plunger or solve the problem using folk remedies, if possible - using household chemicals.

Consider how to use these tools to solve the problem.

Vent plunger cleaning

In every house, for sure, there is this irreplaceable thing. Most often, a plunger is used to eliminate blockages in the sink, but if a problem arose near the bathroom drain, then use this simple device to solve the problem.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Before cleaning, fill the bathtub with a little water.
2. Install the plunger on the drain hole so that the rubber part of the device completely blocks the drain.
3. Close the second drain hole located on the vertical part of the plumbing (under the tap) with a stopper. Thus, you will not allow water and debris to fall into the second drain.
4. The plunger handle is lifted up and down several times alternately. Air entering the drain hole will push through the resulting blockage.
5. Remove the plunger from the drain.
6. Turn on hot water to flush out any dirt.
7. If on the first attempt it was not possible to remove the blockage, then repeat the procedure several times.

Important! Using a plunger to clean the blockage in the bathroom, it is important to know the following nuances:

• Cleaning the bathroom to “dry”, without water, will not be effective enough. A stream of water is better for pushing trash than air.
• Use the plunger for preventive purposes regularly - then you will not encounter the problem of poor water flow.
• If as a result of eliminating the problem by the plunger, garbage begins to appear from the drain, then collect it and discard, but do not try to return the garbage back to the drain.
• Instead of a cork, you can use a second plunger to create tightness, but in this case, you will need the help of another person.

Cleaning with a plumbing cable

A plumbing cable is a rather thick twisted wire, rolled into a small spiral. For convenience, a handle with a plastic or wooden nozzle is provided at the end of the cable.

Important! The usual cable length is 2.5-3 m. The purpose of the device is to hook a lump of debris and pull it to the surface or push the lump further into a wide part of the sewer.

It is better to work with the device together.

Important! It is necessary to use a plumbing cable when the blockage is far away in the pipe or the lump of garbage is strongly compressed and the plunger cannot solve this problem.

This device has proven itself in solving problems with stagnation of water, but it is better to use a plumbing cable only for metal pipes. Plastic pipes may be damaged by the sharp end of the cable.

Procedure for cleaning:

1. Carefully insert the end of the cable into the drain hole, or better, immediately into the pipe outlet.
2. One person turns the cable, performing rotational movements, and the second - pushes the device forward.
3. Twisting the cable solves two problems at once: it goes through the pipe turns, and with the sharp end it removes the accumulated debris. Therefore, make sure that the cable is constantly stretched, otherwise it can be damaged and cannot be used in the future.
4. As soon as the cable movements become freer, make a few sharp movements back and forth to finally make sure that the problem is eliminated.
5. Pull out the cable and rinse it thoroughly.
6. Turn on hot water and rinse off any remaining dirt.

Important! If, when solving a problem, the bath becomes clogged - what to do, you gave preference to a plumbing cable, take note of such useful tips:

• A plumbing cable can be purchased at a hardware store or made by yourself. For the manufacture of the device, any durable and flexible wire is suitable: bend one end of the wire and give it a rounded shape, the second - wrap it with rubber or hard cloth to make a handle.
• Do not use the cable when cleaning chrome and plastic pipes, as the device may damage the inside of the pipes.

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Chemical cleaning method

You can quickly and easily eliminate blockages in the bathroom using various chemicals. This method has been used for a long time, only before they used folk remedies for cleaning plumbing, and now more advanced compositions of household chemicals are used. You can buy household chemicals that can solve the problem of stagnation of water in the sewer in just a few minutes at any hardware store or supermarket.

Important! Particularly effectively, such products cope with organic contaminants that accumulate on the walls of pipes and gradually reduce their diameter.

Household chemicals are available in the form of powders, liquids or gels. Among the whole variety of compositions, choose those whose instructions indicate that they dissolve the hair and coat of animals. In addition, pay attention to which pipes the drug is intended.

Important! For a bathroom, choose a product that can dissolve hair, and for a kitchen sink, a drug that can dissolve fat.

