| How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger Posted: 15 Dec 2019 04:00 PM PST Clogged toilets are an inconvenience since they are unusable until they're fixed and have a risk of flooding. If your toilet is clogged and you don't have a plunger nearby, you can still use many other things in your household to loosen the blockage. For a serious clog, you may need to use a special toilet auger to break it apart. When you're finished, your toilet should work like new! [Edit]Using Dish Soap and Hot Water - Add of dish soap to your toilet and let it soak for 25 minutes. Pour liquid dish soap directly into the toilet bowl so it can sink to the bottom. Over the next 25 minutes, the soap will make the pipes more slippery so it's easier for the clog to move through the toilet. During this time, you may notice the water level go down as the clog loosens up.[1]
- Pour of hot water into the toilet bowl. Use the hottest that comes out of your bath faucet. Slowly add the water to the toilet bowl directly over the drain to help force the clog down. The hot water paired with the soap should break apart the clog so your toilet can flush again.[2]
- Only pour hot water into the bowl if there's no risk of it overflowing.
- You can also add 1 cup (200 g) of Epsom salt to help break apart the clog.
- Try flushing the toilet to see if the clog went through. Flush your toilet as normal and see if it drains completely. If it does, then the dish soap and hot water worked as intended. If not, you may try again or try to break the clog a different way.[3]
[Edit]Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar - Pour 1 cup (230 g) of baking soda into your toilet bowl. Dump the baking soda directly into the water. Try to spread it evenly throughout the bowl so it covers all of the surfaces. Wait until the baking soda sinks to the bottom of the toilet before moving on.[4] of hot water to help break apart the clog.}}
- Add of vinegar to toilet. Slowly pour the vinegar into your toilet. Work in a circular pattern so the vinegar evenly distributes through the bowl. As it mixes with the baking soda, it will start to fizz and bubble due to a chemical reaction.[5]
- Make sure the vinegar doesn't fizz over the edge of your toilet or else you'll have a bigger mess to clean.
- Let the mixture sit for 1 hour before flushing it. As the vinegar and baking soda react, they'll break down the clog so it can fit through your pipes easily. Use another bathroom or wait until 1 hour has passed before trying to flush it.[6]
- If the water still doesn't go down, try adding the same amount of baking soda and vinegar, but let it sit overnight.
[Edit]Breaking Apart the Clog with a Hanger - Unwind a wire hanger except for the hook. Grab the hook with a pair of needle-nose pliers to hold it secure. Grab the bottom part of the hanger and twist it counterclockwise to unwind it. Once it's unwound, straighten out the hanger as much as you can, leaving the hook intact so you can use it as a handle.[7]
- Tie a rag around the end of your hanger. Use the end of the hanger that doesn't have the hook. Wrap the rag around the hanger and tie a knot so it stays in place. The rag will help prevent any damage to your toilet as you feed it into your pipes.[8]
- Choose a cleaning rag that you don't need to save since it will get very dirty when it breaks apart the clog.
- Pour of dish soap into your toilet. Let the soap settle on the bottom of your toilet bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before you use your hanger. During this time, the soap will help lubricate the clog and make it easier to break apart.[9]
- If you don't have liquid dish soap, you can also use any other sudsy liquid cleaner, such as shampoo or body wash.
- Feed the end of the wire hanger with the rag into the toilet bowl. Hold the hook of the hanger securely in your non-dominant hand. Push the end of the hanger with the rag into your toilet so it goes into the drain. Keep feeding the hanger into your pipes until you feel a clog or until you can't feed anymore.[10]
- Wear rubber cleaning gloves if you don't want the toilet water to splash up.
- Jostle the hanger in your pipes to break apart the clog. Use swift up and down movements to hit the clog. The clog should loosen and the water level in your toilet will go down. Keep breaking apart the clog until you can't feel the obstruction anymore.[11]
- If you don't feel a clog or obstruction, it may be deeper in your pipes.
- Flush your toilet. Once the hanger is removed, try flushing your toilet like normal. If the hanger was effective, then the water should drain easily. If not, then you can try again to break the clog more.[12]
- If the hanger doesn't work for a second time, call a plumber to assess the problem.
