Three methods for unclogging a toilet, with or without a plunger

When your toilet clogs, panicking flush is natural, but keep your hands off the flush lever! While it is typically our initial response, frenetic flushing will most likely fill your toilet. You may attempt on your own (with or without a plunger) to solve toilet blockages that do not need the services of a plumber. To begin, put on a pair of rubber gloves and identify the water source in case you need to reduce the water flow immediately.

What causes a clogToilet drains, like kitchen sink drains, may get blocked. Waste, an item, or even toilet paper are common offenders that may get caught in the gutter.

Check beneath your kitchen or bathroom sink for a pipe with a bend that transports garbage and water. This is known as a p-trap (that u-bend plus the straight line that leads away looks like the letter P on its side). A similar shape is included in the porcelain that makes up your toilet, so imagine attempting to flush the clog down the toilet trap—you're trying to drive the clog around the bend precisely as the pressure of a flush does when your toilet usually works.

How to Use a Plunger Drain to Unclog a DrainEnsure your plunger is bell-shaped or flared with a fold-out cylindrical extension on the bottom. The conventional cup plunger forms will not help you since they need more suction. Moreover, if you fold in the extension piece, you'll have a standard cup plunger for sink or tub drains.

1. To soften the rubber on your plunger, run it under hot water. This will aid in the formation of a strong seal.
   
2. Place the plunger so that it fully covers the entrance of the toilet trap, preferably totally submerged in water. Keep this seal throughout the dive.
   
3. Start slowly since the first few rounds will be primarily air, and you want to use the power of the water to remove the clog.
   
4. Go for it now, pressing down as far as possible and then drawing up abruptly. Repeat as many times as necessary to empty the toilet—and be patient. Seeing benefits may take many rounds of 15-20 excellent plunges.
   
5. Flush the toilet to ensure that it is regularly draining again. If it isn't, the obstruction may need more plugins.
   

Cleaning Solutions for UncloggingIf plunging does not clear the blockage, try a few basic cleaning options. Baking soda and vinegar may help break down a clog by lubricating the drain and allowing the backup to flow easily.

Soap and water

1. Let a half-cup of dish soap remain in the toilet bowl for 10 minutes.
   
2. Flush the toilet to check whether the soap removed the blockage.
   
3. Add some hot water if the dish soap didn't do the trick. Pour the water in from approximately waist level—this will assist in building pressure and, combined with the dish soap, remove the blockage. Please remember that adding hot water may cause the porcelain to break. The optimal temperature is hot water from the bathtub's spout.
   
4. Flush the toilet to ensure that it is draining correctly once again.
   

Vinegar and Baking SodaCheck that the toilet bowl is half-full with water. Add or remove moisture as required to avoid overflow when the solution fizzes up.
1 cup baking soda should be added to the bowl.
Dispense one cup of vinegar (white or apple cider) slowly until the solution bubbles.
Let rest for 20 minutes before flushing.
Ensure that the toilet is emptied regularly again. If the bathroom is still not empty, repeat the method a few times more or leave the solution in place overnight.

How to Use a Snake to Unclog a ToiletA long metal cable used as a toilet snake wound into the trap to either grip or push the material causing the blockage. The terms toilet snake and toilet auger are sometimes used interchangeably; however, remember that these instruments vary from standard plumbing snakes because they have a protective rubber covering around the metal. The metal on a snake that isn't made for toilets may scratch the porcelain, so you should never use a wire coat hanger as a makeshift toilet snake. Follow the packing directions or our step-by-step guide to unclogging using a toilet snake.

When Should You Hire a Professional?If the toilet is still not flushing correctly or you are not comfortable using a snake, it is time to contact a plumber. If you're hiring a plumber and have problems with the ways above, contact Elizabeth Drain Service and ask them to teach you some of the fundamentals, such as where to cut off the water supply, so you can give it another go if you ever suffer another blockage.

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