The most popular chemicals are:

• "Mole". This is one of the most effective means. Due to the aggressive environment, this drug is not recommended for use in plastic pipes.
• "Mister Muscle". This medication is great for all pipes. The composition is in the form of a gel and foam. The drug effectively cleans the surface, destroys unpleasant odors, bacteria.
• "Thang." The tool quickly dissolves any impurities, breaks even the most severe blockages in the bathroom. The only negative is the pungent smell.
• “Tiret”. The drug copes with the complex problems of clogging, but unlike other means, it does not have a sharp smell of ammonia.

Important! Using chemicals, do not forget that their frequent use leads to the destruction of the inner surface of the pipes and their gradual wear.

If the bath becomes clogged, use chemicals as follows:

1. Read the instructions to figure out how to use the purchased product correctly and make sure that the product is suitable for your type of pipe.
2. Pour (pour) the product into the drain hole. If it is a powder, then it is necessary to fill it with a glass of hot water.
3. Wait a while - as indicated in the instructions.
4. Open hot water, remove all trash and dirt.

Important! When using chemicals to clean the blockages, remember the safety precautions: protect yourself with rubber gloves, goggles and an oilcloth apron.

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Folk remedies to combat blockages

Today, housewives do not often resort to folk remedies, but chemical preparations are not always at hand, and home-made products cope with problems no worse. We offer you the following folk recipes.

Clogged bath - what to do? Folk remedies

The simplest and most affordable way is ordinary boiling water. However, it is better suited for the sink in the kitchen, as it dissolves fat well. And soda and vinegar will cope with serious problems.

The cleaning procedure is as follows:

1. Pour a glass of soda into the drain hole.
2. Pour one glass of vinegar (not essence) on top of the soda.
3. Close the hole with a stopper so as not to interfere with the chemical reaction.
4. After 25-30 minutes, rinse the sewage well with hot water.

Important! Folk remedies are capable of both preventing clogging and removing it, even if you take them in other combinations:

• Use soda and vinegar to prevent the formation of blockages.
• You can also use soda without vinegar - pour half a pack into the drain, and after 5 minutes turn on hot water.
• You can use lemon juice for cleaning - pour 2-3 lemons in the drain hole and leave for an hour. After cleaning, rinse with plenty of hot water.

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Siphon cleaning

Cleaning the siphon allows you to get rid of accumulated debris in the pipes and an unpleasant odor, because on the walls of the siphon an offensive sediment forms over time.

Important! Depending on the intensity of use of the bathroom, the siphon must be cleaned at least once every two months, but more often.

Siphon cleaning procedure:

1. Lay a cloth that can absorb moisture well on the floor under the siphon.
2. Place a basin on the fabric. These measures will prevent dirty water from getting on the floor and reduce cleaning time.
3. Carefully unscrew the lock nut and completely remove the flask.
4. Drain dirty water, remove small debris.
5. Rinse the siphon thoroughly, remove all plaque from the walls.
6. Replace the siphon. Make sure that the drain pipe does not rest on the flask, otherwise the water seal will be broken.
7. Check the tightness of all connections - to do this, open the tap and fill the water seal.

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Preventive actions

A problem is always easier to prevent than to solve. Therefore, in order not to decide how to eliminate blockage in the bathroom, adhere to the following recommendations:

• Be sure to install a safety net on the drain hole. This will help protect the drain from wool, hair and small debris.
• Periodically clean pipes with folk or chemical agents. The main thing - do not overdo it and do not damage the pipes.
• Keep household waste, rubbish, and rags out of the drain.
• To prevent the accumulation of fat on the pipe walls, periodically flush the sewer system with hot water for 10 minutes.
• Preventively clean the siphon at least once a month.
• Use to prevent plunger.

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Stock footage

We hope that the information provided has helped you solve the problem of clogging in the bathroom. But it will be much better if the sewer pipes are never clogged - this will happen if you take measures in advance to avoid such troubles. Regularly conduct gentle preventive measures, then you will not need expensive chemicals, and the bath will always be filled with clean water and a fresh smell.