The toilet is clogged, what should I do? Repairing plumbing: what to do at home if the toilet is clogged

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Methods effective cleaning toilet

We use the toilet every day, so no one is surprised by the fact that it can become clogged. If such a problem occurs, do not panic.

A blockage in the toilet can be removed in three ways: with chemicals, with a plunger, and with a plumbing cable.

The first step is to find out why the toilet is clogged.

There may be several reasons. A blockage can occur accidentally (for example, toilet paper has fallen in there or a air freshener has fallen off) or as a result of deliberate actions (when you constantly flush the toilet various items: diapers, vegetable peels, etc.). Under no circumstances should such things be thrown into the sewer; all residents of the house may suffer from such actions. General flooding may occur, then it will not be pleasant. In general, when the cause of the blockage is determined, you can proceed to the second stage of action: deciding how to unclog the toilet. This can be done in various ways.

Materials you will need to unclog the toilet:

• plunger;
• chemical for drain cleaning;
• latex gloves;
• bucket;
• protective glasses.

Cleaning the toilet with a plunger

Cleaning the toilet this way is the easiest. All you need is a plunger, rubber gloves and safety glasses. Usually this method is used when it is noticed that the water has begun to descend too slowly. It's not difficult, but you have to do it right. Then it will be much easier.

The plunger must be inserted into the drain hole so that the water completely covers the rubber tip. You need to pump out water with sharp, quick movements. Minor blockages can be cleared very quickly; 10-15 pushes with a plunger are enough. It is not difficult to understand that the blockage has been cleared. If the water began to go away quickly, it means that all efforts were not in vain.

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How to clean a toilet with chemicals

If the toilet is clogged too much and the plunger does not help, then you can try to clean it with special liquids. These chemicals are sold at any hardware store and are not too expensive. But they must be used very carefully. Firstly, they come in two types: alkaline and acidic. Mixing them is strictly prohibited. You need to choose a cleaner depending on what is clogged with the toilet. If these are objects, soap, hair, toilet paper, then it is better to choose an acidic product. Alkali is great for getting rid of greasy clogs. Secondly, before using the product, be sure to carefully study the instructions on the bottle. You only need to pour it in the specified amount. Thirdly, the product should under no circumstances come into contact with the skin, eyes, etc. Therefore, you should always wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when working. You can drain the water only when the time specified in the instructions has expired. If the water flows smoothly, this means that the blockage has been removed.

Every city resident has had to deal with a clogged toilet at least once. When the toilet is clogged at home, and the sewer pipe cannot cope with cleaning wastewater, then questions arise about how to clear a clogged toilet yourself, what to do for this, and also what means to use.

Signs of a blockage

The main signs indicating that a toilet or sewer pipe is clogged are:

• the appearance of an unpleasant odor from the sewer hole;
• slow removal of water from the toilet when flushing;
• the appearance of waste products in the toilet and dirty water rising from the opening of a sewer pipe.

With such signs, it is important to determine the cause of the blockage in order to know exactly how to unclog the toilet. What to do if the toilet is clogged, and how to remove the clog in the toilet? To get answers to these questions, you can look best photos, allowing you to independently remove dirt from a toilet flush or sewer pipe.

Causes of blockages

Removing a clogged toilet begins with identifying the causes, which can be divided into two types:

• improper use of the toilet;
• Not correct installation toilet.

At home, a clogged toilet can occur due to lime or mud deposits on the drain or sewer pipe. However, the person himself can influence the fact that he has to think about how to remove the blockage in the toilet on his own. Often, leftover food is flushed down the toilet, toilet paper is thrown away, cat litter gets in, a rag slips out along with water after cleaning - all this tries to get into the drain, but gets stuck.

And if the water doesn’t go away when you press the button on the toilet cistern, then you will need to unclog the toilet yourself. Here, the owners have to decide whether to remove the blockage themselves or call a plumber who can quickly break through the blockage in the sewer pipe. Look at the photo, which shows how a toilet can become clogged, and how to unclog a toilet yourself.

Mistakes made during sewer installation often lead to a clog in the toilet, what to do in this case? The situation when the toilet is clogged requires a search best options removing blockages in the toilet and sewer riser. From the corresponding videos and photos you can find out that toilet installation errors include:

• insufficient angle of inclination of sewer pipes;
• undesigned fan ventilation in the sewer riser pipe;
• using a cement solution to connect the toilet to the sewer drain pipe instead of a special gasket.

To clean and remove blockages in the toilet, it is important to accurately determine the location of dirt or various objects. And the correct installation of the toilet shown in the photo will allow for a long time don’t think about what to do if the toilet is clogged.

