How to : Best Ways to Unclog a Toilet

Section 1 of 10:

Plunging the Toilet

Plunging your toilet is the least complicated and typically fastest and most effective way to unclog a toilet. Here’s how to do it:

1
Insert the plunger into the toilet bowl. Make sure the plunger completely covers the hole.^{[1]

X

Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports

Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source

Submerge the plunger fully in the water so that you can push and pull water through the opening, not air.

Add water from the bathroom sink to the bowl if there isn’t enough water to cover the plunger.
Running the plunger under hot water can soften it, which can help it create a better seal.
Hopefully your plunger has an “extension flange.” This is the rubber extension after the bell-shaped part of your plunger and it’s designed to better fit the toilet opening.}
2
Pump the plunger over the hole. Push down gently at first, since the first plunge will push air into the bowl and could splash back. Then pull up sharply to disturb the clog and loosen it. Continue vigorously pushing and pulling until the water begins to drain.^{[2]

X

Research source

It may take 15 to 20 cycles before the toilet unclogs.

Be patient. As long as you don’t have a hard object (like a kid’s toy) stuck in there, plunging alone often suffices. It might not work immediately but will often work after a few dozen plunge cycles.}
3
Flush the toilet to check the drainage. If the plunging eventually drains the bowl, but the clog is still blocking a free flow down the drain, leave the plunger in the bowl and fill the bowl with water again. Fill it to the point it is normally after a regular flush, then plunge again. Stubborn clogs might require you to do this a number of times.^{[3]

X

Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports

Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source

Flush the toilet 2-4 times once you’re done plunging to move the blockage through the sewer system.^{[4]

X

Research source}}

What if there is poop in the toilet water?!

It is common to have waste in the water when unclogging a toilet. You can still use a plunger in this case, but you might want to take some additional precautions:

Clear the space around the toilet including removing any bath mats/rugs.

Use rubber kitchen gloves when plunging.

Position yourself in a way to avoid waste water splashing up at you.

Have paper towels and cleaning supplies on hand as plunging can create splashback.

Have a bucket with soap ready to clean your plunger after use.

Section 2 of 10:

Making a Drain Cleaner

Maybe you don’t have a plunger or the idea of plunging a clogged toilet with waste in it has you squeamish. If so, you should consider a homemade drain cleaner.

If your toilet tends to clog easily as the result of trying to flush too much waste, using a combination of hot water, baking soda and vinegar will often do the job as well as a commercial drain cleaner.

This method works better for clogs from waste and not clogs caused by hard obstructions like a toy and requires more time than plunging. Here’s how to do it:

1
Heat half a gallon of water. Boil half a gallon of water, then let it cool for a moment while you add other ingredients to the toilet bowl.
- Use at least half a gallon. A small amount of water won’t work, since it won’t have enough force to push through the clog.
- The water should be no hotter than a hot tea you can drink comfortably. It should not be boiling, since very hot water can crack porcelain. You want to raise the temperature of the water passing around or pressing on the clog.
2
Pour 1 cup baking soda and 2 cups vinegar into the toilet. The baking soda and vinegar create a chemical process that help to dissolve clogs. Distilled white vinegar is commonly used, but any type of vinegar will work. The mixture will fizz a great deal.^{[5]

X

Research source

If you don’t have baking soda and vinegar on hand, try adding a few squirts of dish soap to the toilet bowl. The soap may help to loosen the clog.
This method isn’t likely to work for clogs caused by a hard obstruction, such as a toy.}
3

Pour the hot water into the bowl. Pour it from waist level, rather than right near the rim. The force of the water falling into the bowl can help to clear the clog.
4

Let the mixture stand overnight. In the morning, the water should have drained. This homemade drain cleaner should successfully clear clogs caused by organic material. If the water won’t flush on your second try, you may have hard obstruction causing the clog. Try using a wire coat hanger or a drain snake.

