Translating…
If you have a choked drain, you probably find yourself faced with an overflowing sink, tub or toilet. This can be a stressful situation but in many cases, you can solve the problem yourself. Here is what to do:
Evaluate the Situation
1. Place towels around the area to soak up the overflowing water and help prevent any water damage to the floor, etc.
2. Check for obvious reasons why the drain may be choked, such as a hard item that fell into the sink, drain or toilet. If you can see the object, put on a pair of gloves and reach in to pull out the object. You may need to use a pair of tongs to reach the object. However, if you cannot reach the object or attempts to pull the object out of the drain only pushes it further down the drain, stop immediately and call a plumber for assistance.
3. If you cannot see the reason for the choked drain, you can try to clear it yourself.
Clearing the Drain
1. Turn the hot water tap on for a few minutes and watch to see if the hot water helps loosen the choked drain. Turn the water back off if it does not appear to help reduce the clog.
2. Pour a small amount of chemical drain cleaner into the drain, following the directions on the drain cleaner container.
3. Create your own natural drain cleaner if you do not have any drain cleaner on hand. Pour ½-cup baking soda into the choked drain, followed by ¼-cup white vinegar and ½-cup salt.
4. Wait 20 minutes for the chemical drain cleaner or your natural drain cleaner to start dissolving the clog in the drain.
5. Turn the hot water tap on again and let it run for a few minutes. If the drain does not start to clear, add more chemical drain cleaner or repeat the steps with the baking soda, vinegar and salt.
If your efforts to clear the choked drain do not work, turn off the water supply in the house to prevent any further possible flooding. Call your local plumbing service for assistance. Sometimes there is a clog located in the home or business’s main line and this will require a professional plumber who has a drain snake to find and remove the clog from the drain line before the drain will work properly again.
Always contact a plumber for assistance if you have any questions.