Removing blockages at home

Your toilet is clogged, what should you do? You will have to think seriously about this and find an opportunity quick fix clog in the toilet. How to unclog and remove a clog in a toilet at home with your own hands? First of all, in order to effectively eliminate the problem in the toilet, you need to determine where exactly the blockage occurred. Often the blockage forms in the water seal, but the cause may be in the drain pipe and sewer riser.

To check whether the sewer riser is clogged, you need to drain the water in the bathtub or sink. If the water is flushed normally, we can conclude that the toilet is clogged, what to do in this case? To unclog and remove a clog in the toilet, you can:

• clean the toilet drain by pouring hot water into it;
• use mechanical means (plunger and plumbing cable);
• use a chemical method, when you can use chemicals that corrode fatty deposits on pipes;
• flush the toilet manually;
• use air way to clean the toilet and pipes.

If it was not possible to break through and remove the blockage in the toilet drain pipe, then more radical measures may be required. You may have to completely replace the sewer riser because you were unable to clear and remove the blockage in the toilet with your own hands. It is unlikely that you will be able to do this yourself - you will need the help of a specialist, but you can familiarize yourself with the process by studying videos and photos.

Cleaning with water

What to do if the toilet is clogged, first of all? The simplest, but very effective way at home is to flush the toilet. hot water. It is best used to clean and remove minor blockages in the toilet. If you choose this method, to unclog the toilet, you need to pour a bucket into the drain hole hot water.

You can use water from a drain tank, which is pre-filled with hot water. To break through and remove a blockage in the toilet, you need to perform this procedure several times (look at the photo showing how to clean the toilet yourself). This effective method for use at home helps to liquefy deposits on the walls of sewer pipes. It allows you to clean the toilet and flush liquid mud down the drain.

Using a plunger

A plunger should be used when it is necessary to clean and remove a blockage in the toilet, if the water slowly but still flows into the sewer pipe. You should close the toilet drain hole with a plunger and use it back and forth to quickly clear the blockage in the toilet.

If you don’t have this tool at home, you can make a similar device with your own hands from plastic bottle. The bottom of the bottle is cut off, and then some kind of handle is attached to it. With this device you need to do the same things as you would with a plunger to remove a clog in the toilet (see photo showing how to remove a clog with a plunger).

If this method does not clear the blockage, you will need a plumbing cable, which the blockage will definitely not be able to “resist”. With its help, you can eliminate this problem even if the toilet is clogged cat litter. Plumbing cable allows you to remove dirt from the walls of a drain or sewer pipe due to its flexibility and long length. To learn how to properly use a plumbing cable to clean a toilet, look at the photo and video, which allows each person to remove the blockage in the sewer pipe themselves.

Chemical method

When the toilet is clogged, what should you do if mechanical means are unable to clear the blockage? At home, you can use chemicals that eat away the blockage in the toilet, causing the water to quietly go down the drain. You can purchase a solution for toilet blockages to use at home and break through the blockage yourself at any hardware store.

The best among means chemical washing toilet flush is considered a “Mole” product that can decompose limescale, greasy deposits, hair, that is, everything that got into the drain and sewer pipe. This toilet unblocker can clear clogs caused by cat litter down the toilet drain.

There are also folk remedies, which also belong to the category of chemicals - you can use soda and vinegar, which can perfectly clear the blockage in the toilet. To clear and remove a blockage in the toilet, soda and vinegar are used as follows: excess water is scooped out of the toilet, half a pack of soda is poured out and pushed deep into the toilet drain, a glass of vinegar is poured in, and after the reaction between soda and vinegar is completed, boiling water is poured into the drain hole (or simply hot water from the tap in cases where the connecting corrugation in the toilet is made of plastic).

Sometimes soda and vinegar are excellent chemicals from folk remedies that can quickly clear and remove blockages in the toilet, allowing water to flow freely into the sewer pipe. Check out the photo below to see how to use baking soda and vinegar to clear clogs yourself.

Plumbing cable

For difficult clogs in the toilet (when vinegar does not help), it is better to use a plumbing cable, which is a long piece of twisted steel wire. The plumbing cable at one end has a special tip that allows you to clear the sewer pipe, and its other end is equipped with a handle so that the device can be conveniently used to clear blockages in the toilet.

It is more convenient for two people to clean the toilet using a plumbing cable - one person pushes the cable deep into the sewer pipe in a back-and-forth motion, and the second person helps turn the plumbing cable. Study the photos that show how to properly unclog and unclog a toilet using a plumbing cable. Then you can do it yourself quickly and easily.

