How to clean a bathroom drain pipe. Dealing with blockages in the bathroom

If you notice an unpleasant odor in the bathroom and the water does not drain completely into the pipe, you can rest assured that the bathroom drain is clogged. Let's figure out how to deal with the problem at home, how to remove a blockage in the bathroom.

There are different ways to get rid of a blockage in a pipe, including traditional ones. Before you start fighting the blockage with radical methods and using chemicals, it is better to try to break through the drain using simple and affordable means.

Removing blockages using improvised means

Boiling water

Heat five liters of water to boiling water and pour it into the drain hole. At the early stage of contamination, this method will help to quickly clean the pipe in the bathroom. If the water does not go into the pipe at all, then you should not use this technique. Plastic pipes should not be washed with boiling water. It is better if the water temperature does not exceed 90 degrees.

plunger

The most affordable device that can break through blockages in the bathroom and is available in every home is a plunger. Let's look at how to clear a blockage in a bathroom and get rid of a blockage in a pipe with the correct use of a plunger. It is also useful to use the device to prevent blockages.

Fill the bathtub with water until the rubber tip of the plunger is covered with liquid.
Install the plunger, blocking the drain hole, and apply a little pressure on the handle.
Move the plunger handle up and down without lifting the rubber part of the device from the surface of the drain. After pumping the drain several times, it is better to lift the device a little so that water gets into the pipe. If you need to check whether the blockages in the bathroom have been cleared, turn on the hot water and flush the drain. If the water passes through with difficulty, it is better to try again.

Soda and vinegar

If the pipe is so clogged that water does not even seep into the drain hole, try removing the plug with baking soda and vinegar.

Pour five tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and pour in half a glass of vinegar.
Close the hole with a stopper and wait until the chemical reaction is complete.
Rinse the pipe under strong pressure of hot water.

Cable

How to unclog a bathroom if the drain is so clogged that the above remedies do not help? Use a special cable. The device resembles a twisted wire, coiled into a spiral with a handle at the end.

In the case of plastic pipes, cleaning with a cable must be carried out with special care. It is better to cover the floor near the bathtub so as not to get dirty when removing the device.

Place the sharp tip of the tool into the drain hole. The cable must always be kept taut. Therefore, it is better to do the work together.
To remove blockages in the bathroom, rotate the handle while moving the cable along the pipe. If you feel that you have hit an obstacle, make several movements of the cable back and forth, continuing to screw in the rod. The blockage will collapse or be removed along with the cable.
At the end of the procedure, rinse the drain with hot water.

How to clean a siphon

Often the cause of an unpleasant odor is a siphon that is clogged and has accumulated a foul-smelling residue on the walls. What to do to get rid of unwanted consequences?

Place a cloth under the siphon located under the bathtub that will absorb water well. Place a container for dirty liquid on the cloth.
Carefully unscrew the nut and remove the flask.
After the water has drained, rinse the siphon, removing any debris that has accumulated on the walls.
To avoid damaging the water seal, install the flask so that the drain pipe does not rest on it.
Turn on the water and check the system for leaks.

Chemistry

If no methods help remove the blockage in the pipe, you can use household chemicals. Use “heavy artillery” carefully if there are plastic pipes in the bathroom. How to clear a blockage in the bathroom using household chemicals and not harm the sewer system? Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and purchase products that are suitable for your pipes. Choose cleaning agents that dissolve hair and fur, as these are the ones that most often contribute to the appearance of plugs.

Preventing blockages

If you don’t want to try all the known methods of cleaning pipes at home to remove a blockage in the bathroom, do not forget about preventive measures.

Do not allow food debris, especially greasy food, construction debris and other foreign bodies to get into the bathtub drain hole.
Replace old pipes promptly. Cast iron pipes require more frequent cleaning than plastic.
Install small screens in the drain holes and blockages in the bathroom will not bother you often.
Add pipe cleaner periodically.
Use a plunger frequently, which is effective in preventing plugs.
Once every two weeks, it is advisable to rinse the drain with hot water, adding soda ash.

The question of how to clear a clog in the bathroom arises for almost every person. Both a jack of all trades and an ordinary housewife can encounter this - it’s a common thing. If the water does not go away, or worse, it rushes back, emitting a stench, using the bathroom becomes not only unpleasant, but also impossible in principle.

