Whether it’s your WC, sink or bath, nothing can ruin your evening more than a blocked drain. Thankfully, there are plenty of easy and effective ways to unblock your Cork pipes so you can get back to enjoying a glass of vino.
You can buy a drain snake at any hardware store or home improvement center, and it’s pretty simple to use: a coil of heavy wire with a wide end that resembles a cork screw. Once you feed it into your toilet pipe via the toilet bowl, turn the crank to rotate the pointed end into the clog until it pierces and breaks it up.
However, if you find your clog is a bit more stubborn than just hair or soap scum, it might be time to upgrade to a plumber’s auger. These long, stiff cables are coiled like snakes and have a pointy end that resembles a corkscrew. When you plug one in and turn it, it flails against the interior walls of your pipe, scraping away hardened minerals and oils as it goes. This also helps clear a clog by pushing it through the pipe until it breaks up and can be pulled out.
Another useful tool is a Debouchage liege plunger, but if you’ve tried everything and still can’t get your clog to go away, it might be time to call in the professionals. Many plumbers offer emergency services, which means they’re available to help you out when you need it most. They’ll come equipped with special tools to deal with any kind of blockage, from the most common to the most extreme.
The most important thing to remember when caring for a cork floor is to keep it dry. If it gets too wet, it can expand and warp, which may even result in cracking. To prevent this, you should sweep regularly with a soft-bristled broom or dust mop and protect it with doormats and furniture pads. It’s also a good idea to ask family members and guests to remove their shoes when entering the house, to prevent grit and dirt from scratching your floor.
You can also buy specially designed rugs to protect your cork floors, as well as polyurethane treatments that will reseal and protect them. However, you should avoid steam cleaners, as they can saturate the flooring with too much water and leave behind chemical residues that will damage it. To help your floor last longer, you should reseal it at least once a year. Also, consider switching to natural cleaning products to help preserve your cork. These include gentle wood or cork cleaners, diluted as directed.