The plumbing cable is pushed into the sewer pipe until it hits an obstacle, which most likely turns out to be a blockage - it urgently needs to be cleaned and removed from the sewer pipe. After you have managed to remove the blockage and thoroughly clean the sewer pipe with a plumbing cable, you need to use hot water to remove any remaining dirt that has come away from the pipe.

Further, baking soda and vinegar or other stronger chemicals can be used as preventative agents. The best photos will tell you how to properly use products to clean and remove any blockage in the toilet - they clearly show how to use a plumbing cable or strong chemicals. After studying the photo instructions, you can quickly eliminate the causes of the blockage and clean the sewer pipe with your own hands.

Air cleaning

You can clear and remove blockages in the toilet by supplying air masses into the wastewater drain hole. For this method, which allows you to quickly remove a blockage from the toilet, a hose with a special tip or special installations are used that supply air under pressure and allow you to quickly break through the blockage.

Installations designed to clean and remove toilet blockages can be equipped with small video cameras that allow clearing blockages in the sewer pipe while constantly monitoring the entire process. How to remove a clogged toilet in this way, you will find photos that will allow you to easily deal with the problem yourself. And while the best chemicals can cost a lot, this method allows you to eliminate the cause of the blockage in the toilet without harming your wallet.

Prevention

To avoid having to unclog and unclog your toilet and drain pipe using plumbing rope or chemicals, it is important to prevent such problems from occurring. It is better to make sure that the toilet does not “suffer” from blockages, and for this you need to adhere to the following rules:

• You cannot throw garbage, paper, various objects, or food waste into the toilet;
• if rags, toys or other things get into the drain, you must remove them immediately, otherwise you will have to remove the plug later (objects can clog the drain and sewer pipe);
• you need to monitor the serviceability of the toilet cistern and flush waste products in a timely manner;
• periodically carry out preventive cleaning using chemicals (Mole, vinegar) and hot water.

You can learn more about preventive measures that allow you to eliminate fatty deposits in sewer pipes from the video and step by step photos, which give a person the opportunity to break through the blockage himself and eliminate the unpleasant problem.

You can constantly fix problems that have arisen with your plumbing, or you can simply use it without hassle. In any case, experts recommend:

1. Carry out regular prevention of blockages with your own hands by washing with hot water or using the best chemicals (vinegar, alkaline and acidic substances).
2. Be sure to explain to children the rules for using the toilet so that toys, pieces of paper and other things that cause a blockage do not get into it.
3. Apply chemicals only as directed and wear gloves.
4. Always have a plunger on hand, which allows you to quickly break through a blockage in the toilet and remove dirt into the sewer pipe.
5. It is best to use two people to clean a clogged toilet using a plumbing cable.
6. Invite a specialist to clean the sewer pipe if you couldn’t break the plug in the toilet with your own hands (perhaps the problem is in the common riser, and not in a clogged drain).

Sometimes residents are forced to decide whether it is permissible to take some measures themselves, to do something in the house if the toilet is clogged. A similar nuisance can occur due to throwing poorly soluble, fragmented garbage into the toilet, large quantity toilet paper, sanitary napkins, etc. Young children often conduct experiments by getting to the toilet and flushing diapers, toys, and other items not intended for this purpose.

Sometimes residents are forced to decide whether it is permissible to take some measures themselves, to do something at home if the toilet is clogged

Pets, or more precisely, litter for their trays, can also cause a drain or sewer pipe to become clogged. Since it is difficult to imagine a less unpleasant event, it is necessary to monitor children, teach them how to use the toilet correctly, and also dispose of household waste and the contents of cat litter in other ways, avoiding plumbing blockages.

Priority measures

As soon as it becomes noticeable that the water in the toilet is not flowing well, you should check whether there are any foreign objects or a dense lump of toilet paper in its visible depths. If any are present, they must be removed by first wearing rubber gloves. Then let the water drain and press the drain to make sure the problem is solved.

Sometimes blockages occur due to a narrowing of the internal opening due to accumulated salt deposits, leftover food, fermented home preserves. It's easy to prevent this from happening. Quite regularly, 3-4 times a year, pour special chemicals like Mole or Tireta into the toilet bowl at night. All are subject to similar processing plumbing pipes to avoid blockages, since fat, salts, and lime microparticles form massive solid layers on the internal surfaces of sewer lines over time.

It is believed that life in a private house requires its owners to constantly take care of its various systems and communications. At first glance, living in apartment building allows you not to think about such a need, because monitoring the serviceability and troubleshooting systems is the concern of housing office workers. In fact, residents of city apartments quite often face the problem of a clogged toilet.

The water does not go away, it rises in the toilet bowl and appears bad smell- all these are “symptoms” of blockage. However, you can deal with it yourself.

