What is a mole cleaner for drain cleaning: how does a drain cleaner work, its benefits and what composition does it have! Read more in this article.
Coming to the store to purchase a special liquid to remove blockages, the buyer is faced with a huge selection of diverse and modern products. However, there is one drug that has been used for many decades and never fails. And it’s called “Mole” for cleaning sewers. Many people entrust this work to him.
Compound
“Mole” for sewerage is produced in several forms. You can find it in the form of a powder, flowing gel or liquid. However, all these forms share active components. So, “Mole” for sewer cleaning has the following composition:
- Sodium hydroxide. The main component and its percentage exceeds 50%.
- Distilled water. It is used in liquid and makes up 25% of the total composition.
- Potassium hydroxide.
- Non-ionized surfactants.
In addition, the role of filler is given to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
Features of the composition
The active ingredients of the drug are alkaline elements that quickly break down fats. They come in 2 forms:
- potassium hydroxide with a concentration of 5 to 10%;
- sodium hydroxide with a concentration of 40 to 60%.
The effectiveness of "Mole" for cleaning sewers depends on the concentration of active substances in its composition. Manufacturers of the product produce modifications Turbo, Ultra, Reinforced and Tornado, with which you can remove contaminants of any complexity.
Minor substances from the composition of the drug:
- non-ionized surfactants (stimulate chemical reactions);
- modified ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (softens solid particles and water);
- distilled water (dilutes the drug in the form of a gel and liquid).
Some products have additional flavorings added. Detailed composition is indicated on the packaging of a particular drug.
How does the product work?
“Mole” is a cleaning agent for sewer pipes and is used to dissolve dirt in the system. This is especially true for hard-to-reach places, which include:
- Knees.
- The joints of the parts in which the rubber seal is mounted.
- Pipe bends.
- Siphons installed on bathtubs and sinks.
You can add to this list any places where it is easiest for the clog to remain on the surface of the pipe. It is important to understand that a fatty film can form even on a smooth surface, and it is to the film that waste clings.
This will lead to a significant reduction in throughput and the appearance of blockages that prevent the normal removal of wastewater. The active components of the composition soften and dissolve growths. The remaining clog particles are washed off with running water.
Instructions for use
Before starting work, you must carefully read the instructions for use. Each device has its own principle of operation, so you need to carefully consider the recommendations from the manufacturer. Let's look at how to use a Rotenberg-type hydraulic machine:
- Select the appropriate attachment. This can be done by following the instructions, which clearly indicate for which type of blockage a certain hydraulic head is required;
- The water supply hose is inserted into the sewer hole. Please note that it is advisable to place it as close as possible to the place where deposits accumulate or become clogged, otherwise there will be no effect;
- Afterwards, the machine is connected to the water supply system, from which water will be taken and connected to the electrical network;
- Some models must be controlled during operation by supporting the hose with your hands. But there are modifications that are equipped with special fasteners that allow them to be fixed to the surface of the pipe;
- At the end of the work, you need to check for blockages with a simple plumbing cable, and then fill the sewer with a chemical solution (if necessary).
Video: MINI Power 75 pipe cleaning machine with electric drive G.Drexl.
Electrical and mechanical installations are a little easier to use:
- You need to find where the blockage is occurring. Many craftsmen recommend using a special camera to examine the pipe from the inside in order to prevent possible destruction of the shell (if, for example, the blockage is made of stones or wood, and the pipe is made of PVC);
- Next, select the desired nozzle;
- The cable is very carefully inserted into the hole in the pipeline; when it touches the blockage, you need to stop the process;
- Carefully push the clog into the larger pipe or use a hook attachment to pull it out;
- After this, it is recommended to additionally flush the sewer using hydraulics.
How to work with a cable installation
Advantages of the drug
The main advantages of the “Mole” liquid are considered to be:
- Performance. Using this product, you can clean a sewer pipe in the shortest possible period of time. As a rule, it will take no more than an hour and a half to clear the blockage.