[Edit]Warnings - Never pour boiling water into your toilet since the sudden heat could crack the porcelain.[13]
- If you've tried all the methods listed and your toilet is still clogged, contact a plumber as soon as possible to look at the problem.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Using Dish Soap and Hot Water [Edit]Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar [Edit]Breaking Apart the Clog with a Hanger - Wire hanger
- Needle-nose pliers
- Cleaning rag
- Liquid dish soap
- Cleaning gloves
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a Tealight Snowman Posted: 15 Dec 2019 08:00 AM PST Battery-operated tealights are great alternatives to real tealights, but did you know that they have other uses too? Turned on their side, they look almost like a snowman's face! All you have to do is add some eyes, a mouth, and some accessories. [Edit]Making the Base - Get a battery-operated tealight. You can find them in arts and crafts stores as well as in the candle section of a supermarket. A white tealight would work best, but you can also get a white glitter one for a fancier snowman.
- Turn the candle so that the flame is pointing away from you. Set the candle down on the table first, then rotate it until the tip of the flame is pointing away from you. Most battery-operated tealights have a flame that curves slightly to one side, rather than pointing straight up.[1] Having the flame tilted upward will make the snowman look more jolly.
- Draw a simple snowman face using a black permanent marker. Make two dots above the flame for the eyes. Make four to five dots below the flame to make the mouth.[2] Make sure that the tip of the flame is pointing upwards, towards the eyes.
- For a more dimensional look, use black puff paint.
- If you are using a glitter tealight, draw the face using black puff paint. Regular marker won't show up.
- Consider coloring the flame in with an orange permanent marker. The flame will look yellow-orange when it is turned on, but it will look white when it's turned off. You can fix this by coloring the flame in with an orange permanent marker.[3]
- Don't use a washable "kid's" marker. The color will rub off.
- Don't use paint or paint pens. They are opaque, and the color won't shine through.
- Cut an 11-inch (27.94-centimeter) long piece of thin ribbon and tie the ends together to form a loop.[4] You can use any color you want, but red, white, or green are most commonly associated with winter and Christmas. Choose the thinnest ribbon you can find, about 1/16 to 1/8-inch (0.16 to 0.32-centimeter).
- Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the tealight. Place a drop of hot glue on the back of the tealight, close to the top. Press the knotted part of the ribbon into the glue, and let it set.
[Edit]Adding the Accessories - Cut a 2½-inch (6.35-centimeter) long piece of pipe cleaner. You can use any color you want, but red or green would work best.
- Hot glue the pipe cleaner to the top of the tealight. Draw a line of hot glue around the top edge of the tealight, right above the eyes. Quickly press the pipe cleaner into the glue. If you need to, gently curve the pipe cleaner first, so that you don't risk accidentally touching the glue.
- Hot glue two mini pompoms to either end of the pipe cleaner. Choose two pompoms in a contrasting color. Place a drop of hot glue at either end of the pipe cleaner. Quickly press the pompoms into the glue.[5]
- Cut a 4½-inch (11.43-centimeter) long piece of ribbon.[6] Choose a thin ribbon, about ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27 centimeters) wide. Use a color that matches your ear muffs.
- If you can't find any ribbon, use a strip of felt instead.
- Cross the ends together to form a loop, and secure them with a drop of hot glue. Cross the left end over the right to form a loop, sort of like the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Secure the loop with a drop of hot glue.[7]
- Glue the scarf to the tealight. Place a drop of hot glue on the back of the tealight, close to the bottom. Press the inside part of the loop against the glue, so that the crossed part is in front. Make sure that the tail ends of the ribbon are pointing down.[8]
- Trim the ends of the ribbon, if needed. The ribbon should pop up against the bottom of the tealight. If it keeps hanging down, use a drop of hot glue to keep it in place.
- Hot glue a flat-backed safety pin to the back and wear it as a brooch.[9]
- Hot glue a magnet to the back and use it as a fridge magnet.[10]
- When gluing something to the back of the tealight, be careful not to cover the switch or the battery.
- Hot glue can leave behind threads or "whiskers," which can make your work look messy. Be sure to pull those off when you're done.
- Make a whole family of snowmen and vary the designs.
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid touching the hot glue gun's nozzle.
