We rarely consider toilets unless something goes wrong. A clogged toilet is more than just an annoyance. It can utterly disrupt your family, especially if you don’t have a plunger.
Although unclogging a toilet is usually as simple as plugging the drain, you may need a drill to get through your pipes.
Furthermore, specific blockages may be so far down the line or challenging to dislodge that you need to hire a professional plumber. If you’ve accidentally flushed a bar of soap down the toilet, you would be dying to know if it will clog your toilet or not. In this post, let’s see what can happen in such a case.
Can You Flush a Bar of Soap Down the Toilet?
Yes, you can flush a bar of soap down the toilet. However, you need to cut the bar soap into smaller chunks, then carefully pour hot water into the toilet bowl to dissolve the soap.
The soap should start unclogging the toilet drain by assisting the blocked object in moving down the pipes. Repeat the process if required.
What Happens When You Flush Soap Down the Toilet?
When you flush soap down your toilet, it will most likely dissolve, especially if you keep flushing it with buckets of hot water. Once it loses significant density, try forcing it through with a plumbing snake.
It might, however, take a few days of hot water treatment to melt the soap. So, if you need to use the toilet immediately, you can always lift the entire unit from the floor and physically remove the bar. But if you are patient, the hot water method will save you the trouble of disassembling and reassembling the toilet.
How Do You Dissolve a Bar of Soap in the Toilet?
Toilets become clogged when foreign materials, such as clumps of tissue, lodge in the U-bend and cause a blockage. If you have a plunger, you can unclog your toilet the traditional way.
However, if you do not have a plunger, you should try two popular methods.
Method 1:
- Fill a bucket halfway with boiling water.
- Fill the toilet bowl halfway with dishwashing liquid, liquid soap, or shampoo. You may also cut a soap bar into smaller chunks and throw it in the toilet bowl.
- Carefully pour hot water into the toilet bowl to dissolve the liquid or bar soap. The soap should start unclogging the toilet drain by assisting the blocked object in moving down the pipes.
- Repeat the procedure if required. When the water in the toilet bowl drains, your toilet has been successfully unclogged.
- To eliminate any residue, flush the toilet several times.
Method 2:
- Wear a face shield to protect your face and eyes from potential splashes.
- Wearing rubber gloves, remove as much water as possible from the toilet bowl. You can do this by continually filling a tiny container with water and pouring the water out into a bucket.
- Warm the water in a big plastic bottle. Fit the top of the bottle into the outlet at the bottom of the toilet while keeping your thumb over the top.
- Remove your thumb and grip the bottle securely with both hands. Squeeze the bottle until the water runs down the toilet drain. Applying pressure should dislodge the obstruction.
- Fill the toilet bowl with hot water. When the water drains, your toilet has been successfully unclogged.
- Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 if required.
- To remove all residue, boil 2.84 liters of water. After the water has cooled for 15 to 20 minutes, carefully flush the toilet with it.
How Long Will it Take a Bar of Soap to Dissolve in the Toilet?
Depending on the size of the bar, it may take up to 20 minutes to dissolve. Usually, a soap bar is not large enough to block the sewage PVC pipe, which is generally 2′′ in diameter.
A soap bar may be highly slippery; it can not clog a toilet. If you accidentally flushed a bar of soap down the toilet, there is no cause for alarm. It will dissolve in a day or two.
Does Liquid Soap Clog Pipes?
Unless you use an excessive quantity of liquid detergent, it has a minimal chance of blocking your drains. The chemical makeup of a particular soap is a crucial component to examine when determining its drain-clogging probability.
The following are major chemical classes that can help you determine the potency of any detergent.
- Powdered detergent comes in the shape of a powder-filled ball and can clog drains when used in large quantities.
- High-bleach detergents – excessive use of high-bleach detergents and cleansers can degrade the quality of your sewage system.
- Commercial Clog removers – intended for use in specialized applications only and should never be used to unclog your washing machine or dishwasher at home.
