In the course of daily operation, sewer pipes are periodically clogged. The first signal of the appearance of a traffic jam is water retention in the sink or bathtub. In advanced cases, an unpleasant rotten smell appears from the drain hole. In such a situation, the owner is faced with a choice: to call a paid plumber or to fix the problem with his own hands. If you decided on the second option, then we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to clean the sewer at home.
To date, a huge amount of experience has been accumulated in the elimination of household blockages. Both mechanical tools and chemicals are used in plumbing practice. However, for the best result, use all available drain cleaning methods in combination.
Mechanical methods
With deep blockages, mechanical methods of cleaning sewer pipes are the most effective and unpretentious. Any homeowner, even one inexperienced in plumbing, has seen tools for manual drain cleaning.
- A plunger is a device in the form of a rubber hemisphere mounted on a wooden handle. During work, it is important that there is water in the bathtub or sink. With reciprocating movements, the water between the plunger cup and the place of blockage, like a piston, will push the plug to the sewer pipe, which is wider in cross-section.
- A drainage drill is better known as a plumbing cable. It consists of a steel spring and a rotating handle. The spring is pushed into the pipe as deeply as possible and at the same time slowly rotated, which helps to clear the blockage.
Chemical methods
Experts recommend pouring hot water with a diluted detergent and disinfectant into the pipe to prevent grease blockages. This will help clean the inner walls of the drain from stuck dirt and household fat. The compound for removing fat can be purchased at any hardware store. It can be “Liquid plumber”, “Silite for pipes” or “Mole”, known since Soviet times. The sodium hydroxide, or “caustic alkali” included in these liquids, effectively dissolves organic residues and cleans the sewage system. Household chemicals require small financial costs, but they will free you from flooded floors and physical exercises with a cable or a plunger.
Household methods
Along with professional pipe cleaners, there are well-known environmentally friendly household recipes. Among them is the use of soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and other preparations that can be found in any household. These recipes are not only much cheaper than household chemicals, but also safer for the user’s health.
- Prepare a container with hot water and dissolve half a pack of soda in it. Pour the contents into the pipe. Soda in combination with hot water will soften the fatty lump in the pipe, and the plunger will help push the plug to the sewer riser and thereby clean the pipe.
- Take half a glass of preheated food vinegar and the same amount of baking soda. Mix the ingredients and pour into the plum. As a result of the chemical reaction, a lot of foam is formed, so plug the drain hole with a piece of cloth or a rag. Wait 2 hours. Then open the drain, pour hot water and start using a plunger to finally clear the blockage.
Clogging prevention
You need to fight not only with blockages. Plugs created in pipes can become so dense that it is no longer possible to clean them mechanically or dissolve them with chemical reagents. In this case, the owner will have to replace the outlet pipe, which is costly and troublesome. That is why it is important not only to learn how to clear sewer blockages, but also to take preventive measures from time to time.
Prevention measures can be divided into two main groups:
- firstly, what should not be done when operating domestic sewage;
- secondly, what is recommended.
Can not:
- throw food scraps, peeled skin or paper into the drain hole;
- pour glue and expired medicines, even down the toilet;
- pour out sand and other construction mixtures – there is a garbage container for this.
Recommended:
- once a month, pour a special cleaning agent into the pipe that dissolves fat and other organic residues;
- install grates on the drain holes that will retain garbage, hair and other foreign fragments;
- after washing greasy dishes, pour a kettle of hot water into the sink. If you have installed plastic pipes, then beware of pouring boiling water! Washing dishes with hot water will become a useful habit. Forget about advertising promises from any “Fairy” that “dissolves fat even in cold water.” At a high temperature, grease is better washed off the walls of your sewer and does not form “clots”.
Results
So, we have considered the main ways to clean domestic sewage that are available to non-professional plumbers. Remember that the comfort and safety of using plumbing equipment in your home depends on proper preventive measures and quick removal of clogging.