It’s Saturday night and you’re hosting a dinner party at home. Everything is running smoothly and the guests are about to arrive, when all of a sudden the toilet gets blocked. All the shops are closed and there is no plunger in sight. What should you do?
The first step is to stay calm. The worst thing you can do if the toilet is already filled with waste is to continue flushing in earnest, hoping that the clog will disperse. Repeated flushing will only increase the amount of water entering the bowl and will likely result in the water overflowing and flooding the bathroom. Remove the back of the toilet and lift up the floater to prevent more water from filling the bowl. You can also shut off the water valve. Wait a while to see if the water level goes down. If the water level remains high, use a bucket to remove as much excess water from the bowl before trying the below methods.
1 - How to unblock a toilet using soap and hot water
Pour a generous amount of liquid soap or shampoo into the toilet bowl. Pour a bucket of hot water into the bowl. Make sure you use hot water from the tap, rather than boiling water which could potentially crack the ceramic toilet bowl. The water and soap should help to break down the clog more quickly than room temperature water. Wait around 10 minutes and then check if the water level is lower than before. If it is, repeat the step until water flows freely. If you turned off the water valve, make sure you turn it back on and test the flush.
2 - How to unblock a toilet using a mop
You can unblock a toilet using a string mop. These mops are a great tool to use when you don’t have a plunger because they have a long handle and the head is big enough to create a good seal over the drain opening. Cover the string end of the mop with a plastic bag and secure it tightly. Place the mop over the drain opening and use a forceful in and out motion like you would with a normal plunger. It can take several minutes to work.
3 - How to unblock a toilet using a toilet brush
Almost every toilet will have a toilet brush next to it, so if there is no plunger and no mop in the house this is the next best thing. Use the toilet brush in the same way that you would use a plunger. Same as the mop, cover the brush end with a plastic bag and tie it securely. Place the brush end into the drain hole and pump it up and down using quick, forceful movements. If you are in a friend’s bathroom and are too embarrassed to leave and ask for a bag, this method is also effective without the plastic bag. However, the brush might be a little dirty afterwards.
4 - How to unblock a toilet with a coat hanger
Unwind a metal coat hanger and wrap the end of the wire in an old rag. Use duct tape to secure the rag in place. Push the rag end of the coat hanger into the toilet drain, turning slowly as you go. The goal is to push the hanger into the clog, breaking up the obstruction until the water starts to drain freely. Once the water is draining you can flush the toilet. As mentioned earlier, flushing before the clog has been removed will only result in more water filling the bowl, increasing the risk of overflow.
5. Call a licensed plumber
If the above techniques aren’t working it’s best to call a licensed plumber. These techniques will only work on a local and minor clog, such as a blocked toilet caused by too much toilet paper. If the issue is further down the line, for example grease blocking the main sewer lines, special tools are required to fix the problem. A plumber with a jet blaster machine can pressure clean the sewer pipes, removing all sediment from the line. Jet blasting is fast acting and effective and will get your toilet functioning quickly again.
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