9 Secrets That Plumbers Aren’t Rushing to Share With Us
In the modern world, the breakage of bathroom fitments can be a real disaster because we can’t live without our sinks, bathtubs, and toilets. It’s no wonder that if something breaks down we can’t help but call the plumber in a panic. But you can avoid these surprise expenses if you know how to prevent these bathroom problems in the first place.
At Bright Side, we’d like to share these life hacks with you that specialists aren’t rushing to tell us about — and they’ll help you save a lot of money. At the end of the article, you’ll find a video that illustrates what things you should never flush down the toilet!
1. You can replace the washer drain hose yourself.
You don’t need to call a plumber to replace the drain hose on your washing machine because it’s quite easy to do yourself. A new hose is rather cheap and you can buy it in any household store. On the internet, you can find a lot of manuals for different types of washing machines.
2. Don’t flush oil and grease down the drain.
Oil and grease don’t dissolve in water, they get accumulated in the pipes and grow which eventually leads to blockage. Oil and grease can harm not only your sewage system but also the sewage systems of your entire building — or even the ones that belong to the city.
So, what’s the ideal way to dispose of such grease? Put the oil into a bag or a container, and then throw it away into a regular trash bin.
3. Be careful with bath bombs.
We all love these bubbling things but they aren’t always safe for the pipes. They can contain oil and salt that don’t dissolve in the water and can clog up your pipes. Also, bombs can contain sparkles, petals, and other things that don’t belong in the drain.
In order to reduce these risks, put a bath bomb in a protective nylon cover before use.
4. Don’t pour boiling water down plastic pipes.
Boiling water can make your plastic pipes softer or even melt them. If you do it just once, it won’t damage your pipes. But if you pour boiling hot water down the drain more often than twice a week, be prepared for your pipes to start leaking. Even if your pipes are made of metal, their joints may be made of plastic or rubber, resulting in the same fate.
Wait until the water in your pot cools down or turn on cold water while you’re pouring the boiling water down the drain.
5. Unclog the drain with plastic wrap.
Plastic wrap is a great alternative to a plunger when you need to unclog your toilet.
- Attach double-sided tape to the rim of the toilet bowl.
- Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Push the flush button. The wrap should raise.
- Lastly, press the wrap down.
This will create pressure inside the bowl, and your drain should become unclogged.
6. Warm up your bathtub before use.
Don’t test your bathtub’s durability with a rapid change of temperature. If you want to take a bath, pour a bit of water out first and warm up the walls of the bathtub. Then you can add more warm water. This way, your bathtub’s enamel will stay newer for longer and won’t get yellow or crack.
7. Use baking soda.
To unclog your sink, you don’t need to buy expensive drain cleaners. Instead, try to make a cleaning solution yourself.
- Put half a cup of baking soda down the drain.
- Next, pour the same amount of vinegar.
- Leave the mixture there for a couple of hours and then rinse the drain with warm water.
8. Clean your washing machine.
In order to make your washing machine serve you longer, carry out a clean washer cycle every 3 months. This cycle should be done when the washer is empty. Select the hot water setting, add some baking soda, white vinegar or citric acid, and push the start button.
This way, you’ll clean your washer from limescale, bacteria, and other impurities.
9. Repair a chipped bathtub and sink.
But you don’t need to call a technician to remove the chips and take your money. You can easily do it yourself with a bath repair kit that you can easily find online.
source: brightside.me