This article contains comprehensive information on how to remove a blockage in the bathroom, what products are best to use, and how to prevent troubles from recurring in the future.

Reasons why the bathtub could become clogged

First, you need to determine why the drain is clogged and what options are available for cleaning the pipes or siphon. Most likely, the cause will be discovered during the process of troubleshooting the problem. However, if it is known for sure that a piece of jewelry, a hairpin or another necessary item has gotten into the drain, then not all remedies for blockages in the bathroom will be good. For example, some chemicals can ruin an awkwardly dropped product.

So, the reasons for blockages in the siphon:

hair, animal fur;
pellets, lint, threads from clothes;
trifle;
dirt;
small parts, fittings, decorations.

All of the above components form a dense lump in the pipe, which prevents the passage of water, or even slows it down altogether. It is possible to remove such a blockage in the bathroom either with tweezers or a thin wire.

Effective methods for clearing sewer clogs

A good old plunger and cable. These two things are found in almost every home.

A plunger is a stick with a rubber tip shaped like a large suction cup that can suck out or push debris through.

Using this simple invention you can get the following results:

Prevent the formation of blockages.
Eliminate the causes of slow water drainage.
Assess the scale of pollution.

Typically, a plunger is effective when the pipe is slightly clogged - sharp flows of water and air will push through the obstacle.

Install the device so that its rubber part covers the drain hole.
Draw a small amount of water into the bath (dry efficiency is reduced).
Make a few pumps, moving the handle up and down.
Check if the water is leaving.
Rinse off the pumped out debris.

If this doesn’t help and the blockage in the bathroom still doesn’t go away, then what should you do? Use cable:

Insert it into the drain hole.
Push forward into the pipes and twist at the same time.
When the voltage drops (the blockage is cleared), carefully move the cable back and forth.
Remove and wash the product.

Chemicals

The modern chemical industry has taken care to make the process of removing blockages as fast and comfortable as possible.

Almost all of them are equally effective, but when choosing a product, you should take into account the fact that not every bathroom blockage solution is suitable for the type of pipes that are installed in your home.

Manufacturers are vying with each other to produce products for cleaning pipes from debris and deposits. The release form can be varied:

powder;
gel;
liquid.

The most common and inexpensive remedy is Mole - a domestic product that perfectly eliminates odors, food and fat residues, and also breaks down fibers (hair, wool, etc.). Produced by different companies and may differ slightly:

by composition;
price;
duration of action.

Compatibility with the type of pipes is usually indicated on the packaging. Here is a non-exhaustive list of effective drugs:

Mister Muscle.
Bugs.
Pothan.
Tiret.
Floop.
Mole.

Folk way to clear clogs: baking soda and vinegar

If you don’t have a plumber, a plunger, a cable, or purchased products at hand and the bathtub is clogged, it’s worth trying the folk method. To do this you will need:

Follow these instructions:

Wipe the tub and the metal drain ring dry.
Pour baking soda into the drain hole.
Pour vinegar in there.
Pour in boiling water after 1 minute.
After 2-3 minutes, turn on the water - it should flow freely.

If you are still sure that the reason for the slow drainage of water is a necessary or valuable item, it is worth finding out how to clean the siphon in the bathroom. This will make it possible to remove what got into the drain and caused the blockage.

Siphon cleaning technology:

Lay a cloth under the siphon and place a basin or bucket.
Slowly unscrew the closure nut to prevent liquid from gushing out.
Remove the flask and drain the dirty water.
Remove debris, small parts or lumps that are causing the problem.
Rinse the siphon and remove plaque.
Reinstall the siphon.
Check the connections for tightness.

Now, if your bathtub suddenly becomes clogged, you will know what to do.

It is also worth remembering that prevention using a plunger and cleaning the siphon once a month is the key to high-quality and comfortable use of the bathtub. Expensive chemicals may not be needed in this case!

It is also worth watching a video on this topic:

If it happens that your bathtub is clogged, don’t be discouraged. In such a situation, it is important to know what measures need to be taken to quickly correct the problem, as well as to prevent the normal operation of the drainage system for a long time. Our article will help you get all the necessary information.

