How to Unclog a Toilet

It seems that the toilet is clogged at the most inopportune times. Fortunately, you can handle most blockages yourself without having to pay for a plumbing service. You can unclog with a rubber plunger or household products like hot water, baking soda, and vinegar. For deeper blockages, try using a drain cable or using a wet/dry vacuum to remove them.

Table of Contents

Rubber piston

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Keep water from overflowing. If the toilet doesn’t drain well after one flush, don’t flush it again so water doesn’t pump more into the toilet. Instead, open the tank lid on the toilet and close the drain valve. This action is to prevent further water from flowing into the toilet bowl.

The drain valve looks like a circular drain plug attached to a chain.
The water in the water tank is not dirty, so you can reach in to close the drain valve.

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Prepare the bathroom. To prevent water from splashing on the floor, place newspaper or paper towels on the floor to absorb the water. Newspapers will make it easier to clean up after you’re done. You should also turn on an exhaust fan or open a window to reduce odors.

If the toilet is severely clogged, you need to wear rubber gloves. The toilet is not very clean, but a good pair of gloves will protect you from germs. Choose elbow-length gloves.
You may also need to wear old clothes to prevent stains.

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See if you can see the blockage. If you see an obstruction, try reaching in and removing it, if possible. If you can’t remove it by hand but know there is a blockage (such as a toy), skip the piston method and move on to another method.

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Use high quality pistons. It is important that you use a large and sturdy rubber piston, with a rubber ball-shaped part or a rubber gasket that sticks out from the bottom of the piston to form a seal. Do not use cheap cup-shaped pistons. This type is usually ineffective. ^{[1] X Research Source}

If the piston you are using doesn’t seal, try wrapping a rag on the bottom of the piston to prevent leaks.
Leave the rubber plunger under hot water for a while before using it. Hot water will soften the rubber and help seal.

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Place the plunger in the toilet bowl. Make sure the plunger completely fills the toilet hole and is submerged in water. It is important to press and pull up in the water and not in the air. Add more water to the toilet if necessary.

Indent the plunger on the toilet hole. Start slow, as the first push will push air down the toilet. Press down, then pull up forcefully to hit the blockage and loosen it. Continue pressing and pulling until the water starts to flow away. You may need to do 15 to 20 enemas before the toilet is unclogged. ^{[2] X Research Source} Be patient. As long as you’re sure there’s no hard object stuck underneath, it’s usually enough to just use the piston. You may not see immediate results, but this usually works after several rounds of indentation, about a dozen times each.

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Drain the water to check the drainage. If the water in the toilet eventually drains, but the clog still slows down the flow, put the plunger back in the toilet, fill it with water, and pop it again. You may need to do it a few times with stubborn clogs.

Enzyme products

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Buy waste-degrading enzyme products. Look for products that contain a mixture of enzymes that liquefy waste. These enzymes are used in septic systems to break down waste. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You can buy these products at home improvement stores or on a pipe display stand. This product is preferred over pipe cleaning chemicals because it does not harm the pipes and the environment. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
This method can only handle organic waste, does not work with toys or other objects.

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Follow the instructions on the package. Pour the recommended amount of enzyme into the toilet bowl. Usually you will be instructed to wait overnight for the enzyme to work to clear the blockage. The toilet will clear once the blockage has cleared.

Do-it-yourself products

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Heat 2 liters of water. If the toilet is prone to clogs with heavy flushing, a mixture of hot water, baking soda, and vinegar will often have the same effect as commercial unclogging products. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, then let it cool for a while while you pour the other ingredients down the toilet.

Use at least 2 liters of water. Small amounts of water will not be effective because it does not create enough force to push the clog away.
The water should not be hotter than the tea you can drink. Do not use boiling water because it can crack the porcelain. You need to increase the temperature for the amount of water to flow through or press on the clog.

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Pour 1 cup of baking soda and 2 cups of vinegar into the toilet bowl. Vinegar and baking soda will work together and help clear up the clog. Distilled white vinegar is commonly used, but any vinegar will work. The mixture will make a lot of hissing sound. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

If baking soda and vinegar aren’t available, try adding a few drops of dish soap to the toilet instead. Soap can help loosen the clog. ^{[6] X Research Source}
This method may not work for blockages caused by hard objects, such as toys.

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Pour hot water into the toilet. Fill the toilet to the tight spot in the toilet instead of nearly full. The force of water pouring into the toilet can help dislodge the clog.

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Leave the mixture in the toilet bowl overnight. The next morning, the water in the toilet will drain away. This homemade unblocking mix can help clear up blockages caused by organic matter. If the water doesn’t drain when you flush it a second time, it’s probably a hard object that’s causing the blockage. In this case, try using a metal coat hanger or a drain cable.

Drain cable

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Buy or borrow a drain cable. The drain cable is a flexible metal coil that can wriggle through curves in the drain pipe and into deeper than normal metal rods. The best cable is one that is specifically designed to unclog the toilet without staining or damaging it. Plumbers often use this type of cable. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Thread one end of the cable into the outlet hole. Push into the pipe until you feel an obstruction.

