How to clean a sewer pipe at home with your own hands

Clogging (complete or partial) of sewer pipes is a nuisance that occurs in any family. It is not always possible to turn to a professional plumber for help, so you need to master some simple skills and rules for cleaning plastic and cast-iron sewer pipes.

Photo: outlet from the sink in the kitchen blockage in the siphon of the sink

Experts say the most common areas of clogging are from sinks in the kitchen or bathroom outlets to the riser. It is in these areas that fat accumulates, and other dirt is gradually added (rust, earth, sand, food debris).

There are frequent clogging of the sewer from the outlets from the toilet bowl to the points of connection to the sewer risers. Slightly less often, the areas from the outlets from the bathroom to the outlet from the toilet can become clogged.

The most common causes of blockages

The frequency of clogging of sewer pipes depends on the operating conditions of the components of the entire plumbing system (sinks, sinks, bathtubs, toilet bowl). In most cases, due to the accumulation of fatty deposits and other dirt on the inner walls of the pipes, water begins to leave the bathroom, sink, washbasin, toilet bowl worse and worse.

Important! The use of detergents containing PAV also leads to faster accumulation of fatty waste on the walls of the sewer pipes, which accelerates clogging.

If the system instantly fails, then the reason for this may be the ingress of a foreign object into the sewer pipe (rags, sponges, cans from under the air freshener, etc.). Most often, garbage enters it through the toilet, since other sources are smaller in diameter and protected by nets.

Rare, but still occurring, causes of blockages:

• freezing;
• ground displacement;
• damage to the system;
• wear.

Sewerage system device

Photo: the inside of the sewer system the outside of the sewer system

The sewerage system consists of an internal and an external part.
The inside of the sewerage system, i.e. the part that is in the house, apartment. Comprises:

• receivers (bath, toilet, sink, washbasin);
• pipeline (branch lines);
• issues;
• risers.

The outer part of the sewer system is the part of the system that delivers wastewater to the treatment plant.

Outdoor system device:

• pipes;
• places of waste water discharges;
• local waste water treatment facilities.

Cleaning types

So, no matter how carefully we handle the sewer system, sooner or later the "long-awaited" moment comes when it is necessary to clean the sewer pipes.

Chemical

Chemical cleaning of pipes in the kitchen, bathroom, etc. dangerous for an unprepared person.

Important! Before work, stock up on gloves and goggles.

You need to know that chemical agents for cleaning sewer pipes are alkaline and acidic, one cannot be mixed with the other. Both the first and the second means, in principle, work the same: they are poured or poured into the sewer hole, a small amount of water is added, wait 10-20 minutes and washed with 2-4 buckets of water.

Chemical cleaning cannot guarantee a 100% result; mechanical cleaning of the sewer system may be required.

Mechanical

Sometimes mechanical cleaning of a pipe in a bathroom or kitchen is most effective. Physically, this is quite a difficult job. For such a cleaning, you need a long cable with a handle on one side (it will facilitate rotation). The end, which is without a handle, is pushed into the drain hole of the bathroom, sink, toilet bowl and slowly, very carefully, rotate the handle. When the end of the cable rests against the handle, it will be felt, in the end, the cause of the blockage will be destroyed. After that, you need to slowly pull out the cable.

Ventuz

You can use a regular plunger. They need to cover the drain hole, open the water (it should cover the plunger bowl). Further, they make several sharp vertical movements with the device, while the plunger does not need to be torn off the sink.

Photo: cleaning the sewer with a plunger

After that, it is removed, this is quite enough, the water begins to quickly leave. You can additionally pour one or two buckets of water to finally unblock the patency of the sewer pipes.

Hydrodynamic

Hydrodynamic sewage cleaning (hydrodynamic machines, high-pressure pumps, mini-washers) is an effective and modern way to deal with blockages of sewer pipes with diameters of 50-300 mm.

Photo: hydrodynamic pipe cleaning machine

This method is used both for cleaning industrial facilities and for eliminating household blockages. Very compact equipment is used to work with apartment sewer pipes.

With a rope

The cable is a steel wire with a diameter of 3-4 mm, which can be purchased at the bazaar or a specialized store.

First you need to remove the siphon, roll up part of the cable into a ring (for more convenient work), insert the other into the pipe. While rotating in one direction, slowly push the cable. Periodically, it can be pulled out and cleaned of debris, then the procedure can be repeated.

