How to Fix a Clogged Toilet in 7 Easy Steps

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   Put the plunger into the toilet and flush. Cover the opening entirely with the plunger. [1] Put the plunger all the way down in the water so that you're pushing and pulling water through the hole and not air.

   • If there isn't enough water in the bowl to submerge the plunger, fill it with water from the sink.

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   Press the plunger down on top of the opening. To avoid forcing air into the bowl with your first plunge, take it easy at first. It's best to loosen the obstruction by pushing down and then pulling up quickly. Keep pushing and pulling until the water starts to go down. [2] It could take up to 20 flushes for the toilet to become unclogged.

   • Be patient Sometimes just diving in by yourself is all that's needed, provided there isn't something hard (like a child's toy) stuck inside. A few dozen plunge cycles is usually required before it begins to work.

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   Do a test flush to make sure the toilet is draining properly. Leave the plunger in the bowl and refill it with water if plunging clears the bowl but the clog prevents water from flowing freely down the drain. Return the water level to where it would be after a regular flush, and then plunge once more. If the clog is particularly stubborn, you may need to repeat the process several times. [3]

   • After plunging, you should flush the toilet two to four times to help move the clog further down the drain. [4]

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1. 1

   Boil one and a half liters of water Too much waste being flushed down the toilet can cause a clog, but a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water can often unclog the drain just as effectively as a store-bought product. Start by boiling half a gallon of water and letting it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the toilet bowl along with the other ingredients.

   • Incorporate a minimum of a half gallon Only a large volume of water can break through the obstruction; a weaker stream will just spill over the sides.
   • The water temperature shouldn't be higher than that at which you would find it comfortable to drink hot tea. Very hot water can break porcelain, so it shouldn't be boiled. It's recommended to use hotter water to press or circulate around the obstruction.

2. 2

   Put one cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar into the bowl of the toilet. The chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar breaks up the obstruction. Though distilled white vinegar sees the most use, any vinegar will do. Great fizzing will result from the mixture. [5]

   • Instead of using baking soda and vinegar to clean the toilet, you can also use dish soap. If the soap works, it can unclog the drain. [6]
   • Clogs caused by a solid object, like a toy, are unlikely to be cleared using this technique.

3. 3

   The bowl needs hot water, so pour some in. Don't pour it in from the rim; start at waist level. Water falling into the bowl at a rapid rate can sometimes dislodge obstructions.

4. 4

   Allow the ingredients to sit together for a full 24 hours. Water should have drained by morning. Make use of this homemade drain cleaner to eliminate obstructions caused by organic matter. You may have a hard obstruction if water still doesn't flush after trying again. You can try using a drain snake or a wire coat hanger.

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   To clean drains, you should buy a chemical cleaner. Find them in any supermarket, hardware store, or "big box" retailer. This strategy should be employed only if all other approaches have failed. You and those around you could be put in danger by the chemicals found in drain cleaners. Chlorinated drain cleaners are especially harmful to the ecosystem[7]. [8]

   • Do not use a chemical solution if you think there is a solid blockage. If you need plumbing help, you should probably use a snake.
   • If you must use a chemical drain cleaner, make sure it is one designed for a toilet. It's possible that your toilet could be damaged by using other types of drain cleaners.

2. 2

   Place the prescribed amount into the bowl of a toilet. To ensure proper use, refer to the product's manual. If you don't want your bathroom to fill with poisonous gas, close the lid. [9]

   • Drain cleaning chemicals should not be used with a plunger immediately after their addition. It's possible that these chemicals will rebound and land on your skin.
   • To avoid breathing in any potentially harmful chemicals, make sure the bathroom has adequate ventilation.

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1. 1

   Get yourself an enzyme-based garbage disposal. Check the label to see if the product contains a blend of waste-liquefying enzymes. Septic systems rely on these enzymes to decompose waste. [10]

   • The plumbing section of most hardware stores is where you'll find products like these. Instead of using a drain-clearing chemical, you should consider getting rid of your garbage with enzymes because they won't damage your pipes or the environment. [11]
   • This process is only applicable to organic garbage and not plastic toys.

2. 2

   To use, just do as directed on the package. Put the enzyme product's suggested dosage into the toilet. Waiting overnight for the enzymes to work on the clog is standard procedure. [12] When the clog is cleared, the toilet should flush normally.

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   Obtain or seek out the use of a plumbing snake. A plumbing snake (also known as an "flexible cleaning tool" or "auger") is a flexible coil of wire that can "snake" through the nooks and crannies of a drain and go much further in than a wire could on its own. An "closet auger," a special kind of snake made to unclog toilets without scratching or staining the bowl, is your best bet. [13]

2. 2

   Put the snake's end into the plumbing. If you feel an obstruction, you can stop feeding the snake further down the drain by applying pressure.

3. 3

   Pull the snake's head around and force it through the opening. To clear the pipes, the obstruction must be reduced in size to the point where smaller pieces can pass through. Removing the barrier could take a few minutes of careful maneuvering. When the water stops draining, flush the toilet to see if it empties as quickly as usual. [14]

   • In order to get the wire through the obstruction, you will need to crank the auger's handle.

4. 4

   Reverse snake There may come a time when you have to flip the toilet over and run the snake in the other direction. This is particularly the case with stubborn clogs that a curious young child may have flushed down the toilet. If you are not confident in your ability to remove and replace the toilet and the blockage is known to be stubborn, you should call a plumber.

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   Straighten out a twisted wire coat hanger. Then, secure the rag around the wire's exposed end. Wrap the rag in duct tape to keep it in place. That way, you won't have to worry about the pointy end scratching the toilet's porcelain. The wire hanger technique is only effective if the clog is within the first few inches of the drain. [15]

2. 2

   Toss the wire's wrapped end down the drain. If the wire gets stuck, you can clear it by twisting, pushing, and angling it in a circular motion once it's down the drain. If you encounter resistance, exert force. Do not stop until the water stops filling the hole. [16]

   • Wear rubber gloves while you do this. Because of the wire's mobility, you might get wet.
   • There must be a clog beyond the reach of the hanger if the toilet still won't drain despite your attempts to remove it. In order to fix this, you can use a plumbing snake.

3. 3

   After the bowl is empty, you should flush the toilet. The clog should be gone, and the dirty water can go down the drain as usual. If the toilet is still clogged after using the hanger, the blockage may have been moved further back. A plumbing snake will be required in this instance for removal. [17]

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1. 1

   Invest in or beg for a wet/dry vac. Try a wet/dry vacuum if plunging and snaking have failed. You can't use just any vacuum, though; you'll need a wet/dry model that can handle moisture. [18]

2. 2

   Use the vacuum to remove the water from the bowl. It is not possible to remove the obstruction with a vacuum unless the bowl is empty of water and other debris. [19]

3. 3

   Turn on the vacuum and stick the hose's end into the sink's drain. Insert it a few inches into the opening of the toilet bowl. Discard the attachment and use only the pliable hose. Wrap a rolled-up towel around the drain opening to block it. A clog may be removed by sucking it through the vacuum. [20]

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