Effective ways to deal with blockages

If you handle your plumbing carefully, you can go a long time without blockages in your sewer pipes. However, the situation when a blockage forms in the bathroom is familiar to almost everyone, since hair, cat and dog fur, as well as various contaminants get into the drain hole, which, settling on the inner surface of the pipes, form a blockage.

In order not to get confused and take effective measures to combat blockages, you need to:

know how to use a plunger,
have an idea of what household chemicals are intended for cleaning pipes,
know under what conditions the plumbing cable is used.

The well-known plunger

When the bathroom is clogged, you must first use the simplest design of a rubber cap and a wooden or plastic handle, the so-called plunger. Before using the plunger, the overflow hole must be plugged.

Pro tip: A plunger that uses pumping movements to push through a clog is extremely effective if the clog is located close to the drain hole.

Plumbing cable

A 3-meter metal cable allows you to cope with fairly complex blockages. When working with it, it is necessary to carry out screwing movements in such a way as not to damage the inner surface of the pipes.

Experience with this simple tool is required, otherwise it will be difficult to avoid it jamming at pipe bends. Since the cable is equipped with a tip, part of the blockage can be destroyed, and part of it can be picked up and stuck together dirt can be pulled out of the drain pipe.

Chemicals for preventing and combating blockages

To prevent the bathtub from becoming clogged, what needs to be done systematically? A variety of chemicals help prevent blockages. Contaminants deposited on the walls of pipes are effectively removed with specially designed powders, gels and liquids.

Pro tip: When choosing a product, it is always important to carefully read the instructions, since the different composition of the components indicates a different mode of action of such products.

When cleaning pipes, it is important to strictly follow the recommendations regarding the operating time of the chemical and its dosage. In addition, it is important to know that chemical active agents are dangerous when used, and therefore it is imperative to take adequate measures to protect the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.

When choosing a pipe cleaner, special attention should be paid to the issue of compatibility of the material from which the pipe is made and the active components of the product used. When cleaning pipes, it is important not to damage their inner surface.

Combating complex pollution

Hydrodynamic pipe flushing

With this method, sewer cleaning is carried out by pumping water into the pipes under high pressure. Accumulated sediments as a result of such exposure are washed away very effectively. When washing hard-to-reach areas, using this method is considered relatively inexpensive. With this effect on the pipes, the tightness of joints and seams is not compromised.

Thermal method of cleaning sewer pipes

The use of hot water under pressure is considered a way to quickly deal with hard fatty deposits, which are often the cause of clogged pipes in the bathroom. If chemical agents are used that destroy organic contaminants and kill bacteria, then effective disinfection of pipes is carried out.

Preventing blockages

To prevent blockages from being taken by surprise, it is necessary to systematically carry out special measures to ensure that the inner surface of the pipes is kept clean:

to prevent the accumulation of fat, it is necessary to periodically rinse the system with hot water for 10 minutes,
the use of protective grilles installed in the drain hole allows you to effectively protect sewer pipes from contamination,
household waste, garbage and rags should not fall into the drain, as they often cause blockages in the pipes.

Compliance with the necessary rules for using the bathroom will ensure long service life of the drainage system. If blockages occur, special attention must be paid to careful handling of sewer pipes and not to damage them when cleaning. If the drain in the bathroom is clogged and, despite various measures, you cannot independently restore the permeability of the system, then you need to seek the help of specialist plumbers.

You can remove a clogged sewer pipe yourself. You don't have to call a plumber.

You can save a lot of money if you clean the pipe with home remedies or household chemicals.

Causes

A clogged bathroom drain can lead to serious plumbing problems. If the drain is clogged, all the dirt flows back into the container, it will not be very pleasant to take water procedures when mold with hair and soapy water come out of the drain hole.

Signs of a clogged bathroom:

Water drains more slowly than usual.
The dirt flows back into the container.
Puddles of water around appliances with drains.

Before cleaning, you need to find out the reason why the drain in the bathroom is clogged.

