How to Unblock Drain With a Mop

Do you need to unblock drain?

You can easily unblock drain with a mop following these FOUR simple steps.

Watch this video where we explain it all!

Have you got a blocked drain that is overflowing?

The first sign of a blocked drain is your kitchen or bathroom drains will start to run slowly. And then you see the drain overflowing out in your backyard. But that’s a good sign because if it’s not, it’ll be overflowing inside your house.

Before you call a plumber out with all the gear to sort it out for you, you might want to give this technique a try first.

There are many reasons that can cause your blocked drain.

There are some serious cases, like roots in the drain. But there are also not-so-serious cases like a fat blockage, or one of the smaller members of your family has thrown sand into the drain.

These not-so-serious blockages are the ones that this little technique will most of the time get the drain flowing again.

Water Cannot Be Compressed

When using this technique, always keep this in the back of your mind.

First of all, you need to know what that overflowing drain in your backyard actually is and what it’s there for.

Every house or unit should have an underground water trap. It’s very important because it’s the only thing that will stop raw sewage flooding into your house as well as stopping the sewage smell coming up. Plumbers can also connect bathroom fixtures, kitchen, and troughs into this disconnector gully (DG).

The top of the grate should be set below the finished floor level of your house, so when the sewer blocks up, the raw sewage will pour out of the top of the grate instead of coming out the shower or floor waste inside your house.

Another thing to make sure of is

the grate is removable and made of plastic, not cast iron.

The reason for this is that when wet papers get pushed up under the grate, the plastic grate floats up and out, so the sewage can escape outside. This won’t happen with the cast iron one. The paper will be caught up there and the sewage will start coming out inside your bathroom.

So if you have cast iron grates installed at your place, next time one of the guys is over, ask us to swap them out as we carry these on board in our vans.

If you would like to swap it over yourself, then you can buy them from Reece. The part number is 1409 703. It’s a PVC DT mound with legs.

So if it is just a fat or foreign object blockage like sand, you should be able to unblock it yourself.

Following these FOUR EASY STEPS:

  1. You need a hairy mop. If you don’t have one, just buy a cheap one from Bunnings.
  2. Now this part is very important. You must make sure that the end of the mop won’t come off its handle. The best way to make sure is to stand on the hairy mop and pull with all your might on the handle. If it comes off, then you need to put a screw into the handle so it can’t come off.
  3. Once you have that sorted, place the mop into the DG and slowly give it a plunge up and down. All the time, in the back of your mind, just picture the water being pushed up against the blockage.
  4. Once the blockage has moved on, it’s a great idea to have a bucket of water poured down to flush that blockage out and away down into the sewage system.

Now if this technique doesn’t work…

Well, then you really only have TWO other options:

  • Go out and spend $30,000 on a new drain jetter and camera with a locator, and you’ll be able to sort it out easy.
  • You will need to engage a local plumber who has all of the gear to unblock your drain for you.

Don’t fret. We do have all the gear to sort it out. So if you live in or around the Shire of Kalamunda, and your drains aren’t flowing, give us a call. We will be happy to help.

Do you need to unblock toilet instead? We also got it covered.