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Twist and push the cable through the obstruction. The goal here is to break the obstruction into smaller pieces that can float out of the pipe. This step may take several minutes. Once the water has flowed, flush to see if the toilet is draining as quickly as it should.

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Thread the cable in the opposite direction. You may need to remove the toilet and thread the cable in the opposite direction. This is especially true when the blockage is caused by a hard object that some curious child throws down. If you know there’s a hard object but don’t want to remove and reinstall the toilet, call a plumber.

Metal hanger

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Remove and straighten a metal coat hanger. Then use a rag to wrap one end of the metal wire. Use strong tape to secure the rag. This step is to prevent the sharp end of the metal wire from damaging the porcelain surface of the toilet. ^{[8] X Research Source} In general, metal coat hangers are effective if the obstruction is near the outlet.

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Thread the end of the fabric wrap into the drain hole. Once you’ve inserted the metal wire into the drain, you can twist, push, and spin to unclog the pipe. If you feel an obstacle, push forward. Continue doing this until the water starts to run away.

Remember to wear gloves when doing this. Maybe water will shoot up when you operate.
If you can’t feel the obstruction and the toilet won’t drain, it means the object is out of reach of the hanger. You should try using a drain cable to unclog the clog.

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Flush the toilet when the water has drained. Obstacles and dirty water should now flow down the pipe as usual. If the water is still draining slowly, the obstruction may have been pushed out of reach of the hanger. In this case, you must use a drain cable.

Unblocking chemicals

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Buy unblocking chemicals. This product is available at most household stores and supermarkets. You should only use this as a last resort. Chemicals in unclogging products are toxic to people and pets, and also corrode pipes. In addition, chlorinated decongestants are very harmful to the environment. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Do not use chemical solutions if a hard object is suspected. You need to use a cable to unclog the drain or call to repair the pipe.
Only use chemicals specifically designed for toilets. Other unclogging products can damage the toilet.

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Pour an appropriate amount into the toilet bowl. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Cover the toilet to prevent toxic gases from rising and spreading throughout the bathroom. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Never use a rubber plunger immediately after pouring chemicals into the toilet. Chemicals can splash on the skin.
Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated so you don’t breathe in the chemicals.

Wet/dry vacuuming

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Buy or borrow a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. If you have tried using a plunger and drain cable with no success, you should consider using a wet/dry vacuum. Don’t use a regular vacuum – you will need a wet/dry vacuum to get rid of the water.

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Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the water from the toilet. The toilet will be free of water and other debris so you can suck the obstruction out.

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Place the tip of the straw into the drain hole. Push the straw a little deeper into the toilet hole. You need to use the chicken intestine instead of the mounting head. Roll an old towel around the drain in the toilet bowl to seal around the outlet.

Advice

If your toilet is often clogged, try to find out what is causing the blockage and prevent it from happening again. Common culprits are too much discarded toilet paper, tampons (some can slip away, but most don’t), toys (kids and pets), toothpicks. cotton and wet tissue. You should inform the whole family about “do not throw down the toilet” to protect the pipe.
Take care of hygiene. Use an antiseptic cleaner after unclogging the toilet. Discard the metal rod (if used), disinfect or dispose of rubber gloves and any tools (such as rubber pistons or drain cables) that have been used. These tools can spread germs and give off odors if not cleaned properly. Pistons (especially those with protruding rubber pads) may still have water inside after use. You can leave the plunger above the toilet, tilt it up a bit, and shake it gently to keep the water from dripping onto the floor.
Before unclogging: If you see (or hear) water in the sink or tub rising every time you flush, there’s an obstruction deep in the pipes and the toilet won’t work properly. . Don’t think about the above methods. Call the plumber.
Regularly clean around the drain in the toilet so the water can drain at full capacity and help reduce the chance of a blockage. If you haven’t cleaned it in a while, you may need to use a screwdriver and carefully remove any residue.
An alternative to a rubber piston is a mop with a plastic bag over the mop head.

Warning

Coat hangers and drain cables can scratch the porcelain in the toilet. You need to be very careful to limit damage, at least in the visible part. The end of the coat hanger that you are going to insert into the toilet to “fish” the obstruction should be bent into a V shape with pliers and then lightly wrapped with electrical tape. Carefully hook onto the obstruction/toy and then gently pull it out with a continuous motion.
Most unclogging products in retail stores are not specifically designed for toilets. Check the label on the package to make sure the product is suitable for toilet flushing. Remember that some unclogging products give off a lot of heat when the chemicals come in contact with water; This heat can seriously damage the toilet bowl and the plastic pipes attached to it if not handled properly.
Unblocking chemicals are generally extremely toxic. Avoid contact with skin and eyes, do not mix chemicals. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly and heed any warnings.
Do not push or pull too hard when using the plunger in the toilet because it is unnecessary and may cause water to splash.

Steps