- Easy to use. To remove the blockage, you just need to pour or pour the drug into the pipe. Next, you should wait the time specified by the manufacturer and rinse the drain with water. It turns out that clearing the blockage does not require any physical intervention from a person.
- Purity. Unlike cleaning with cables, on which a lot of dirt and waste sticks, “Mole” will allow you to avoid additional contamination.
- Price. The price of the drug is an order of magnitude lower than the cost of similar products from foreign manufacturers. At the same time, the efficiency is at the level of other products.
Forms of release of the drug
On supermarket shelves you can find “Mole” in three forms:
- Granules.
- Gel.
- Cloudy liquid.
The drug is also packaged in several variations. There are bags designed for two uses. Often, this type of packaging is necessary to remove blockages in the apartment. If you need to clean the sewer in an industrial premises, then it is better to purchase a container with a volume of 5 or 10 liters.
You may also like: Karcher Drain Flushing Attachment - Using a Hose!
How to use the product
As noted earlier, one of the significant advantages of the drug is its ease of use. However, it is important to carefully study the manufacturer’s instructions before starting the drain cleaning process.
Depending on what type of “Mole” there is for cleaning the sewer, the instructions for use are as follows:
- If “Mole” was purchased in liquid form, then before starting cleaning you need to shake the container thoroughly. Next, no more than 250 ml of liquid is poured into the pipe. It is important to be careful here and avoid contact with the skin.
- If “Mole” is used in granules, then they are poured into a pipe and two glasses of water are poured on top. You must wait 90 minutes for the product to take effect. All that remains is to rinse the drain with running water.
Specifics of using sewer cleaning equipment
A clogged drain in a residential building makes life unbearable for the residents. A clogged storm drain leads to flooding of streets and yards. A decrease in sewerage capacity in a factory or restaurant can paralyze the work of the enterprise - it will simply be closed by sanitary and environmental services.
Previously, in order to determine which section of the utility network was blocked, it was necessary to dismantle a significant part of the communications. Fortunately, the use of modern diagnostic tools and pipe cleaning machines can make clearing blockages much easier and faster.
So, what do housing and communal services specialists do when they receive a signal that wastewater does not want to leave the discharge site?
The drain cleaning procedure begins with an endoscopy, a procedure similar to that used in medicine. A flexible optical cable with a light source and a high-resolution video camera attached to the end is inserted into the sewer pipe. Depending on the location and nature of the blockage, a suitable set of pipe cleaning products is selected.
The TBS company catalog presents several types of cleaning machines, which differ in the principle of removing blockages, the energy source and the power of the power plant.
Based on the principle of operation, sewer cleaning machines are divided into electromechanical and hydrodynamic. In the first case, a flexible spiral cable with sharp nozzles at the end is inserted into the pipe. The cable quickly rotates around its axis, tearing off the crust of dirt covering the inner surface of the pipe.
In the second case, a flexible hose is used through which water or an alkaline solution is supplied under high pressure. At the working end of the hose, nozzles are placed, from which jets of water hit the walls of the pipe, removing deposits and making a way to the “light at the end of the tunnel.”
The cleaning coil or pump can be driven by an electric, gasoline or diesel engine. In powerful units, the engine also provides forward and return movement of the cable or hose. In household machines, their movement through the pipe is carried out manually, by rotating a special handle or by simply bleeding and tensioning. Powerful sewer cleaning stations implement the principle of recirculation - the unit not only pumps clean water from the reservoir into the collector, but also pumps out dirty water. Such units are mounted on the chassis of trucks or trailers.
Pipe cleaning machines are successfully used to remove blockages not only from sewers, but also from semi-open systems - drains, drains and channels. In these cases, it is necessary to reduce the pressure in the nozzle, otherwise dirt will scatter throughout the surrounding area.