Why is it clogged?

There can be many reasons for clogging, but if we talk about the nature of the clogging, then There are only two possible reasons for this.

• Unexpectedly and acutely occurring blockages appear as a result of objects entering the drain hole, the dimensions of which exceed the diameter of the drain. Naturally, the object gets stuck, paralyzing the entire sewer system. Often such objects are textile products, food waste, hygiene items or solid products, voluntarily or involuntarily flushed down the toilet.
• Chronic blockages usually occur gradually. First, difficulty in the outflow of water is detected, which, becoming more and more aggravated, turns into a complete absence of outflow. The causes of such blockage are organic (grease, hair) and inorganic (salt deposits, scale contained in water) deposits.

Before dealing with a blockage, you should try to determine its cause, because this is what determines the choice of method for removing the blockage. Typically, by recalling the recent events of the day, you can determine whether the problem is caused by foreign objects getting into the drain.

What problems arise?

A clogged toilet is an unpleasant problem, which can mean several types of incorrect operation. sewer system. Until this problem affects a specific user, he may not think about it, and when mentioned, even remember with a grin the words of the song about a broken “blue toilet.” However, no one is able to completely insure against this trouble, which usually arises unexpectedly.

A blockage can manifest itself as a slowdown or disruption of the outflow of water from the toilet bowl when flushing, an increase in the level of wastewater in the inlet pipe, the appearance of an unpleasant odor and gurgling sounds, and a loud noise in the pipe. You can cope with all these difficulties on your own. If there is no opportunity or desire to remove the blockage, you can invite a specialist from the housing office. Such situations are not critical, so you can wait for his arrival within a few hours or one or two days.

A severe blockage manifests itself by increasing the level of sewage water to such an extent that it overflows from the toilet bowl. Evidence of the criticality of the situation is also a broken valve on a common pipe. In this case, you need to immediately call the emergency service and shut off the riser before they arrive.

Often water accumulates in the toilet bowl or other malfunctions appear due to improper design of sewer pipes. This could be sagging and freezing of pipes, too sharp bends in inappropriate places. As a rule, the problem is not detected immediately, but after some time of operation. It is unlikely that you will be able to solve the problem quickly and solely on your own. The only way out is to dismantle the system and correct errors.

Sometimes the question arises whether toilet paper can clog the drain. The answer is no because modern products completely dissolve in water. However, the same cannot be said about ordinary paper for writing, drawing, or newspapers. The cellulose they contain swells when exposed to moisture, after which even a small lump of paper increases 2-3 times in size and risks getting stuck in the pipe.

It is unacceptable to drain fat and used oil from frying pans, as it settles on the walls of the pipes and over time turns into a plug. Sleeping tea poured into the toilet in the pipes turns into real “cement” - the tea leaves clump and compact. It is unacceptable to flush hygiene items, diapers, packaging film And plastic bags. Those who flush these things down the toilet should not be surprised that it becomes clogged.

One of the reasons why water does not drain from the bowl is overgrowth. urinary stone. It appears on the surface of the toilet bowl and sewer pipes due to stagnation of urine in the device. This may not only be due to users not pressing the flush button after urinating, but also due to other reasons. Thus, a leaking tank promotes the spread of mineral deposits. Defective or outdated plumbing fixtures with damage are also susceptible to urinary stone attack. Residues of urine and bacteria accumulate in cracks, scratches, and recesses.

Urine stone is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a serious threat to the integrity of the lumen of the toilet pipes. The fact is that as the deposits grow, they close this gap. You can get rid of urinary stones mechanically or chemically.

Could it be that the toilet is clogged because of the neighbors? If you live in an apartment building, then maybe. This is due to the peculiarities of the organization of the sewer system. Sewer riser common to all residents of the house (“line” of apartments above each other from the first to top floor), a main outlet is connected to it from each apartment. The diameter of the common riser is no more than 100 mm.

If the blockage goes beyond main pipes your neighbors, but does not go down the riser, sooner or later a traffic jam will form in this place. Another option for the development of unpleasant events is that a foreign object got into the siphon of the neighbor’s toilet. Instead of pulling it out, they pushed it into the common riser where the foreign object got stuck.

Evidence of a clogged common riser at the apartment level above or below the floor is a gradual increase in the water level in the toilet. That is, it rises on its own. You will not be able to remove such a blockage on your own; you need to promptly call the emergency service. To remove the clog, the plumber will use a long cable or other device that can reach the clog. In more advanced cases resort to dismantling the pipe.

What to clean with?

The variety of cleaning methods can be divided into two groups.