Important! After cleaning, you need to rinse the pipe with hot water (pour a large amount of water from the kettle directly into the pipe). Next, assemble the system, turn on the water, which will wash out the remains of debris from the sewer pipe.

Spiral cleaning machine

A spiral cleaning machine is a unit that, using spirals of various diameters and nozzles, helps to fight blockages in sewer pipes. To do this, the machine is installed opposite the inlet, and the spiral is inserted into the pipe. The machine rotates the spiral to the left or to the right, which makes it easy to break down accumulations of blockages.

Photo: spiral pipe cleaning machine

With a spiral

There are automatic spiral machines, but only specialists have such equipment. You can use a manual analogue of an expensive unit.

To do this, one end of the spiral is pushed into the drain hole and slowly rotated in one direction..

When the coil hits the blockage, it will destroy it.

This is a rather laborious process, but today, it is the most effective and affordable.

Home remedies

In order to start cleaning, it is necessary to check all the drains and establish whether the blockage is local or the cause is in the main sewer pipe. If the water does not leave only in the bathroom or sink, then you only need to clean it, the rest of the pipes should not be touched.

Boiling water rinsing

The very first thing to try is pouring a few liters of boiling water into the drain hole.

Very often the cause of the blockage is fatty deposits on the internal sewer walls. If the water does not help, try other methods: plunger, chemical methods, spiral, etc.

Photo: cleaning pipes with boiling water cleaning pipes with soda

Soda

If you do not accept chemicals in your home, you can use home remedies such as baking soda to remove the blockage.

First you need to remove the siphon and clean it, if the water does not leave, then you can pour 200-300 grams of soda into the pipe and pour one bottle of vinegar.

Usually the reaction from these two components will get rid of the blockages.

Prevention of blockages depending on the type of pipes

To prevent blockages of sewer pipes, it is recommended to periodically do prophylaxis:

• do not throw food waste, greasy food into the drain of sinks, sinks;
• once or twice a month, try not to forget to rinse the sink and sink drain with boiling water;
• once every two months, it is advisable to use special chemicals to prevent blockages.

Cleaning plastic pipes

The owners of plastic pipes in an apartment or house are much more fortunate, since they clog up much less often than cast iron pipes, which have a rough surface on the inner walls.

Clogs are more formed on bends, bends of plastic pipes, on the walls - grease and dirt do not linger.

It is better to clean it with salt or alkaline agents ("Tiret", "Mole"), they corrode the debris without damaging the plastic itself.

Important! Before use, be sure to read the instructions.

You can also use baking soda and vinegar, hot water to clean the pipes. If this remedy does not help, use a plunger to bleed the drain. It is necessary to disassemble the plastic drain, clean all the folds and the siphon itself from debris, use a cable to clean the sewer pipes.

It is necessary to use mechanical methods when cleaning plastic sewer pipes carefully, since the sewage system, especially with homemade rigid cables, can be damaged.

Cast iron pipes

Please note that old cast-iron sewer pipes cannot be cleaned with chemicals, since chemicals will also add a leak to your blockage.

• The first method is using a plunger if the blockage occurs in the washbasin, sink or bathroom.
• If this option does not help, use soda with vinegar.
• Last but not least, the most complex is used, but at the same time the most proven and effective method - wire rope.

We remove fat

• Alkaline or surfactants, which can be purchased at a household chemicals store, will help remove grease from the inner walls of the sewer pipes.
• From improvised and home remedies, you can use soda (without vinegar), grated laundry soap, washing powder.

Use special chemicals purchased in the store according to the instructions.

Home remedies fall asleep in the drain at night, rinse with plenty of boiling water in the morning.
An effective fight against fatty accumulations in sewer pipes is prevention.

Video: in the kitchen

What to do with sand

Blockages caused by deposits of heavy, solid particles can be difficult to remove. Such blockages do not appear immediately, they accumulate gradually.

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The reason for the appearance of sand in the sewer pipe may be:

• improper installation;
• if the slope of the pipe is broken;
• when dumping construction waste, including sand, into the sewer pipe.

It can be eliminated mechanically, using a spiral cleaning machine, or manually using a cable or spiral.

And in order not to think about what method or method to resort to in the event of a clogged sewer pipes, we recommend that you systematically resort to preventive flushing with boiling water with the addition of soda or ordinary bleach.

This will not only help prevent blockages, but also ensure a calm and happy life for you and your sewer system.

And finally

Video: popular remedies