If the blockage is small and located near a drainage device or other access point, the housing and communal services worker uses a hand tool to clear the pipes. Technical progress takes its course, but no one has canceled the good old plunger and manual cable, although they have also undergone improvements. Thus, the Rothenberger pneumatic valve presented in the TBS company catalog looks more like a manual bicycle pump.
At TBS you can also buy professional chemicals that can remove blockages without tools penetrating the pipe and without harming the environment. The catalog contains products for removing organic and inorganic blockages in domestic sewers.
For cleaning large diameter pipes we recommend the Rothenberger hydrodynamic cleaning machine. The unit is equipped with a large number of nozzles and is capable of effectively removing contaminants from straight-flow and curved lines. The machine does not damage pipes and can be used in sewer systems for any purpose.
Compliance with safety measures
Since the main components of the drug are caustic substances, the following rules should be followed when working:
- When using "Mole", sewer cleaning is carried out exclusively with protective gloves.
- If the drug gets on your skin, you should immediately rinse it with water.
- If redness appears, the affected area must be treated with any product with a disinfecting effect.
- If it gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately and go to the hospital.
If the “Mole” sewer pipe cleaner gets into your stomach, you should not hesitate and call emergency medical services. Before doctors arrive, the victim needs to drink plenty of fluids.
Sewer cleaning technology with Mole
Instructions for using the product are extremely simple:
- First of all, you need to empty the water from the sink or bathtub.
- After this, you need to pour or pour the product into the drain hole. Then the sewer is left in this form for a couple of hours.
- At the end of the specified time, you need to fill the bathroom or sink with a little water and make a couple of pumps with a plunger. As a result of this operation, the water must exit with the funnel through the drain hole.
- If the operation performed does not produce results, it must be repeated again.
Note! When working with the substance, you need to take safety precautions - wear gloves and avoid getting it in your eyes. After using the liquid product, close the lid well.
As mentioned above, this cleaning will eliminate the problem for a short time. Based on this, you will certainly still need to resort to the mechanical method.
Tips for use
Throughout the production of the drug, consumers have accumulated extensive experience and numerous recommendations to improve efficiency.
- Before using the product, you should warm up the sewer. To do this, you can run hot water into the system for a few minutes.
- When the 90 minutes allotted for the product to act have ended, you must pour at least six glasses of water into the drain and use a plunger. It will help granules or liquid to get into the deepest places of the system and relieve it of blockages.
- When "Mole" is used, sewer cleaning should not exceed the time specified by the manufacturer. This will not enhance the effect of the drug, but, on the contrary, may cause destruction of the surface of sewer parts.
- You can achieve good sewer flushing when a lot of water is poured into the system. Ideally it will be hot.
Using the proven drug “Mole” to clean the sewer system, which allows you to get rid of blockages, will help you achieve the desired result within a short period of time. The components of the composition can easily cope with various types of contaminants. A “mole” for sewer pipes will allow you to restore the functionality of the system in the shortest possible time.
Description and purpose
The Krot pipe cleaner is a Russian product that can be used to quickly and effectively deal with blockages and impurities in the sewer system.
The most common places in the pipeline where blockages form:
- siphons;
- knee;
- bends;
- rubber seals (in PVC pipes);
- tow (in cast iron elements).
In everyday life, pipes most often become clogged with food debris. The most persistent contaminants are formed from the following substances:
- proteins;
- animal and vegetable fats;
- salt deposits formed by fatty acids;
- fish scales;
- hair;
- collagen fibers.
The effectiveness of the drug has been proven by numerous studies, so the cleaner is used not only in the domestic environment, but also:
- laundries;
- dry cleaners;
- catering establishments;
- trade organizations;
- medical institutions;
- beauty salons;
- hotels, etc.
The “Mole” cleaning agent quickly dissolves organic particles and promotes their further passage through the pipeline. Experts note that its effectiveness is comparable to the use of a special plumbing cable.