The most common reasons why pipes become clogged are:

Hair and dead skin cells stick to the walls and begin to build up if not cleaned.
Clogging occurs due to frequent washing of things in the bathroom and constant use of water procedures. The water itself flows down the drain, and the soap settles on the walls.
A clogged pipe must be cleaned once a month. Long-term lack of proper care leads to the appearance of growths and limescale. The pipes begin to loosen and leaks appear.
The sewage system quickly becomes clogged if it was installed incorrectly during repairs. Due to the low slope, dirt accumulates faster.
Do not make many bends when installing the pipeline. They also accumulate more hair, grease, sand and other debris.
The sewer pipe should not be narrow. Otherwise, you will have to clean it very often, because it gets clogged faster.

Having found out the cause of the clogged drain, you can begin cleaning it.If you are not sure that you can cope with the task, then you cannot do without the intervention of a specialist.

Mechanical methods

Mechanical methods can be used to clean the sewer system. These include a plunger, cable or vacuum cleaner.

Using these methods you can quickly remove the blockage.

plunger

Excellent for breaking through clogged pipes with a plunger. It consists of a long, straight handle with a flexible rubber cup mechanism mounted underneath.

This rubber piece acts like a suction cup to pull out any clogs. At home, this is the easiest method that perfectly cleans any drain holes.

How to unclog a bathroom:

A better result will be achieved if you plug the hole located above the drain, which is intended for overflowing water.
Do not use chemicals while using a plunger. During the procedure, hazardous substances may get on clothing or skin and leave burns.
The base of the plunger should be covered with water.
Place this item over the drain hole. The rubber cup should completely cover it. The handle should be vertical. If you tilt it slightly, it will reduce the force of pulling dirt.
Press the plunger so that it sticks well to the . Then move the handle up and down for 15-20 seconds.
Then you need to pull out the plunger and look at the result. If the water drains well, you can stop the procedure; if it doesn’t drain well, repeat.

After clearing the drain, turn on the hot water to flush out any remaining debris. Gradually increase the pressure so that not a trace remains of the blockage.

At home, sewer systems are cleaned using a plumbing cable. If the plunger does not help, you can use this device.

A plumbing cable is a flexible metal rope, which is made with a diameter of 6 mm and up to 5 m in length.

You can also make it yourself. For example, take a wire hanger and straighten it, and at the end make a small hook, with which it will be more convenient to pull out the hair.

How to clear a clog in the bathroom:

The wire is carefully inserted into the drain hole so as not to damage the siphon. Simultaneously with insertion, it is necessary to rotate the cable.
When the cable is inserted to the maximum possible depth, it is turned 2-3 times and removed.
The hook will catch hair and other debris. You can repeat the procedure until all contaminants are removed.

After that, turn on the hot water to clean the sewer system.

Vacuum cleaner

You can also clean the siphon and remove blockages from the pipes. The household appliance is convenient to use.

How to clear a blockage:

The rubber nozzle from the plunger is installed on the vacuum cleaner pipe and securely secured with electrical tape. Don't worry, the glue can be cleaned with alcohol.
You need to remove the garbage bag from the household appliance and connect the hose and pipe to the blowout hole.
All you have to do is turn on the device and start cleaning the drain hole.

This is the easiest method on how to clean a siphon at home.

There are a number of commercial products specifically designed for drain cleaning.

When using household chemicals, be sure to protect your hands with rubber gloves, wear a respirator and safety glasses.

To remove the blockage, you can use the following means:

Domestos- an indispensable assistant in cleaning the bathroom. Cleaning with it will not take much time. Domestos can cope with this problem no worse than specialized alkaline products. How to use it: pour 7-10 caps of product into the drain hole and leave overnight. It is important that no one uses the bathroom at night, so it is worth warning all household members. In the morning, rinse the pipe with plenty of hot water.
Mole sold in liquid form. The entire procedure takes approximately 90 minutes. The liquid is poured into the drain hole and left for the required time (indicated in the instructions). Then the systems are washed with hot water by simply opening the tap. If the product accidentally gets on your skin, rinse immediately with clean water and go to the nearest burn department.
Tiret- an excellent tool if you need to clean sewer pipes and siphons at home. The liquid is a gel; unfortunately, it is not used economically. One bottle is only enough for 2 cleanings. Tirete is poured into the drain hole and left to act for 5 minutes; if the blockage is severe, you can wait 30 minutes. The remaining cleaning agent is washed off with running water. Tirete should not be mixed with acids, as the reaction can cause serious burns to the respiratory tract.
Mister Muscle can be used to clean all types of drain pipes. The substance is granular, but can also negatively affect the condition of the skin, so do not forget to wear rubber gloves. Mister muscle is poured into the drain hole and left for half an hour. During this time, the chemical will have time to remove not only the blockage, but also kill pathogenic microorganisms and remove the stench. Then flush the drain hole with hot water.
Sky another noteworthy remedy for. It destroys germs, dissolves soap deposits, hair and even threads. The product is sold in sachets. The contents of one bag are poured into the sewer hole, which needs to be cleared of blockages, and wait 15 minutes. Then the residues are washed off with running water. Be careful when removing excess product around the drain hole.

