Not just a drink, Coke has a lot of functional uses around the household. It can even be used to unblock a toilet!
Coca-cola will actively try to fight these claims as it reduces how appealing coke is as a beverage. But many have tried and reviewed using coke in the household and many have found success.
In this article, we will answer some of the most common questions surround cokes use in the bathroom.
Will Coke Help Unclog a Toilet?
The chemical make-up of coke can be quite corrosive when left to sit in an environment. The caustic ability of coke can break down and break apart chemical bonds of other items and may assist in unclogging a toilet.
Depending on what is clogging your toilet, a coke may actually help unclog it. With its acidic nature, it may break down the clog if left over time and help it pass through the pipes.
To use coke to unclog a toilet you need to use quite a lot. A few litres of coke tipped into a toilet bowl and left overnight may help unclog a toilet. Coke can also be mixed with other substances like baking soda.
The reaction will cause a corrosive fizz that may be more active than coke on its own.
What happens if you pour Coke down the toilet?
Coke inside the toilet may help unclog blockages but it also has an amazing stain cleaning property. The carbonated acidity will help you lift heavy stains inside a toilet bowl that may not come off with ordinary scrubbing and toilet cleaner.
You should let the coke sit ideally overnight, or at least a few hours to let it activate against the stubborn stains and then use a brush to lift the stains before flushing them away.
Coke will only clear stains, not disinfect the toilet so you should use a cleaner designed for toilets after a coke cleanse.
Coke will even work on the most stubborn of stains including rust rings in a toilet bowl.
What can you pour down a toilet to unclog it?
The best thing to use when you have a clogged up toilet is a professional drain cleaner designed for toilet blockages. These products will be specially formulated with all the ingredients that be most effective for toilet blockages.
Clogged toilets can be time-sensitive though, so there are some home remedies to try to combat a blocked toilet drain.
- Coke – this acidic drink can help break down blockages!
- Vinegar and baking soda – this mix of acid and alkaline is a great combo. The pair causing a chemical reaction that causes a lot of fizzing and can break apart blockages in pipe.
- Hot water and soap or bleach – pour either dish soap or bleach into your toilet and let it sit while you heat some water up to near-boiling. Pour the hot water into the toilet bowl. Wait for 10 minutes and then flush the toilet. The hot water may be more efficient at breaking the blockage than the cool toilet water.
How long do you let Coke sit in the toilet?
If coke to be at the most effective for stain removal or clearing blockage then it should sit for at least a few hours. This will ensure the coke has enough time to react with the stain or blockage and be the most effective.
Coke won’t be any harm if left in the toilet any longer so you can leave it overnight if you want.
Should I flush a clogged toilet after pouring in the coke?
It’s fine to flush coke down the toilet drain. In fact, if you are using coke as a tool to unblock a clogged toilet then you will need to flush the toilet to get the full effect and shift the blockage.
Coke won’t do any harm if it is flushed, once mixed with the flush of the water the active ingredients in the coke will instantly become diluted and they won’t have any corrosive effect on the pipes below.
Can hot water plus coke unclog a toilet?
Hot water is a great remedy for a clogged toilet, just as coke is. While effective on their own, together they will reduce inefficiency. The water will dilute the coke content in the toilet bowl and cause it to be less effective.
Meanwhile, the cool coke will lessen the temperature of the hot water and reduce its effectiveness also.
If you want to use both of these tactics to unclog your toilet, don’t use them together. You can pour hot water in after the coke has been soaking for a while to help shift the blockage.
Will coke stain the toilet?
No coke won’t stain the toilet. Coke has the opposite effect! It is actually a great way to remove discolouration from a toilet.
Toilets are made of porcelain and don’t “stain” as such. The discolouration often seen in toilet bowls is due to a build-up of minerals from the toilet water. The acidity of coke can help shit these minerals and removing the appearance of staining.
What’s the pH of coke?
The pH of coke is 2.6.
The pH scale is from 1 – 14, with 1 being the most acidity and 14 being the most basic. This meaning coke is highly acidic.
Is it better to use a base or acid to unclog a toilet?
Most commercial drainers are actually more basic than acidic. The strong bases are denser than the toilet water so will sink down to the source of the blockage. They will be more effective as they will target the source of the blockage, rather than disperse and dilute through the water.
What happens to coke when you pour it into the toilet? Does it get too diluted?
Yes, coke will dilute when poured into a toilet. You have to use a large amount for it to be effective as a drain clearer or stain remover.
What is the best liquid to unclog the toilet without a plunger?
The best liquid to unclog the toilet is commercial drain cleaners. These are specially designed to target and clear blockages.