Content
You can clean the toilet with a cable at home without having any special skills. In addition, such a tool should always be at hand. Before purchasing a device, you need to know how to use it, and also consider several types of devices.
Is it possible to clean the toilet with a cable
A toilet bowl cleaning cable is needed to remove a deep and dense blockage that a conventional plunger or chemicals cannot handle. The device is a wire, twisted into a spiral, at the end of which there is a special tip. With its help, the waste plug in the pipes is cleaned efficiently and quickly. In order not to damage the faience and pipes, the device is covered with a special PVC sheath. The length of the tool can be from 5 to 12 m, and the diameter is 6-15 mm. This size allows you to completely clean the entire drain in the apartment.
To find out if it is possible to clean the toilet with a cable, you need to determine the type of blockage. Plumbers distinguish 3 types:
|
Operational |
Mechanical |
Technological |
|
This blockage is easy to break through with a rope. Trash plug in such cases consists of hair, grease, paper and food debris flushed down the toilet. Dirt sticks to the walls of the pipes, and over time, the build-up grows and blocks the pipe, completely blocking the outflow of drainage water. |
This type of blockage can be cleared with a cable, but not always. The cork is formed due to an object that does not dissolve in water and has large dimensions. It gets stuck in the curves of the system and blocks the water outlet. Most often, these items are children's toys, pieces of cloth, or cat litter. In cases where the cable does not help, the pipes have to be completely changed. |
If a blockage occurs very often in the toilet, it means that the water outflow system is not done correctly. Perhaps the pipes have the wrong slope or simply have served their purpose and are very worn out. The only way to fix the problem is to move the drain again. It is possible to clear the blockage with a rope, but it will be useless, since the plug will form again after a week. |
Features of cleaning the toilet with a cable
The main feature that is important to pay attention to is the type of fixture. Plumbing cables that can be used to clean the toilet are divided into 3 types:
- cable;
- spring;
- spring-wound.
Rope tools are used to clear operational debris. The length of such a device does not exceed 6 m, and the diameter is 6 mm. For efficient operation, the tip is made in the form of a wire bundle. It is easy for them to pull out hair clumps.
Spring-wound devices are thicker and more resilient, their diameter is from 9 mm. The device is equipped with a handle that allows you to rotate the device inside the pipe in any direction. At the end, the device is crimped with a bent tip. Such a device can be used to clear a mechanical blockage.
Spring fixtures are classified as professional tools. They reach a length of 15 to 16 m. The diameter is 12-16 mm.Thinner devices are used to unclog operational blockages, and thick and dense products cope well with plugs formed in pipes between floors.
To enhance the efficiency of the device, additional attachments can be attached to the handpieces. To determine which element needs to be installed, you need to know the peculiarity of the sewer structure and the type of pipes.
Advantages and disadvantages of cleaning the toilet with a cable
One of the main advantages of a toilet bowl cleaning cable is its ease of use. It is enough just to lower the device into the drain hole and rotate it. Work can be carried out at great depths of pipes, up to 70 m. Thanks to special nozzles on the tip, the blockage is easy to clean. It lends itself to ejection and breaks down quickly. Another positive feature of the device is flexibility, the blockage can be cleared in pipes of different configurations.
Of the shortcomings, plumbers and homeowners note only 3 points:
- Rough handling can damage the plastic pipe walls.
- The process of breaking through the trash plug can take a long time (10-40 minutes). It is not always possible to clean the blockage from 1 time.
- After work, the device must be washed from the remaining dirt.
How to choose a cable for cleaning the toilet
When purchasing a device to clean the toilet, you need to pay attention to its diameter. It is important that this parameter matches the width of the pipes.
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Pipes |
Suitable rope diameter |
|
D 100 mm |
10-12 mm |
|
D 200 mm |
14 mm |
|
D 300 mm |
16 mm |
The fixture must be carefully inspected before purchasing. The wire wrapped around the core should be flat, and each layer of the winding should fit snugly against the other. There should be no even small rust spots on the device. If the kit includes nozzles for the handpiece, then they must be made of high-quality metal, not have chips or scratches.
It is necessary to inspect the handle well and check if it fixes the cable tightly. Experienced plumbers advise purchasing a device with a handle that can block the position of the device. This feature makes working with the product easier and more convenient. You can buy an electric drive. Such models allow you to break through plugs at a shallow depth, faster than manually.
How to unclog a toilet with a cable
When using a plumbing cable when the toilet is clogged, the following instructions must be followed:
- The floor in the toilet must be covered with plastic. Protect hands with rubber gloves. The device is removed from the package and inspected for integrity. Identify the cause of the blockage and its location. Select suitable attachments.
- The cable must be pushed into the toilet through the drain hole. You do not need to dissolve it to its full length right away. The device is unwound gradually, overcoming difficult places and pipe bends. The remainder is kept twisted into a ring in the hand where the handle is. To push the tool through the pipes, the handle is rotated in the desired direction and gently push the end of the device into the depth.
- When the tip rests against the debris plug, use the handle to make a few jolts, trying to break through the jam. So you can clear the blockage with a parting with a "harpoon" tip. If there are hooks at the end, then they need to pick up the blockage and pull it out.
- When the stagnant water begins to decrease, the elimination of the blockage can be considered complete. It remains only to check the system performance. When flushing, the water in the toilet should be curled into a funnel.
How to independently clean the toilet or sink (the same principle) using a cable, you can watch the video:
Preventing toilet blockages
To keep the pipes clogged as rarely as possible, you need to follow a few rules:
- Do not flush paper and other hygiene items down the toilet. Better to place a separate bin under the rubbish and empty it periodically.
- It is also recommended to dispose of leftover food in the trash.
- Do not flush the contents of the litter box down the toilet. The filler can solidify in the pipe, forming an impenetrable "stone" plug. We will have to change the pipes, because such a blockage cannot be cleared with a cable.
- It is recommended that you use a plunger to clear out the mash in the early stages.
- When doing weekly cleaning, you need to pour special products into the toilet that will help clean out small dirt inside the drain system.
The most important thing is to prevent large items such as children's toys or debris from entering the drain.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to clean the toilet with a cable at home. The main thing is to choose the right tool and use it following the instructions. Although wire rope is considered the most effective way to clear blockages in pipes, it should only be used in extreme cases.