Household chemicals will solve the problem well and quickly. But if you are an asthmatic and a respirator does not help, it is better to use traditional methods for clearing a clogged pipe.

Folk remedies

In every person’s life, sooner or later there comes a time when a problem arises: how to clean the siphon in the sink and remove the blockage in the bathroom.

If the house does not have a plumbing cable or plunger, you can use folk remedies.

Baking soda can be used in many different ways. But to use it you need to have no water in the bathroom.

Correct solution to the problem:

Take rubber gloves and goggles to protect your eyes. Caustic soda can cause chemical burns and has fantastic degreasing properties. It's easy to deal with clogged drains if you have such a remedy in your home. Take a bucket and pour 2 liters of water into it, add 3 cups of caustic soda. Mix the solution well with an old wooden spoon. When the liquid begins to fizz, pour it into the clogged siphon. Let the solution sit for 20-30 minutes, then turn on the hot water. The procedure can be repeated if the clogged drain could not be cleared the first time.
Mix ½ cup of table salt with ½ cup of baking soda, add water and pour into the pipe. Leave for 10-20 minutes, then add boiling water. Salt, baking soda and boiling water will create a chemical reaction that should dissolve the plaque.
Baking soda and vinegar are a natural alternative to chemicals. This method is environmentally preferable and will not damage plastic pipes. Pour boiling water down the drain. Then add ½ cup of baking soda and push it inside. Leave the drain alone for 5 minutes. Next, pour in 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of boiling liquid. The baking soda and vinegar will start to hiss, this chemical reaction will help clean the pipe. After 10 to 20 minutes, pour a kettle of hot water down the drain to wash away any dirt loosened by the product.

Baking soda, vinegar, and salt are cheap options that can be found in the grocery aisle. These cleaners quickly remove dirt from pipes and flush out the siphon.

Boiling water

This method can be used regularly, even every day. But if the pipe becomes severely clogged, boiling liquid may not help.

Boil more water and pour slowly down the drain in 2-3 batches, allowing the hot water to sit for a few seconds. This is the fastest way to clear a drain if your bathtub is clogged.

Dish detergent

Dish detergent can break down grease stains. It can be used if you need to clean the siphon or.

What to do to break through the drain - algorithm of actions:

First, boiling water is poured into the drain.
Then add ¼ cup of dishwashing detergent.
Wait 15-20 minutes and add boiling water again.
After half an hour, you can turn on high pressure hot water and rinse thoroughly.

Dish detergent can be used with a plunger. This will make the cleaning efficiency even better.

Sulfuric acid

Sulfuric acid is a good chemical commonly used to unclog a bathroom drain that is severely clogged.

Sulfuric acid is a harsh chemical that can be used, but is not recommended by plumbers. They claim that it will not be possible to get rid of the blockage with its help, in addition, its use will lead to the destruction of the sewer system.

It is better to buy household chemicals, which can be found on the counter of any hardware store.

This method of cleaning sewer systems is very effective. Washing is done quickly and efficiently.

The most important advantage of the hydrodynamic method is that it does not damage the pipeline, but on the contrary, its service life is extended, since the method is gentle.

This method is also environmentally friendly and destroys deposits of any nature.

Hydrodynamic cleaning is carried out only by plumbers, since its use requires special equipment.

The technique involves releasing a jet of water under pressure, its temperature can reach 120 degrees.

It is recommended to carry out flushing using the hydrodynamic method 1–2 times a year. Thanks to this cleaning method, the sewer system will operate smoothly throughout the year.

Prevention

The likelihood of blockages is higher if the sewer pipes are already old. In order to clean the drain holes as little as possible, you must first replace the entire system.

