It can become a nightmare scenario: A clogged toilet 5 minutes before your boss arrives or on your first date. But the good news is that most toilet clogs are quick and easy to clear up, especially if they are “soft clogs” resulting from excessive use of toilet paper and normal toilet waste. In this article we set out some basic steps on how to unclog a toilet.
How to fix a clogged toilet: From easy to more advanced
1) Wait. Many toilet clogs will disappear on their own given time. If there is no water in the bowl, flush it once to bring the level up. Many times the action and weight of water over the clog is enough to break up the blockage and loosen it. If the toilet bowl is already full, then don’t flush again as you could risk an overflow. The toilet bowl is designed to hold as much water as there is in the tank, but not much more.
2) Add hot water and dish soap. To move things along a little quicker add some hot water and a few squirts of dish soap into the bowl. Remember not to use boiling water as the rapid temperature difference could cause the porcelain of your toilet to crack. It’s a good idea to dissolve the dish soap in the water before adding it to the toilet. If the levels are very high and you are concerned with an overflow, let some water drain away first. The hot water will help dislodge whatever is causing the clog and the dish soap will act as a lubricant helping move the deposit along the trap way with minimum friction.
3) Plunge the toilet. If the above techniques are not working, or you are in more of a rush then it is time to use a toilet plunger. Toilet plunger designs have evolved considerably in recent years with some of the specialized toilet plungers (e.g. funnel plungers, flange plungers and ball plungers) exerting a very powerful pressure indeed. You can use a standard sink or tub plunger but as these have been designed for flat surfaces, and the toilet bowl is curved you may find it harder to get a good seal and the plunger may slip around as you plunge. If you can, we would recommend purchasing a specialized toilet plunger as this will get rid of even very stubborn clogs.
4) Get out the toilet auger. Although a little more involved that using a toilet plunger, once you get the hang of using a toilet auger you’ll find it very effective at getting rid of hard to shift toilet clogs. A toilet auger, sometimes referred to as a toilet snake or plumbing snake, consists of a flexible cable with a rubber coiled bit on one end. A handle on the other end controls the extension and retraction of the cable into a hollow tube. Here’s more on how to use a toilet auger but the basic goal is to extend the cable into the toilet trap way until it reaches the toilet clog and then pull the cable back up onto the toilet bowl. The result should be a clean toilet trap way and a smooth flushing performance.
So there you go. Some basic clogged toilet solutions that will get your toilet flushing freely. As clogged toilets can result in a rather messy looking toilet bowl, it’s a good idea to clean the toilet thoroughly. One of the best products on the market is the Clorox Toilet Wand. It’s quick and hygienic and you never have to come into contact with any unsanitary water or cleaning sponges.
