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What to do if the toilet is clogged, how to clean
If the toilet is clogged, you need to take urgent action. There are several simple and effective ways to remove blockages from pipes without waiting for a plumber’s visit.
Is the toilet clogged? Try to clean it with improvised means.
What to do if the toilet is clogged? The choice of cleaning method depends on what exactly caused the blockage. Perhaps it was formed due to the ingress of a foreign object into the drain. For example, large food debris was poured into the toilet, cat litter was thrown away, or a rag was found in the drain.
Attempts to dissolve the barrier with household chemicals will be ineffective.
If the water leaves, even very slowly, try to flush it down the toilet several times – in clear water it will be easier for you to see what exactly got into the pipe. If the water does not go away at all, you will have to scoop it up. When all the water has been drained, put on long rubber gloves and try to feel for a foreign object in the pipe.
If the toilet is clogged, a plunger, household chemicals or a plumbing cable will help to clean it.
We eliminate the blockage with improvised means
Once you’ve figured out why the toilet is clogged, try cleaning it. If the blockage has formed due to deposits on the inner surface of the pipes and the accumulation of waste, you can remove it using chemicals. Acid-based products are suitable for plastic pipes, alkaline ones for metal ones.
If you don’t have any household chemicals at hand, the time-tested method will help: pour a pack of soda into the drain, then pour 500 ml of vinegar into the drain. After half an hour, pour hot water into the toilet (not boiling water!).
The chemical reaction will help dissolve plaque on the walls of the communications.
You can try to push through a lump of debris with a plunger: in this case, it is very important to choose a tool whose suction cup is larger in diameter than the drain hole. A plunger will help to remove a blockage in a toilet siphon or a pipe leading from it to a public sewer.
If the previous methods did not help, “heavy artillery” – a plumbing cable – will come to the rescue. It is better to clean the pipe with a cable together: one should hold the cable and push it forward, the other should turn the handle. When the cable stops moving forward, it must be moved back and forth several times to push the deposits on the inside of the pipe.
Now you know what to do if the toilet is clogged. If, after all your efforts, the situation has not changed, you will have to seek help from utilities and entrust the solution to the problem to specialists.