If possible, remove contamination from the outside. After each wash, you must put on rubber gloves and remove them from the drain hole.

It is also necessary to use a plunger at least 2 times a week, as well as after each wash. This will remove all hair from the drain hole.

Such simple measures will prevent dirt from quickly accumulating on the inner surface of the pipes.

Cleaning the sewer system can be done not every week, but once a month. If the drain becomes clogged more quickly, then cleaning needs to be done more often.

Blockages in the bathroom are one of the most global problems in any apartment. And not only in the apartment, in our age of modernization for convenience, it has become common to install bathrooms in private houses and cottages. If the sewage system stops functioning normally, all sorts of problems immediately begin - this includes the appearance of an unpleasant odor and the overflow of dirty water from the drain. Even if all operating rules are followed, blockage still cannot be avoided. The article will discuss what to do if there is a blockage in the bathroom.

The bathroom sewer system begins to clog from the moment it is first used. From the first days of operation, organic and inorganic deposits settle on it. Therefore, the reasons for clogged pipes in the bathroom are varied.

Most often, it is caused by accumulations of hair, pet hair, soap solutions and deposits of household chemicals, which are pressed and compacted over time. All this begins to rot, mold, and fungus may appear. Such blockages are of simple and medium types in their complexity. Complex types, so-called deep blockages, include draining water after construction work.
They are also divided into local - this is when the blockage occurred in only one apartment, and general - when the central sewer system was blocked.

What causes clogs in the drain?

First, let's figure out what a sewer drainage system is.

Typically, the sewage system originates from the kitchen and passes into a common riser through the bathroom and toilet.

In modern construction, old cast iron pipes have been replaced by plastic analogues. They have a number of advantages:
1. less susceptible to contamination;
2. due to the properties of the material, there is no condensation on such a pipe;
3. Plastic pipes do not rust or rot.
Clogging of cast iron sewer pipes, first of all, depends not on their susceptibility to rust, but on their location. They are mounted at a slight slope relative to the junction of the riser.
The sewer system on each floor has an auxiliary window designed for additional cleaning; as a rule, it is located 15 cm above the level of the bathtub or sink.

Advice: for preventive purposes, so as not to have to resort to time-consuming cleaning of the blockage in the bathtub, it is recommended to unclog the sewer pipes in the bathroom using boiling water with the addition of soda or bleach. To prevent blockage, it is recommended to do this once every seven days.

Tip: There is another method using soda ash. One cup of soda is poured into the drain hole, followed by a cup of vinegar. At the moment when the reaction begins, you should rinse the drain with boiling water.

Advice: to prevent blockages, it is quite effective to use a simple filter plug, which prevents hair and any debris from entering the sewer system.

How to clear a clog in the bathroom

Siphon disassembly

Before using chemicals and other cleaning products, you can try to disassemble the siphon. In this case, the likelihood of quickly eliminating the blockage increases and it becomes possible to clean the siphon itself from the resulting sediment (it does not harm the drainage system, but it is from it that an unpleasant odor emanates from the bathroom and bacteria breed in it).

When disassembling, you need to take into account that it is easier to dismantle a plastic siphon than a metal one, since the metal is subject to corrosion, and the parts are firmly connected to each other. Therefore, in an old house where a metal drainage system is installed, it will not be possible to cope without the help of a plumbing specialist.

To work you will need:

rag;
basin;
technical gloves.

Stages of work

It is necessary that the bathtub be without water, so if it is clogged and the water is standing, it needs to be scooped out.
Before removing the tightening nut and flask, you need to place a basin or bucket.

After the inspection, the sewer pipe is cleaned mechanically. To do this, just rinse the drain with boiling water.

Tip: Usually in the bathroom, dirt accumulates at the base of the drain, so it will not be difficult to clean it by simply removing the protective grate.

Using hot water

The first step is to determine the type of blockage, that is, check where the contamination occurred - local or the central pipe is clogged.

You need to pour boiling water into the bathroom drain, maybe with soda. This method should help, especially with the accumulation of soap or chemical deposits.
This procedure should be done carefully so as not to be scalded by boiling water.

Using a plunger

The most common and simple device for cleaning sewer systems is a plunger.