• Mechanical. As a rule, they involve the use of a plunger and a cable, as well as other devices. This method is suitable if there is an object stuck in the drain. Using various liquids to remove blockages is useless, because they will not be able to dissolve, for example, a stuck apple or rag.
• Chemical. Effective in the formation of blockages caused by sediments in the sewer pipe. The principle of operation of such products is based on chemical reactions, during which the blockage dissolves.

In some cases, only a combination of these methods can solve the problem. Typically, this applies to cases where a foreign object gets stuck in pipes that have deposits. Pushing it with improvised means or cables does not help, so first dissolve the deposits. As a result of the chemical action, the diameter of the pipe becomes the same (that is, it increases compared to what it was at the time of the jam), and the object passes through the pipe.

It is necessary to dwell in more detail on each of the methods.

Mechanical cleaning is effective if the toilet does not flush well, which is caused by a foreign object stuck in the pipe no further than the siphon. Armed with long gloves, a ladle and a bucket, you can begin to diagnose the problem. Your task at this stage is to scoop as much water out of the toilet as possible. After this, gently examine the siphon space with your hand. Soft objects can be removed by hand, hard objects can be removed with a wire, having first bent its end.

You can try to clean the toilet with a bottle. The principle of operation is based on the capabilities of a water hammer, with the help of which a stuck object is pushed into a wider pipe. To implement this method, take a bottle whose diameter matches the diameter of the toilet. Cut off the bottom and screw the lid on. Start slowly immersing the resulting device into the toilet until you feel air resistance. At this moment, sharply press the bottle even deeper into the toilet, and then quickly pull it out.

Similar actions must be performed several times until the desired result is achieved.

After the first water hammer it may seem that the situation remains unchanged. However, with each new manipulation the object gradually moves towards the pipe larger diameter. That's why you need to do a "series" of water hammers. If you don't have a bottle at hand, use a stick or mop with rags wrapped around it. The diameter of the resulting winding must correspond to the diameter of the toilet inlet flush. The process is the same as when using a bottle.

A specialized tool for creating water hammer is a plunger. Unlike homemade analogues, it does not need to be placed in the release hole. On the contrary, the diameter of the plunger must exceed the diameter of the hole. Using this tool, a vacuum is created, and then a hydraulic shock, with the help of which it is possible to remove the blockage. The procedure will be more effective if you close the drains and overflow holes of the plumbing fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen during the procedure.

A blaster for the sink, bathtub and toilet will also create a hydrodynamic shock. This device is equipped with a piston, with which air is pumped into the blaster, creating high pressure. After this, you should attach the unit to the drain hole and press the start button. The convenience of the device is that it has several nozzles for different drain hole diameters, so it is universal.

Another tool that is used by both professionals and ordinary people is a flexible plumbing cable. Made of metal, it has a spiral-shaped tip with a pointed point, thanks to which it penetrates a hard layer of deposits. The cable should be smoothly inserted into the drain channel, while making rotational movements. (The device has a handle, so it is convenient to use).

Having broken through the blockage, you should move back and forth to get rid of deposits on the walls of the pipe and increase it inner diameter.A plumbing cable will not be able to completely eliminate the problem. This tool is an “ambulance” for blockages. After the outflow has been restored, the sewer pipes should be cleaned using chemicals.

If you don’t have a bottle, a plunger, or a cable at hand, you can try to create a water hammer using cling film. To do this, fold it 3-4 times to increase its strength. After this, the film is sealed with tape around the entire circumference of the toilet lid. You must stretch the film from one edge of the toilet lid to the other and secure the film with tape.

After this, water is drawn into the toilet bowl until it begins to touch the film. Now you need to press the surface of the film several times, causing a water hammer to occur. The steps must be repeated until the blockage is broken or until it becomes clear that in your case the method is ineffective.

In general, any available item can help break through the blockage. There are many stories online about how this was done with a stick, a lath, even a fork. In this case, the improvised dipstick must not only be pushed forward, but rotated in order to quickly destroy the plug.

Chemicals can be store-bought or homemade. The easiest way to clean a toilet from sediment is with boiling water. You need to pour it down the toilet drain. This method is effective only if the blockage is caused by the formation of a greasy plug in the pipe. Boiling water will allow it to dissolve and the water will begin to drain. You need to pour boiling water at a right angle, quickly.

This method helps in limited cases, but it will not be superfluous to use it. You can add a little baking soda to the boiling water or first pour ¼ of a bottle of dishwashing detergent into the toilet. It is unacceptable to pour boiling water into the toilet if it has a thin connecting corrugation. In this case, just hot water is enough.