Section 3 of 10:

Trying an Enzyme Product

1
Purchase an enzyme waste removal product. Look for a product that contains a mixture of enzymes that liquify waste materials. These enzymes are used in septic systems to break down waste.^{[6]

X

Research source

Products of this sort can usually be purchased at home improvement stores in or near the plumbing aisle. Enzyme waste removal is preferable to using a drain-clearing chemical because it will not harm your pipes or the environment.^{[7]

X

Research source}
This method will only work on organic waste, not toys or other objects.}
2

Follow the instructions on the container. Pour the recommended amount of the enzyme product into the toilet bowl. You will typically be instructed to wait overnight for the enzymes to go to work on the clog.^{[8]

X

Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports

Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source

The toilet should drain once the clog has cleared.}

Section 4 of 10:

Making a Wire Coat Hanger Snake

1

Unravel and straighten a wire coat hanger. Then wrap the end of the wire with a rag. Use duct tape to keep the rag in place. This will prevent the sharp end from damaging the porcelain in your toilet. The wire hanger method will generally work only if there is an obstruction in the first few inches of the drain.^{[9]

X

Research source}
2
Stick the wrapped end of the wire into the drain. Once the wire is in the drain, twist it, push it, and maneuver it in a circular motion to clear the drain. If you can feel the obstruction, push against it. Keep going until the water begins to drain.^{[10]

X

Research source

Make sure you’re wearing rubber gloves as you do this. You may get splashed as you move the wire around.
If you can’t feel an obstruction, and the toilet won’t drain, the clog must be out of reach of the hanger. Try the plumbing snake method to clear it.}
3

Flush the toilet once the water has drained. The obstruction and dirty water should now be able to flow through the drain like normal. If the toilet is still slow to drain, the obstruction may have gotten pushed further back, out of reach of the hanger. In this case you’ll need to use a plumbing snake to clear it.^{[11]

X

Research source}

Section 5 of 10:

Using a Plumbing Snake

If the above methods aren’t working, it’s time to step it up with the use of a real plumbing snake.

1

Purchase or borrow a plumbing snake. A plumbing snake (also sometimes called a “flexible cleaning tool” or “auger”) is a flexible coil of wire that can “snake” through the curves of a drain and get deeper than a wire can. The best snake is a “closet auger” which is designed specifically to clear toilet clogs without damaging or staining the bowl.^{[12]

X

Research source}
2

Insert one end of the snake into the drain. Push down, feeding the snake further into the drain until you feel an obstruction.
3
Twist and push the snake through the obstruction. The goal is to break up the obstruction into smaller pieces that can move through the pipes. It may take a few minutes of maneuvering to clear the obstruction. Once the water drains, flush the toilet to see whether it drains as quickly as normal.^{[13]

X

Research source

Crank the handle on an auger to push the wire through the clog.}
4

Snake in reverse. It may become necessary to remove the toilet and run the snake through in the opposite direction. This is especially true with hard obstructions that may have been flushed by a curious child. If the obstruction is known to be hard and you are not comfortable removing and replacing the toilet, contact a plumber.

Section 6 of 10:

Utilizing a Wet/Dry Vacuum

1

Buy or borrow a wet/dry vacuum. If you have tried plunging and snaking to no avail, consider using a wet/dry vacuum. Do not use an ordinary vacuum cleaner––it must be the wet/dry variety that can cope with water.^{[14]

X

Research source}
2

Empty the water out of the bowl using the vacuum. The bowl must be free of water and any other debris in order to vacuum out the obstruction.^{[15]

X

Research source}
3

Place the end of the vacuum hose into the drain and turn on the vacuum. Push it into the toilet bowl a few inches into the hole. Use just the flexible hose, rather than an attachment. Coil an old towel around the hole to create a seal around the drain. There’s a good chance the vacuum can suck out the clog.^{[16]

X

Research source}

Section 7 of 10:

Using a Chemical Drain Cleaner

Another option to consider is using chemical drain cleaners. They are easy to use and widely available, but there are some things to consider before use. Many of these drain cleaners are toxic to humans and damaging to the environment.^{[17]

X

Research source}

^{[18]

