Change of Address: 10 Ways to Deal with Plugged Up Toilets

10 Ways to Deal with Plugged Up Toilets

If I had a nickel for every time I unplugged a toilet at my home, I’d be rich. My family has a long tradition of plug and run (sort of like hit and run in a car accident). They plug the toilet and then scram only for me to find the problem either by the aroma or the fact that a bathroom door is “always” shut, etc. I’m not so sure why they do this and/or how they expect the situation to simply cure itself. Anyway, partially to limit my plunging duties and partly to just give me more ideas I put together this list of 10 ways to deal with plugged up toilets.

The plunger. Okay, so let’s start with what you would think the most obvious choice is, a garden-variety plunger. I keep one right beside every toilet in the home yet it seems that this simple device is too much for the rest of the family to master. So you just put the suction cup at the bottom over the opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl and you move the handle up and down making sure the suction cup stays in contact with the bowl at all times. Okay, there… I said it again and will make my family read this a few more times. Here is a great link if words aren’t enough: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-unclog-a-toilet-with-a-plunger.html.

Hot (not boiling) soapy water. One thing that can often breakthrough a stubborn plug is some hot water with some mild dish soap in it. This of course only works if the toilet is drained and NOT if it is already close to overflowing. It is also recommended to turn off the water to the toilet before executing this remedy. After putting the soapy water down the toilet (1-2 quarts or so should be fine), have your plunger ready to finish the job. DO NOT BOIL THE WATER AS YOU MAY CRACK YOUR BOWL.

Bleach and powdered soap. If you have a white toilet for sure, you can attempt to put 2-3 cups of bleach in along with 1 cup of powdered soap. The chemical reaction of the soap and bleach should break up the clog. If it doesn’t completely do the trick then you can use a plunger to finish the job.

Clothes hanger. Another inexpensive way to unclog a toilet is to take a wire clothes hanger and straighten it out (however you can… use a wire cutter if you must but make sure the cut is very clean by crimping it if you can). Then stick that down into the toilet and break up the materials that are plugging the toilet. Once you feel you have it, flush the toilet. Be careful though not to scratch or shatter the porcelain.

Rubber gloves. This is not meant to be a joke or something to gross out anyone. If you find yourself in a plugged situation and you have long rubber gloves that you use for cleaning then put them on and unplug the toilet with your hands. I don’t recommend attempting this without protecting your hands but in any event make sure you wash your hands after with anti-bacterial soap.

Plastic soda bottle and water. You can also try using an empty soda bottle (up to a 2-liter plastic bottle is fine) full of warm water to unclog a toilet. With this technique you fill the plastic bottle with warm water and with a rubber glove or plastic bag on your hand you cover the opening of the bottle while inserting it into the clogged toilet near the opening in the bottom. You then quickly squeeze the warm water out of the soda bottle to unclog the toilet.

2-liters of Coca Cola (or even a couple of cans). Okay, this tells you a little bit about one of the drinks that several of us love. One way to clean toilets and also eat away at some blockages is to use Coca Cola. Yes, a 2-liter bottle of regular Coke (Diet Coke also works) down the toilet can work wonders. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then flush. This particular remedy only works on clogs due to human waste and will not work on clogs due to using too much toilet paper, etc.

A mop. You can also take a garden variety house mop and either put a plastic bag over it OR be prepared for some serious cleaning after unclogging the toilet. This works pretty much just like you would imagine. You stick the mop down the toilet and turn the handle to swirl it. That will normally break the clog as well.

A toilet brush. You can also use a toilet brush or the handle on the toilet brush if you must to reach in and unplug a toilet. This of course does not work on really stubborn clogs very well but it is something you can try if you don’t have the other items on the list.

Snake. Okay we are not talking about taking your son’s pet snake and forcing it into the toilet. You can go to any hardware store and pick up a snake to insert into your toilet and break up a blockage. You do need to be careful to not crack or damage your toilet when you use these, but if you call a plumber expect that this is exactly what they will use (at least to start with).

There are lots of other creative solutions to unplugging a stubborn toilet but these are some of the easiest ways to get the job done that I know have worked in the past. In order to avoid having repeat problems just be careful what you put down the toilet. Limit paper products (no kids, you cannot wad up a full roll of toilet paper and flush it). I do hope that these suggestions help you to avoid a major expense associated with calling a plumber to your home. However, if none of the above things work that is exactly what you need to do (get professional help).