- Avoid touching the hot glue.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Battery-operate tealight
- Black permanent marker or puff paint
- Orange permanent marker (optional)
- Pipe cleaner
- 2 mini pompoms
- 1/16 to 1/8-inch (0.16 to 0.32-centimeter) ribbon
- ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27-centimeter) ribbon
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
[Edit]References |
| How to Stop Emotional Abuse Posted: 15 Dec 2019 12:00 AM PST Emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse. If you're in a cycle of abuse, it's normal to feel a lot of negative emotions. You can learn to shut down abuse by standing up for yourself in the moment and looking for positive ways to interact with the person abusing you, such as talking about something else. If the situation doesn't change, you can also plan how to safely remove yourself from the relationship. If you are the person doing the abusing, it's great that you want to make a change. That's a big step in the right direction. One option is to seek professional help to learn to change your behavior. [Edit]Coping with Abuse - Recognize the signs of emotional abuse. Emotional abuse might be harder to identify than physical abuse. But if you think something is wrong with the way you're being treated, you're probably right. Remember that no one has the right to make you feel bad or treat you poorly in any way. It's not your fault. Signs to look out for include:[1]
- Constant criticism
- Name calling
- Humiliation
- Exerting financial control
- Issuing ultimatums
- Shaming or blaming
- Stand up for yourself in the moment. It can be really difficult but try to shut the abuse down as it is happening. Let the other person know that it is not okay to speak to you that way. Aim to speak in a clear, confident voice. It might be hard, but try to make eye contact as you tell them to stop speaking to you the way they are.[2]
- You could say, "Please don't talk to me like that. Maybe we can talk later when you are calm."
- You can also try using "I statements" such as, "I feel bad when you say things like that. I don't deserve to be treated like this." Using "I statements" is a good idea because it can prevent the other person from feeling defensive.
- Walk away from the situation if possible. If the person is still saying negative things, you can try walking away from the situation. For example, if you're at home, you could go take a walk around the block. If you're at work, excuse yourself to go to the restroom. Hopefully, by the time you return, the other person will have moved on to a new topic or behavior.[3]
- You can say something like, "I need a few minutes by myself" or even, "There's something I need to take care of. Please excuse me."
- Walking away can also give you time to collect yourself. It's really stressful to be abused, so it can really help to take some calming breaths and let your heart rate slow down.
- Walk away for however long you need to. It can be a few minutes or longer.
- Put yourself in the abuser's shoes. This doesn't mean that you need to excuse the abusive behavior in any way. But trying to understand where the other person is coming from can help you remember that the abuse is about them, not you. You might think to yourself, "I know they are really upset about their mom being sick. That doesn't make the behavior okay, but I know they are taking out their frustrations on me. This is not personal."[4]
- Maybe your partner is dealing with depression or anxiety. That doesn't make it right for them to abuse you, but acknowledging their situation can help you understand and process the situation.
- Look for positive ways to interact with the person. If someone is always putting you down, try to find a neutral way to interact with them. For example, if you have a co-worker who always criticizes your ideas, try changing the subject. Instead of responding to the abuse, say "Hey, how was your vacation last week?"[5]
- This might seem like you're ignoring or validating the abuse. In reality, it's a good way to stop the abuse in the moment and continue on with your day.
- This typically will be most effective in a work or social setting. If it is a family member or partner who is abusing you, you'll want to try other methods, too.
- If emotional abuse at work is persistent, speak to your manager or HR.
- Reduce stress to help yourself cope. Stress can take its toll on you, emotionally and physically. It might seem really hard, but if you can lessen your stress, it might be easier to deal with the emotional abuse. To reduce stress, try:[6]
[Edit]Getting Support and Ending Emotional Abuse - Ask your friends and family for support. It can be really difficult if someone you're close to is the one abusing you. If it is a family member or partner, it can feel awful. This is hard, so lean on family and friends. Choose someone who you trust and tell them what you've been going through. They might be able to give you some advice, especially if they also know the other person.[7]
- You could say to your sister, "I'm having a really tough time with Taylor lately. They seem angry all the time and keep saying it's my fault. This is hard for me to talk about, but I wondered if you could listen and offer me some advice?"
- You can share as much or as little as you want. You can also just ask someone to spend some time doing something fun with you, like going to a movie.
- They can also just lend you a shoulder to lean on. It can make you feel better if you know that someone is in your corner.