X

Research source}

If the drain cleaner is not successful at removing the clog, you now have a toilet bowl full of toxic chemicals. This would limit your ability to plunge the toilet safely as these chemicals can splash up at you and cause harm. Here’s how to use this method:

1
Purchase a chemical drain cleaner. They’re available at most grocery, hardware, and “big box” stores.
- Only use chemical drain cleaners that are specifically made for toilets. Using other drain cleaners may damage your toilet.
- If you suspect that there is a hard obstruction, like a toy, do not use a chemical solution. Instead, use a snake or call a plumber.
- Never mix different chemical cleaners together as the result could be extremely dangerous or even fatal fumes.
2
Pour the specified amount into the toilet. Be sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the lid down to prevent toxic fumes from filling your bathroom.
- Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated, so you won’t inhale potentially dangerous chemicals.

Section 8 of 10:

Clean Up Tips

- A used plunger (especially flange plungers) may still have water inside of it after plunging. Keep it over the toilet, turn it a bit, and shake it slightly to drain it so it won’t drip on the floor.
- Disinfect the toilet bowl with a disinfectant cleaner after you’ve cleared the clog.
- Dispose of the wire (if used) and disinfect or dispose of the rubber gloves and any other tools (such as a plunger or snake) that you used. These tools can spread germs and start to stink if not properly cleaned.
- It’s best to mop and clean your bathroom after plunging a toilet. Even if you didn’t see and splash back out of the bowl.

Section 9 of 10:

Preventing Future Clogs

- If your toilet gets clogged often, try to figure out what clogged the toilet and prevent it from happening again. Common culprits are too much toilet paper, tampons (some are flushable but most are not), toys (both kids and pets are suspects), cotton swabs, and baby wipes. Consider having a little “what not to flush” presentation in the best interest of your plumbing.
- Regularly clean the siphon jets around the toilet bowl’s edge so that the toilet can flush at full power, making it less likely to clog.
- If your clog was from a child’s toy, invest in some toilet seat locks.

Section 10 of 10:

When to Call a Plumber

- Before a clog: If you see (or hear) water backing up in the sinks or showers whenever you flush, that means there’s a deep clog that will eventually stop your toilet from working properly. Call a plumber.
- If you smell gas coming from the toilet, it’s best to get the plumber and your local electric/ gas company on the scene right away. It could be a cross-bore in the sewers.

Video
.

By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

Read Video Transcript

Tips

If your toilet doesn’t flush properly after one flush, don’t flush again or you’ll have an overflowing toliet. Instead, take the lid off of the toilet tank and close the toilet flapper. Closing the flapper (circular drain stopper) will keep more water from entering the bowl.

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
18

Not Helpful
2
If you can see the cause of the clog, reach in and remove it from the toilet if possible. If you can’t clear it with your hands, but you know there’s an object (such as a child’s toy) causing the clog, skip the plunging and go straight to another method.

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
0

Not Helpful
1

Warnings

Most drain cleaners available in retail stores for home use are not appropriate for toilets. Check the product label to ensure the product is compatible for use with toilet drains. Bear in mind that some drain cleaners produce a great amount of heat as a chemical reaction in contact with water; this heat if not handled properly might seriously damage the toilet and the plastic pipe attached to it.

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
8

Not Helpful
3
Drain-cleaning chemicals are generally extremely toxic and hazardous. One major hazard is the risk of sudden splashback which, depending on the chemical, can cause severe burns. Avoid contact with skin and eyes, and do not mix chemicals. Follow all manufacturer instructions to the letter, and heed all warnings.

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
7

Not Helpful
3
Coat hangers and drain snakes can scratch the porcelain of the toilet. Try to be careful to minimize the damage, at least in the visible part of the bowl. The end of the coat hanger you are going to introduce in the toilet to “fish” the clog, should be given a v-shaped hook by using some appropriate pliers and then covered lightly with electrical tape. Proceed with greatest caution to engage the hook onto the clog/toy and then softly pull it out in a continuous motion.

⧼thumbs_response⧽

Helpful
0

Not Helpful
0