A plunger is an essential tool in any home. It can be used to unclog toilets, sinks and tubs. Clogged toilets are common problems that can be easily fixed using a plunger. A plunger will only unclog a toilet if the water level in the bowl is above the outlet hole at the base of the tank. If there is no air gap between the water level and the overflow hole, no amount of plunging will fix your problem.
If a plunger doesn’t work, it could be because the clog is too far down the toilet. If so, you’ll need to use other methods. If you have tried everything else and your toilet still won’t flush, do not panic. This article will discuss how to unclog a toilet if a plunger does not work.
You find that a plunger is not solving your clogged toilet problem, there are several simple steps to take. First you need to make sure that the water level in the toilet bowl is low enough for you to get behind the toilet and fix the clog. If the water level is too high, consider opening a faucet or two in your home so the water level will decrease. However, if this does not work, there are other ways to unclog the toilet that do not involve expensive tools or a plumber’s services.
ALSO READ: How to Unclog Bathroom Sink Naturally
How to Unclog the Toilet if a Plunger Does Not Work
1. Use baking soda and vinegar solution
There is a simple way to unclog your toilet without having to call a plumber or spend money on expensive chemicals when a plunger does not work. Vinegar and baking soda are two household items that can be used to clear up the blockage in your toilet. You don’t need much of either, so they won’t cost much money. Vinegar and baking soda work well with clogs caused by hair or other small items that can be flushed down the toilet.
The baking soda reacts with the acidity in the vinegar to create bubbles that help break up the blockage in a clogged toilet tank or bowl. The combination of these two products also helps to dissolve hard water deposits found on porcelain surfaces in toilets as well as other plumbing fixtures. This is why many people recommend using this method in homes where hard water has been an ongoing problem in sinks and tubs as well as toilets.
Pour about 1/2 cup of vinegar into your toilet bowl; make sure not to pour it directly onto the plunger. The vinegar needs time to work its magic on the clog before you plunge it again. Pour the mixture into the clogged toilet bowl, and allow it to sit for five minutes before flushing it out with water. You may have to repeat this process several times before the clog is cleared completely.
2. Hot water
Try pouring hot water down the toilet bowl. This can help break up the blockage. Be sure to use very hot water. It should be about 140 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. This is so that it doesn’t cool down in transit from the hot water tank to your toilet bowl. If hot water doesn’t work, then it’s time for a chemical solution.
3. Get some chemicals
If you’ve tried a plunger, and it doesn’t work, then it’s time to get out the chemicals. Get some chemical drain cleaners from your local hardware store or home improvement store. Follow all safety instructions on the label of whatever brand you choose to buy and then pour it down the drain where the clog is located.
The chemical should do its job by eating away at whatever was causing the clog in your toilet. Afterwards, you can easily remove clogs with a plunger or snake/auger tool. Use a product that contains sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). This is often called chlorine bleach. Follow the directions on the package exactly.
Don’t mix these chemicals with other products like vinegar. There are some things you should know about using this chemicals . It’s strong so wear rubber gloves when handling it and keep it away from children and pets. If used incorrectly, it could cause injury or death due to burns caused by contact with concentrated NaClO solution or exposure to vapors during mixing or pouring of a solution.
Drano Dual-Force Foamer Clog Remover
Drano is a commercial drain cleaner that uses lye sodium hydroxide to unclog drains by chemically dissolving organic matter like hair and grease that clogs pipes over time. It’s effective at dissolving blockages but can cause damage to skin and eyes if not used carefully make sure to wear gloves when using this product. To use Drano, mix one bottle of Drano with three gallons of hot water in an empty bucket or large bowl before adding it to your toilet bowl.
ALSO READ: Do You Need Soap Dispenser and Soap Dish in a Bathroom?
4. Hot water and dish soap
You can use hot water and dish soap to loosen up whatever is clogging your toilet. Fill a bucket or basin with hot water, then add dish soap to make it sudsy. Place the bucket with water and soap under the clogged toilet bowl and flush the toilet once or twice to make sure all of the water is gone. Pour the soapy water into the clogged toilet bowl until it is full of suds and then let it sit for several minutes before flushing again.