The simplest chemical way to solve the problem is a method based on the alkaline reaction of vinegar with soda. It is necessary to scoop out the water to increase the concentration of the composition. After this, a pack of soda is poured into the drain hole. You should give it 15–20 minutes for the soda to settle on the surface of the pipe and the clog. After the specified time, 200 ml of 9% vinegar is poured out. As a result chemical reaction Sometimes it is possible to break through the blockage in its thinnest place.

If necessary, repeat the procedure, but no more than two times. If after using baking soda and vinegar twice, positive results do not appear, you should look for other methods.

It is believed that solutions based on aggressive acids are most effective. They truly eat away the blockage, and with it the surface of the sewer pipes. Such recipes should be used with caution and only if the entire sewer system is cast iron. In the store you can buy products based on weakly concentrated acids. They can be in the form of a gel, powder, or tablet.

Among the most popular are such products as “Mole”, Tiret, “Mr. Muscle”, “Floop” (in the form of granules). When using them, you should protect your hands with gloves and avoid contact of the composition with mucous membranes and skin. The product is poured or poured into the drain according to the instructions. After the time recommended by the manufacturer, you should flush the toilet with plenty of water.

Please note that not every product is suitable for breaking through a blockage if a porcelain toilet is installed in the apartment.

You can find a lot on the Internet original ways clearing clogs with Coca-Cola. However, this drink will help in the fight against minor deposits on the surface of the toilet bowl. He is unable to break through the blockage. The white cleaning method is also ineffective. It can be used as prophylactic from a raid and nothing more.

One of the causes of blockage is an overgrown urinary stone. It can be removed mechanically by scooping out the water and simply cutting off the deposits and cleaning the surfaces with a stiff brush. However this method practically not used, because after it the surface of the toilet becomes covered with cracks and chips.

It is much more convenient and safer to use store-bought chemicals for sanitary ware.“Mr. Muscle” in granules, Domestos Pink gel (designed specifically to combat blockages) and “Toilet Duckling” demonstrated their effectiveness in combating significant growths of urinary stones.

It is important to follow the instructions and maintain the accuracy of the time of exposure to the drug. Otherwise, you may get unpredictable cleaning results.

Concerning traditional methods, They exist. And sometimes they surprise you with their radicalism. An effective remedy metal pipes is the use of automotive electrolyte for the battery. First of all, you need to drain the toilet bowl, then pour electrolyte into the problem area and leave for 1.5 hours. After the specified period of time, the plaque is cleaned off with a brush (it should not be non-metallic).

More conservative, but also in effective ways is cleaning with citric acid or bleach (in powder form). To do this, pour a packet of bleach or 4 packs of citric acid into the toilet drain, leave it overnight, then scrub off the deposits with a brush and rinse with water.

How to clean it yourself?

Unable to contact the housing office or third-party specialists, many are forced to look for cleaning methods at home, that is, on their own. However, this cannot always be done - removing the blockage with your own hands is possible if it has formed directly in the toilet drain channel. If the problem affects all drain points, you will have to seek help from the housing office.

So, when starting to clear the blockage, you should do the following:

• make sure that the blockage is local. Otherwise, call an emergency;
• determine the location of the blockage (no further than the toilet siphon);
• try to establish the nature of the blockage and the cause of its occurrence;
• If foreign objects get into the pipe, try to remove them manually. At the same time, pull the object back into the apartment, and do not push it into the common riser;
• When pipes become overgrown with growths, use chemical cleaning agents using store-bought or traditional methods. When performing them, protect your hands and respiratory organs;
• If the blockage occurs as a result of the simultaneous entry of a foreign object into the pipe and a decrease in the diameter of the drain due to the growth of deposits, the pipe should be cleaned using a combined method. This must be done by pouring a chemical. After the deposits are dissolved, it will be easier to remove the item using one of the mechanical methods.

If none of the methods brings a positive result, call a plumber. The blockage may be due to improper installation of pipes or toilet. In any case, a professional will determine the cause and eliminate the blockage. It is not recommended to use the toilet when there is a blockage - this will worsen the situation.

Regular prevention will help reduce the risk of blockages. First of all, you should ensure that no foreign objects get into the channel.. Do not flush spoiled food, food waste and hygiene products down the toilet. If you empty the water after cleaning, make sure there are no rags, bars of soap, or other large objects left in the bucket.

Water congestion can be caused by cat litter and various bedding for domestic rodents getting into the pipes. They are based on wood or more modern materials, absorbing moisture. It’s easy to imagine what will happen to sawdust that gets into the water. They will simply absorb it and increase significantly in volume. So significant that they can fill the diameter not only of the main, but also of the general riser.

