How to Fix a Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet is one of the most common plumbing problems, in fact nothing could be worse than a toilet clog. Your toilet is most likely to be clogged if it overflows or flushes sluggishly. Gallons of dirty water make your bathroom and the entire house smell like raw sewage. Not only that this smell is very unpleasant but it could also prove to be a health hazard to many if not handled properly. You can easily fix your clogged toilet on your own. Just follow the steps given below and you will be done with this task within a matter of minutes.

Complexity Level: Basic

Time Required: 30-45 minutes

Resources Required:

  1. Plunger
  2. Wire clothes hanger
  3. Liquid drain cleaner

Instructions:

1. Cover the canal of the toilet

  • Plunger can rightly be termed as the plumber’s friend. The first thing that you need to do is to cover the canal of the toilet with the rubber covering of the plunger. The canal is the opening of the toilet through which the waste and the water escapes as soon as you flush the toilet.
  • Covering the canal with the plunger ensures that water does not move past over the rubber seal, therefore you need to make sure that you have covered it properly otherwise clog will not be removed.

2. Push down the plunger

The basic mechanism behind this technique is to create a vacuum between the clog and the rubber covering so that the stuck objects can be dislodged. For this, you need to push down the plunger handle firmly. Then release the handle allowing it to pull itself upwards. This creates a vacuum and the suction force comes into the play, which is strong enough to break the clog. Repeat this process 2-3 times quickly and then remove the plunger.

3. Break any hardened or clumped-up material

Now, you need to break up any hardened or clumped material that may be left behind. You can use wire clothes hanger for this purpose. Take the hooked end of it and insert in into the canal of the toilet and pull it out rapidly. Repeat this process few times to get rid of all such hardened materials.

4. Flush the toilet and use liquid drain cleaner

  • Now, when you are done with all the steps described above then flush the toilet. If the clog was not very severe then the toilet may flush without any problem. However, sometimes it may even happen that the toilet starts overflowing. In such situation, immediately use the toilet plunger to force the lodged material through the pipes.
  • Finally, pour the liquid drain cleaner after 10 minutes and allow it to settle down for the next 15 minutes. Flush down the toilet again, which makes sure that the clog has been removed.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What clogs toilet?

A toilet gets clogged because of various reasons. However, in most of the cases, the most common cause behind clogged toilets are paper products which don’t disintegrate on coming in contact with water. These paper products include baby wipes, paper towels, sanitary napkins and facial tissues.

Quick Tips:

  • If the above method doesn’t work then your toilet must have problem deep down in the plumbing lines. In that case, you have to take the help of a plumber.
  • If you hear (or see) water collecting up in the showers or sinks whenever you flush, then it means that there is a deep clog that will finally stop your toilet from working properly. In that case, the above method is not going to work, it’s better to call a plumber.

Things To Watch Out For:

  • Never pull or push the toilet plunger vigorously when it is inside the bowl, as it will cause the dirty water splash all over the place.
  • The drain cleaning chemicals are extremely toxic, therefore they must be handled with care and must be kept away from the reach of small children.

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