Drain pipe clogged? How to clean the drain properly!

• A classic - the suction cup
• wire brush
• Drain cleaning cables
• Hot water with soap
• Vinegar and baking soda
• denture cleaners
• Unscrew the siphon

In the kitchen, in the bathroom or in the utility room the drainpipe is clogged ">

In household you will find various drains, such as a sink or a bathtub. The difference is essentially that the siphon can be easily accessible or installed. Most of the procedures described here are practicable without you having to unscrew the siphon.

They can be realized with simple means and at the same time they are effective. In order to choose the right variant, it is helpful to know if it is an organic deposit or a solid that has been inadvertently introduced into the pipe. For the blockages, for example, large amounts of soap residue or hardened lime may be responsible.

A classic - the suction cup

The principle of the suction cup - also known as Pümpel - is to create pressure and negative pressure and thus get the tube free.

Tip: In the trade different sizes of Pümpel are offered. While a large pool is suitable for the toilet, a smaller model is ideal for the drain.

1. Step: If the washbasin is equipped with an overflow, you must first close it with a wet cloth. Otherwise, the pressure can not build up.
2. Step: Now pour a glass of warm water and a little soap into the drain.
3. Step: Put on the pool. It is important that the suction cup completely covers the drain.
4. Step: Now fill the bathtub or the sink with water until the red suction cup is completely covered.
5. Step: Now push the handle down quickly and then pull it back up jerkily. It creates a suction effect through which blockages can be solved. Perform the movement several times in succession.

The plastic bottle as an alternative to Pümpel
If you do not have a suction cup on hand, then alternatively use a plastic bottle. The bottle should have a volume of about one liter and must first be emptied.

Tip: The bottle opening must be large enough to cover the drainpipe. This is important so that the appropriate pressure can build up.

1. First of all you have to seal the overflow, it is best to use a damp cloth.
2. Fill the plastic bottle with hot water.
3. Press the open bottle onto the drain and squeeze the bottle firmly. By the water flowing into the pipe, a high pressure is built up, which is intended to remove the blockages.
4. Repeat this process several times in succession until the tube is free again.

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Tip: If the bottle opening is too small or the drainpipe is particularly large, then you can enlarge the opening by cutting off the neck of the bottle.

wire brush

Wire brushes are available in different versions and can also be used for cleaning the drainpipe. It is important to select the right model here. First, the brush must be slim enough to get into the tube. The fine wire pins, which are also very flexible, get you deep into the siphon. Since it is a mechanical removal of constipation, this method is also suitable for stubborn deposits. One possible area of ​​application is lime deposits, for example, which have existed for some time.

1. Carefully insert the wire brush into the tube. To do this, either unscrew the cap or remove it by hand if necessary. If the blockage is deeper, unscrew the siphon.

Tip: Make sure you do not scratch the ceramics of the sink or the bathtub as much as possible to prevent damage by the wire.

2. Now move the brush back and forth so that the deposits can be removed. The application is generally simple, it becomes difficult only if the siphon should be extremely angled or the stains have already become too persistent. In the latter case, you can first with an alternative method, for example, with vinegar and baking powder, work ahead and remove with the wire brush the last remnants.

Drain cleaning cables

If the blockage is deeper and you can not reach with the wire brush, then a spindle or a spiral is a good idea. They also work mechanically and are very effective. Due to the long shape you can also get into drainpipes, which are located in the wall. The individual models of the spindles differ in their length, the usual dimensions are one to two meters.

First you have to unscrew the siphon:

• Put a bucket under the siphon.
• Unscrew the connections with siphon pliers and remove the gaskets.

Tip: There is a relatively large amount of water in the siphon that you need to catch with the bucket.

Step 1: Now you have to push the spiral a few centimeters into the pipe.
Step 2: Now put the crank on.
Step 3: Now insert the spiral into the pipe while constantly turning the crank.
Step 4: Screw the siphon back on. Be sure to replace the gaskets.

Tip: If several passes are necessary, tilt hot water into the drain between each repetition. The heat and the humidity have a positive effect on the success.

Hot water with soap

Organic deposits can often be removed with proven home remedies. The required ingredients are usually present in the household, so this is a quick help.