If folk remedies, like other methods, do not solve the problem, it is better to call the housing office and ask them to send a technician. You should also call a plumber if blockages occur constantly for no apparent reason (that is, the rules for operating plumbing have not been violated). The pipes may be installed incorrectly or may be reaching the end of their service life. Replacing pipes and changing the method of their installation will allow you to forget about blockages.

Once every three months, pour products into the toilet that remove limescale and deposits from the surfaces of sewer pipes. And once a week you can resort to preventative cleaning with boiling water. Daily cleaning of the toilet, as well as flushing after each user, will help prevent the formation of urinary stone growths. Flushing should be done with plenty of water.

It is also useful to purchase special tablets for the toilet tank and gel blocks that are attached under the rim of the toilet.

For a long time now, most of us have been using bathrooms that provide comfort and convenience.

The only exception is the huts in villages, which are equipped with a latrine located in the yard. Every toilet owner in his life has encountered such a terrible problem as a clogged toilet.

A clogged toilet is a very annoying and common problem. As luck would have it, an accident happens at the most inopportune moment. If this happens when it is not possible to call specialists, you will have to do it yourself.

Types of blockages

All blockages can be divided according to the reasons for their occurrence and, accordingly, methods for eliminating them.

Toilet clogs are divided into the following types:

1. Mechanical blockage– occurs during improper use (discarding hygiene items and other large items). Such operation leads to the cessation of water flow.
2. Technological blockage– is formed if the sewer system wears out or is improperly designed ( great amount bends, use of pipes of different diameters)
3. Operational blockage– is considered the most common type and appears during the process of using the toilet. Even if you follow all the known rules and use the toilet correctly, over time such a blockage can still form. It is formed subsequently by the deposition of fatty deposits on the walls of the pipes, to which various particles adhere.

Signs of a blockage

There are a number of signs that help to recognize the appearance of a blockage in sewer pipes:

• the appearance of an unpleasant and pungent odor in the toilet; described in this article.
• the appearance of water in the bathroom, sink, as well as its slow drainage;
• the presence of various waste products in the toilet.

If you begin to notice at least one of the listed signs, you need to immediately clean it yourself.

But it also happens that the reason lies in a clogged riser, then it will be quite problematic to manage without the help of specialists.

Causes of a clogged toilet

Before deciding on a method to remove the blockage, you need to find out the cause of its occurrence.

The most common reasons are the following:

• The blockage was caused by toilet paper, hygiene products, rags or toys getting into the toilet;
• The blockage was caused by improper installation of the toilet., therefore, when installing, you must strictly follow the rules and perform the installation clearly at a certain angle;
• Damage or missing fan pipe and valves, which is necessary attribute to regulate pressure in the system;
• Installation of a toilet of the wrong design. This problem is faced by those who, in order to save money, purchase cheap toilets from little-known companies.

How to remove a blockage - primary measures, available means

To eliminate a blockage and choose a method, it is necessary not only to determine the cause of its occurrence, but also the location of the blockage.

Important! Do not forget that when checking the drainage ability it is not recommended to use cistern, since the amount of water in it is large and can flood the floor of the toilet.

Methods for clearing a clogged toilet are divided into four groups:

• Mechanical. Removal occurs using a hard object that can reach the plug and destroy the blockage. In order to break through a blockage using this method, in most cases a plunger is used, which is currently found in almost every home.

Thanks to it, pressure is manipulated, as a result of which the blockage is destroyed and washed away with water. If there is no plunger, you can use improvised means. A regular plastic bottle will do for this.

You need to cut off the neck and try to create pressure, like a plunger. You can also try pouring preheated water into the toilet.

But this method is considered not very effective and can lead to unpleasant consequences, such as the occurrence of cracks in earthenware. To prevent this, water is first poured in a small amount, and after the toilet has warmed up, the rest is poured out. It is also recommended to add soda to the water, which can improve the effect.

• Chemical. In this case apply chemical compositions, which should be used with extreme caution and strictly following the attached instructions. The slightest deviation can lead to destruction of plumbing fixtures.
• Deep mechanical method. The blockage is removed using a specialized plumbing cable, apparatus high pressure or other drain cleaning devices. Plumbing cable works very well various blockages, even the most difficult ones.

When using a cable, you need to do the following:

1. Place the end of the cable into the drain hole;
2. Holding with your hand, immerse the cable as deeply as possible;
3. Rotate the handle to push the tip towards the formed plug;
4. When you reach a blockage, push it through or pull out objects.

Important! If you need to impart intense torque to the cable, but this cannot be done for a number of reasons, you should make movements clockwise without much effort. Otherwise, the cable may become unusable.

