If you’re wondering what a cleanout looks like, your drain is blocked. Maybe the kitchen sink isn’t draining, the toilets are backing up, or water is coming out of the floor drain in the basement! Regardless of the blockage, if you don’t sort it out, you could be in for a big poopy mess.
The easiest solution to clear a blocked drain is through a cleanout, and because of this, we’re going to make sure you know exactly how to find yours so you can snake the blockage and have free-flowing pipes once again!
This is What a Cleanout Looks Like
What is a Cleanout in Plumbing?
A cleanout in plumbing is an access point in your home’s drain system.
A cleanout normally looks like a white pipe sticking up out of the ground in your back yard with a cap on it.
Plumbers love cleanouts because they can use it to easily clean and clear clogs and blockages that are causing backups.
If you don’t have a cleanout your plumber might have to remove a toilet, or worse, tear apart your walls or floors to clear the backup.
Let’s take a closer look at the purpose of a sewer line cleanout and how it works.
What is Purpose of a Cleanout in Plumbing?
The purpose of a cleanout is to get direct access to your drain when it is blocked.
To clear any backups or blockages. Cleanouts make you drains and pipes easy.
The alternative is removing a toilet or opening up the walls!
But lets talk about the different pieces of a typical sewer line and drain.
In the image above, we show you the main stack, which is the big vertical pipe that carries wastewater from your house, the cleanout, a blockage, and a drain snake using the cleanout to clear it.
f ypu have a cleanout you dont have to remove your toilet.
Old Caste Iron Versus New PVC Cleanouts
Old cleanouts made of caste iron
In old houses the cleanout is made of caste iron. Most people recognize it as the big old rusty pipe in the basement like in the photo above.
WORD OF WARNING! If you need to remove the cap on an old caste iron cleanout be very careful because they can break because of the rust. If you break it you will have to replace it which is expensive.
To avoid breaking the cap I suggest heating it up with a gas torch like this. Heat it up then let it cool and it will come off much easier. This is a little plumbing trade secret for you.
New houses use white, black, or green plastic
In new homes they are in the back yard and most commonly a white pipe sticking out of the ground with a cap on it. This is where plumbers work their magic.
They use a tool called an auger, kind of like a long, flexible snake, to clear out blockages in the pipes. The plumber sticks the auger into the cleanout, and it goes down the main pipe, finding and breaking up the clog. It’s like unclogging a drain but on a bigger scale.
So, what you’re seeing is a plumber using the cleanout to fix a problem and get your pipes flowing smoothly again.
Images highlighting the purpose of a cleanout in plumbing
What Does a Cleanout Look Like?
Cast iron rust and scales. Flushable wipes and other items can get caught on the rough surface.
plastic was invented
built before 1980 probably cast iron
built after 1980 see more white PVCVC being used
Plumbing cleanouts come in different colors and materials
white pvc and green are both PVC but are different (link to differences between white and green.
Cleanouts are found in different sizes too
standard 4 inch is what aplumber is referring to.
2 inch cleanout under a kitchen sink with auger removing blockage
would be very difficult if the cleanout wasn’t present.
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