- Caustic Chemicals – Caustic chemicals are a large family of chemical agents that have the potential to damage your home’s plumbing system because they are meant for washing machines.
Excess liquid detergent is the most common cause of liquid detergent blockages. This excess detergent might get stuck in your pipes owing to insufficient drainage, especially during specific cycles such as the rinse cycle.
Using precise measurements and adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions on the package is the best approach to avoid this issue. By entirely preventing or restricting the usage of chemical agents such as those described above, you can protect your pipes from blockages.
What Quickly Dissolves Soap in Pipes?
Boiled water can quickly dissolve soap in pipes. Even if you have preventive measures in place, soap scum may still make its way through.
Combining preventative measures with a weekly soap scum cleanup routine is the best strategy. You can also use a drain snake to unclog a stubborn blocked pipe.
So, how do you get soap scum out of your pipes? Here are some pointers to consider:
What Dissolves Soap Scum in Pipes?
1. Baking Soda
Using too much baking powder in your drain line might cause pipe damage. Thus, you should use this solution with extreme caution. Combine one teaspoon of baking powder with a gallon of water before throwing the combination down the toilet.
If the soap scum doesn’t dissolve, mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one quart of water and dump it down the toilet. Baking soda not only breaks down soap scum in the pipes but also generates a pleasant fragrance around the drain.
If both attempts fail, use one of the two alternatives listed below or wait until the next day to attempt the baking soda method again.
Avoid using strong chemicals since they could harm your drain line and impair your plumbing over time.
2. Boiling Water
Boiling water effectively dissolves soap scum the same way it melts grease and food fat. It is, by far, the easiest solution.
To use the boiling water method, boil some water until it bubbles over. Gently pour the water down the drain to dissolve the soap scum.
After pouring the boiling water down the drain, run the hot water faucet for a minute or two to wash away any lingering scum residue. This can also repair any sluggish drains in your house.
3. Ammonia
While boiling water effectively loosens most soap scum residue, it is not as effective as ammonia. So, if the water is still not draining as quickly as it should after pouring hot water, you can add ammonia. This will aid in the removal of any persistent soap scum residue that may still be clogging your pipes.
However, you must proceed with extreme caution when applying ammonia. Because ammonia has a pungent odor, you should only use it in a well-ventilated space.
Pour some ammonia down the drain and run the hot water for a few minutes to rinse off everything. Make sure to open all the doors and windows during the entire process.
The above treatments should aid in the removal of soap and slime buildup in pipes. But if all these fail, the next option is to hire a professional plumber.
Does Baking Soda Dissolve Soap?
Yes, baking soda can dissolve the soap. The surfactant component of detergents decreases the surface tension of the wash water, allowing it to saturate a surface for easy removal of dirt; they also emulsify oily soil. Your regular detergents include functional groups such as:
- Builders – they soften water, allowing the surfactant to function more efficiently.
- Bleaching chemicals – oxidize organic compounds while improving whiteness.
- Auxiliary agents are diverse compounds with various roles ranging from an optical brightener that improves the ‘whiteness’ or ‘brightness’ of the fabric to enzymes that break down proteins, lipids, and starches for easy removal.
A regular detergent comprises several chemicals for performance maximization. Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is employed as a builder in certain mild detergents, but not for the incredible cleaning power it offers when used alone.
Baking soda, unlike regular detergent, is simply sodium bicarbonate. However, it is still a good cleaner on its own, especially when used to clean ovens or cookware. But why is baking soda such a good cleaner on its own?:
Baking soda consists of tiny powder crystals, and because it’s not water-soluble, it forms an excellent abrasive slurry that works well as a scouring agent. Ordinary detergents aren’t usually harsh.
Baking soda is alkaline by nature. Soils, organic compounds, and baked meals are frequently acidic. When baking soda reacts, CO2 bubbles help with dirt removal.
When baking soda combines with acids, sodium salts are also generated. These salts are natural surfactants that deliver surfactant qualities directly to the soil.