• Technical. This option involves completely removing the toilet and disassembling it for cleaning. Sometimes this method results in the need to replace equipment.

In some situations, it will not be possible to remove the blockage using the above methods, then you will have to intervene in the structure. To do this, you should disassemble the corrugated pipe and clean the toilet.

Note! If the blockage is cleared technically You need to notify your neighbors about this, as the neighbor's sewage can cause a lot of inconvenience to you.

• Air. Not everyone probably knows that you can clean the toilet by introducing air into the drain hole. This can be done at home using improvised means.

A compressor or vacuum cleaner is suitable for this. Apply a tip to the site of the blockage and apply pressure to remove the resulting blockages. Specialists in this field now have specialized installations, using which they perform similar procedures.

If the toilet is clogged organic means, then chemical agents, which are currently available in a wide range, are well suited to eliminate them. These are various gels, powders and sprays.

Inexpensive ones include:

• White is an alkaline solution that can remove blockages and clean the toilet. To do this, pour white into the toilet and leave for about 4 hours, after which it is washed off with water.
• Lemon acid- a powder that is poured into a toilet bowl that has been previously cleaned of water and left for up to five hours.
• Baking soda- as well as lemon acid pour into a toilet that has been cleared of water and leave for thirty minutes.

Note! Everyone in their home undoubtedly has a pack of soda and a bottle of vinegar that can deal with clogs. A pack of soda is poured down the drain and a bottle of vinegar is poured there. After 20 minutes, the toilet is washed with boiling water.

In addition, any store currently sells many products household chemicals to remove the blockage.

These include:

• Domestos:
• Tiret;
• Toilet duckling;
• Mole;
• Sterilized;
• Anti-clog.

Important! Using any chemical agent you need to not only strictly follow the instructions, but also use by individual means protection and ensure that there is no contact with the skin.

By purchasing chemical reagents, the following rules must be observed:

• check that the product is intended for sewer pipes;
• corresponded to sediments.

Many people choose a product according to the rule that the more expensive it is, the better and more effective, but this is not always the case. Sometimes low cost is not at all an indicator of poor quality.

There are situations in life when the blockage does not respond to any listed methods, then you need to use radical methods. You will need to purchase a pneumatic plunger, which appearance resembles a regular bicycle pump.

When using such a plunger, the main condition is its tight connection with the drain hole. At this point, you need to make sure that all drains in the system are closed. When a vacuum is created, the clog will be removed from the pipe and cut into small particles.

In addition, one of radical ways You can also consider calling specialists who can cope with any, even complex, blockage.

Preventing clogging

In order to prevent the toilet from clogging, or to delay such a problem, it is necessary to use it only for its intended purpose and minimize the entry of foreign objects into it.

• In the event that something gets into your toilet, it is best to remove everything unnecessary from it immediately.
• Many people prefer after washing floors pouring dirty water into the toilet is absolutely not worth doing, or it is recommended to use special filters that prevent the penetration of debris.
• If there are small children living in the house, then it is best to carefully ensure that they do not throw their toys into the toilet, and also try to explain to the child in as much detail as possible why this is not required. From an early age, it is necessary to teach a child how to use the toilet correctly and for its intended purpose.
• Another condition for preventing blockage The problem with the toilet is that you should never pour greasy water into it, as fat accumulates on the bends and over time forms a clog that will be very difficult to remove.
• Some housewives make one of the most serious mistakes, leading to irreparable consequences. They throw leftover food down the toilet. This applies not only to solid waste, but also to liquid treats.
• If a house or apartment is undergoing renovations, then to prevent getting construction waste It is best to carefully cover the toilet. This will also prevent dust from getting inside.
• In case of preventing blockages in an apartment building all issues must be resolved without fail and prevention must be systematically carried out, which must be controlled not only by residents, but also by the management company.

Important! It is recommended to systematically use specialized products to prevent blockages. They are sold in all household stores. When purchasing such a product, you should check that “prevention” is written on the label. This product must be used only strictly according to the attached instructions.

Except professional means To prevent blockages in the toilet, more affordable and inexpensive options, the components are available to almost any housewife. For example, soda, which is diluted with hot water and poured into the toilet approximately once every two weeks.

The cause of a blockage is not always grease or the ingress of foreign objects, since sewer pipes wear out sooner or later, and the resulting rust causes the blockage. In this case, it will only help complete replacement sewer, otherwise removing the blockage will be repeated systematically.

Despite the fact that, after reading this article, everyone became familiar with methods for removing any blockage, you should not let your toilet get to this point. After all, it is much easier to prevent than to eliminate, so save your strength and nerves by using the toilet for its intended purpose, as well as taking the necessary preventive measures.