This will help loosen whatever is clogging your toilet so that it can flush easily again. The soap will help break up any grease or other debris stuck in your pipes. Sometimes the simplest things can be the most effective. If you have been trying to unclog a toilet with a plunger and it isn’t working, try this instead.
5. Household bleach
If your toilet is clogged and you don’t have a plunger or a snake, you can use household bleach to unclog it. You can purchase bleach at any grocery store or drug store. Pour about 1 gallon of water into the bowl and add about 1/4 cup of household bleach. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes. If the water in the bowl stays clear after 30 minutes, flush the toilet to see if it clears the clog.
If it does not clear the clog, add another 1/4 cup of bleach and let it sit for another 30 minutes before flushing again. If this still doesn’t work, add another 1/4 cup of bleach and wait one more hour before trying again. Repeat this process until the clog disappears or until you run out of bleach.
6. Auger
You can use an auger to clear your toilet clogs, if the plunger does not work. A toilet auger is a long cable that has a wire loop at the end of it. You can use this tool to clean out your toilet bowl by hand.
To use a toilet auger, follow these steps:
- Turn off the water supply valve and flush the toilet so that all of the water in the tank drains out into your home’s sewer system.
- Flush out any remaining water from inside the tank by turning on both taps (one for hot water and one for cold). This will allow air into the tank and help dry it out so that no water remains in there when you are using your toilet auger.
- Remove any excess standing water from inside the bowl using paper towels or some other absorbent material like cotton balls or Q-tips. Make sure these items do not get stuck down in your drain trap because they will just clog up things even worse.
- Insert one end of your toilet auger into your drain pipe, then pull out the clogs in the pipe.
7. Snake
If a plunger doesn’t work, don’t panic. A snake is the best tool to unclog your toilet. A snake is essentially a cable with a handle on one end and a corkscrew-shaped piece of wire at the other. The wire is made of flexible metal that can bend easily as you feed it down into your toilet bowl. If there’s something lodged in your toilet drain, the snake will grab onto it and pull it up so you can remove it with your hands or flush it away.
You can buy a toilet snake at any hardware store for less than $15. If there are multiple toilets in your house, consider buying one for each bathroom so you don’t have to go looking for one when you need it most.
The process of using a snake is similar to using the plunger.
- Turn off the water supply to the toilet and flush it several times to empty it of any remaining water. This will prevent damage to your home’s pipes if there’s still pressure in them.
- Unscrew the cap on the end of the drain pipe under your toilet and pull it from its connection with one hand while holding onto the pipe with your other hand. The cap is usually secured by two screws that can be removed with a screwdriver or Allen wrench.
- Insert one end of the snake into the opening at the bottom of your toilet bowl, then push it through until you reach resistance from inside your pipes. Push slowly so you don’t cause an obstruction by pushing debris further down into them.
- Once you’ve reached an obstruction in your pipes, wrap a rag around one end of your snake so that it doesn’t fall down into your toilet bowl when you pull it out again (unless you have a second snake). Then slowly pull back on both ends of the snake until whatever is clogging drains out onto your floor or into a bucket if possible.
ALSO READ: How Do You Get Caked Urine Out of a Toilet?
8. Contact a plumber
If you’ve tried and tried with a plunger and it just doesn’t seem to be working, you’re probably wondering what else you can do. And you have tried all the traditional methods of clearing a toilet blockage and still have no luck, it’s time to get professional help.
Call in the experts at your local plumber. They may be able to clear the toilet without having to remove it from the bathroom or even bring in any heavy equipment. If they can’t fix it on their own, they’ll be able to tell you what steps are needed next.
ALSO READ: What Does It Means When They Leave the Toilet Seat up From the Bathroom
Conclusion
Toilet clog can be a very unpleasant situation. You have probably been in a situation where your toilet is clogged, and you are desperate. In a moment of desperation, you grab your trusty plunger but even that seems to be useless. You have been at it for an hour using all sorts of things to try and dislodge that stupid blockage. Fortunately, there are other options for you to fix this issue. Go through the article to find them out.