You need this:

• Warm water
• Soap, shower or washing up liquid
• cooking pot

1. Remove coarse remains from the drain.
2. Heat about 1 to 2 liters of water on the stove.
3. Mix the warm water with about 0.1 liter of detergent, shower gel or a little soap.
4. Tilt the water slowly and continuously into the drain.
5. Soak the water with the soap for about half an hour and rinse afterwards. The water should now drain better. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

Vinegar and baking soda

Vinegar and baking soda react with each other and can thus remove deposits. However, it is important to pay attention to certain safety precautions in order not to cause damage to the material or to persons.

Reaction of vinegar and baking soda - less than expected 1 of 2

utensils:

• 1 packet of baking soda
• 1 liter of vinegar
• 1 stick to stir
• 1 cooking pot
• 1 liter of water

1. Boil the water in a saucepan on the stove.
2. Gently pour the s of the packet into the drain. If the blockage is so far forward that the powder can not be completely poured into the tube, then use a smaller amount of baking soda.

Tip: Make sure that the baking powder only gets into the drain and if possible not into the sink. This could lead to unwanted reactions with the material.

3. Now pour vinegar into the drainpipe. Slowly fill the liquid as the chemical reaction starts. It is normal if the mixture begins to bubble and eventually gains in volume.
4. Leave the mixture on for a short while and add a little of the warm water. Now the mix is ​​distributed in the tube and you can let it work for about 1 hour.

Safety measures:

• Never cover the drain because of the evolution of gases. These must be able to escape, so that there is no sudden discharge.
• Ensure adequate ventilation of the room by opening the window.

denture cleaners

Teeth cleaning tablets can also be effective against organic deposits in the tubes. If the tube is clogged, you will need around 3 to 5 tablets that have to dissolve inside. In addition, a little warm water is necessary to reach them.

1. Step: Put the tablets into the tube one after the other. If necessary, you can crumble the denture cleanser tablets to get them through the drain.
2. Open the tap for the warm water and let a little water flow into the drain. This helps the tablets dissolve better.
3. Allow the product to act for about 1 hour and then rinse with warm water.

Tip: When rinsing, it is important to work with enough water to flush away any remains. This budget can also be used preventively, for example, if you notice a worsening outflow.

Unscrew the siphon

Sinks are equipped with a siphon, in which the curved shape can easily form deposits. In addition, it is possible that inadvertently deposited objects in the pipe here. Soap remains also often hang here and can lead to a closure.

Tool:

• tongs
• bucket
• cloth
• wire brush
• possibly replacement seals

First of all, the siphon must be unscrewed:
- Use the pliers to loosen the connection at the washbasin.
- Remove the seals.
- Disconnect the connection from the siphon to the wall.
- Remove the seals.

Tip: Put a bucket under the siphon. This serves to catch the water in the siphon. This is a relatively large amount.

Now the siphon is cleaned:
Rinse the siphon and clean it with the wire brush.

To attach the siphon back to the basin:

1. First you have to fix the siphon back in the wall. To do this, push the siphon into the socket of the pipe on the wall.
2. Now insert the gasket.
3. Screw the odor trap tight.
4. Now insert the end of the siphon into the socket of the drain from the basin.
5. Insert the gasket.
6. Screw the siphon to the union nut with special pliers.

Tip: If the seals are brittle or deformed, replace them with the replacement seals.

Work proactively: Act quickly for the smallest blockages
In order to keep drainpipes constantly free, it is important to be active at the first sign of a deteriorating runoff behavior. Once the tube is clogged, the work is all the harder. Light deposits can often be removed by the use of dish soap or denture cleansing tablets. Tilt about 0.3 liter of dishwashing liquid into the tube and let it act overnight. Rinse thoroughly. The denture cleanser tablets are used as described in the corresponding instructions.

Tips for quick readers:

• Use warm water and soap
• Pümpel insert
• If Pümpel not at hand: plastic bottle
• Mix vinegar with baking powder
• Clean the siphon yourself
• Use pipe spiral
• Use warm water with soap
• Insert wire brush
• Already at the beginning of clogging clean the pipe