The rubber bowl of the plunger should be larger than the drain hole and fit snugly against the bathroom drain to create a vacuum.
Holding the handle of the plunger, make several sharp pushes in order to break through the blockage in the drain pipe. After which the plunger must be sharply torn away from the bathtub.
If the first cleaning does not bring the expected results, then the same procedure is repeated several more times.

Chemical cleaning

Today on store shelves there is a very diverse selection of chemicals for clearing clogs. Of course, with their help there will be an immediate result, but do not forget that such chemistry contains acids and alkalis and must be used with extreme caution.

Advice: if the general sewer system is completely clogged, you should not clean it with chemicals, as the caustic substance can come back into the bathroom and harm the enamel. Also, with frequent use, the sewer pipes themselves can quickly fail.

There are some rules when using chemicals:

fumes from chemicals are very harmful to health and therefore cleaning should be carried out in a well-ventilated area wearing a protective mask and rubber gloves;
It is recommended to use drugs manufactured only industrially. Homemade cleaning products such as acid concentrate or kerosene can render the sewer system unusable;
Under no circumstances should you use several products at once, this may lead to the opposite effect. There is a risk of a reaction, in rare cases with consequences;
When using chemical compounds, you must strictly follow the attached instructions:
1. the required amount of product is poured into the drain;
2. the specified time is waited;
3. the drain is washed with a stream of water.

Application of plumbing cable

Also, a steel cable with a diameter of 4 mm is widely used for cleaning drain systems; one end is equipped with a handle to simplify the work, and the other has a brush or brush with stiff bristles. It is not difficult to purchase it, as it is sold in any hardware store. When purchasing a steel cable, you need to consider its length.

Advice: in the practice of specialists, the use of an electric spiral cable is common, but you will not be able to use it yourself.

Stages of work

When using a cable, you need direct access to the sewer pipe itself; to do this, disassemble and remove the drain hose or siphon.
The cable is slowly inserted into the sewer hole, while rotational movements are made clockwise. Rotations should be slow to prevent the cable from bending.
If possible, during cable cleaning, water should be poured in at the same time to facilitate the work and soften the seals in the pipe. The cable continues to advance until it encounters a blockage.
After a blockage in the pipe is found, it is broken using the same rotations with a cable. This method takes much longer than the others.

Cleaning pipes with a vacuum cleaner

At home, you can use an ordinary household vacuum cleaner that has a blowout hole to clean the drain.

But before you use the vacuum cleaner, you need to prepare it:

For work you will need a small rubber ball;
it is cut into two parts, which should be one larger and the other smaller;
a small part of the ball is placed inside a large one and a hole is made in the center equal to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner tube;
The vacuum cleaner hose is attached to the hole in the ball and secured with electrical tape or a clamp. But before you attach the hose to the blowing hole of the vacuum cleaner, you need to remove the bag from the dust collector;
the resulting bowl is placed against the drain and the vacuum cleaner is turned on.

This simple and primitive method removes blockages very well.

Hydrodynamic method

It happens that the blockage cannot be removed using any of the above methods. Then more efficient equipment should be used.

Hydrodynamic removal of blockages is carried out using a high-pressure water jet. Thus, all deposits that have accumulated over the years are washed out very thoroughly.
It is used mainly for flushing pipes in hard-to-reach places, since it does not violate the tightness of joints.

Thermal method

Clearing a clog in the bathroom with a jet of hot water under pressure is called the thermal method.

This method is great for dealing with hard fat plugs.
If, in combination with hot water, you also use chemicals that destroy organic deposits and bacteria, then in this case disinfection is also carried out.

Preventive measures against blockages

To avoid the question of how to remove a blockage in the bathroom, you need to periodically carry out maintenance of sewer pipes, which allows you to keep the drainage system clean.

To prevent fat deposits, you should rinse the sewer system with boiling water twice a week for 10 minutes;
install protective grilles that protect pipes from various types of debris and dirt getting into them;
do not leave rags and any kind of waste near the drain; if they get into the sewer system, they form an impenetrable plug in the pipe;

Only with proper care and compliance with the rules for using the bathroom, it is possible to extend the service life of the drainage system. After all, with frequent use of cleaning products, the sewer system is subject to rapid wear.