- Visit a therapist to get professional help. It's totally normal if you are coping with depression or anxiety as a result of emotional abuse. You're not alone! Fortunately, a professional can offer you a lot of support. It's also really helpful to have a safe space to talk about your emotions.[8]
- Consider couples counseling or family counseling with the other person, if they're willing. You might be able to find new, healthy ways to communicate.
- Call a helpline to get information. There are a lot of support systems available to help you. If you don't feel comfortable talking to someone you know, you can call a hotline to get some support. The staffers or volunteers will be specially trained to help someone in your position.[9]
- Do a quick online search for a hotline in the country where you live.
- In the US, call 1-800-799-7233[10]
- In Canada, call 1-866-661-3311[11]
- In the UK, call 0808 80 200 28[12]
- There are also helplines that offer text chats and online chats, as well.
- Make a safety plan. If you are worried that the abuse might escalate or that you simply can't cope with being yelled at anymore, make a plan so that you're ready to leave your home quickly. You might feel more secure if you know that you have a plan in place. Consider having:[13]
- Emergency funds in an account that only you have access to
- All of your important papers (ID, passport, etc.) all together in a secure place
- Your phone fully charged at all times
- Somewhere you can go at a moment's notice, like a friend or family member's house
- End the relationship if the abuse is severe. It's possible to love your abuser and to know that you shouldn't be around them. This is a really hard thing to go through. However, if the abuse doesn't stop, you might need to end the relationship. You can explain that you don't think the relationship is healthy and that you no longer want to be part of it.[14]
- If you live with the abuser, make sure that you have a plan in place before you end the relationship. For example, have your new living situation already arranged.
- Allow yourself to grieve the relationship. While you made the right choice, you'll still need time to process a wide range of emotions. Be patient and kind to yourself.
[Edit]Stopping Your Own Abusive Behaviors - Be more compassionate to yourself to change how you treat others. If you find yourself yelling at, shaming, or criticizing someone else, you might want to find ways to stop this behavior. Typically, emotional abuse comes from some sort of resentment that you are feeling. The best way to handle this is to be more compassionate to yourself. This will help you understand how others want you to treat them.[15]
- Stop criticizing yourself. If you have negative thoughts about yourself, replace them with positive ones. Do the same when you find yourself criticizing someone else.
- Stop rationalizing your behavior. Although there might be reasons behind your abusive behavior, that doesn't excuse it. You are responsible for your own actions. Instead of making excuses for yourself, acknowledge that your actions are not acceptable.[16]
- For example, if you find yourself isolating someone from others, take a step back. Say to yourself, "This is not okay. I need to find a more positive way to interact with this person."
- Get sober if you abuse substances. Drug and alcohol abuse are often related to emotional abuse. Both can cause you to be more emotional and volatile. If you drink alcohol, try limiting yourself to 1 drink a day. This will make it easier to stay in control of your emotions. You should stop using drugs and alcohol if they are impacting your behavior. Drugs are unhealthy for a lot of reasons, so quitting is the best plan.[17]
- It can be really hard to quit. Don't be afraid to seek professional help. There are support lines and mental health professionals who can help you.
- Avoid situations where you might be offered alcohol or drugs.
- Look for positive ways to interact with the person you abuse. This can help you see that person in a better light. If you are abusing someone at work, ask them to go to lunch with you outside of the office. Getting to know them might help you to be nicer to them.
- If you are abusing a loved one, make it a point to look for ways to have fun with them. For example, if you and your spouse regularly fight about how to raise your kids, do something on your own to shift the focus back to the positive part of your relationship.
- Seek professional help to learn ways to change. Try going to counseling to help figure out how to behave differently. Talking through your situation can be a great way to learn some coping mechanisms. Maybe you're dealing with a lot of stress or anger. A professional can help you learn to process your emotions in a more healthy way.[18]
- Ask your doctor or friends or family for a recommendation to a therapist.
- If possible, try a joint session with the person that you are acting negatively towards. You can hopefully find new ways to communicate.
- Speak up for yourself, if you can. Remember that no one has the right to treat you in a negative way.
- Practice self-care. You'll be better able to cope if you are kind to yourself.
[Edit]Warnings - End the relationship if it is toxic or you fear the abuse might become physical. Be ready to call the authorities if you don't feel safe.
[Edit]References |
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