How to Clear a Blocked Toilet
Having a blockage in your toilet's drainpipe can go from harmless to nasty in just a few moments. Once you'realize that your toilet is blocked, there are usually only two options, do it yourself, or call someone else to do it for you. Since we?re sure you'd like to save as much time and money as possible, we're going to explain how to do it yourself for a variety of toilet blocked types.
First, you're going to want to prep by getting all of the items that you need. You'll need?
- Rubber Gloves
- Plunger
- cleaning agent
- a bucket, or other kind of container
- Toilet auger
Step 1: Bailing out the Bowl
In all honesty, you'll be desirous to work with as little water as necessary for the duration of this project. We suggest putting that bucket to good use and emptying your toilet into either another toilet, or into some other container, so that you can more easily work with the problem toilet.
Step 2: Snaking the Drain (Finding the Problem)
To find the root of the problem, you'll first need to look inside of the drain cover, to see if the water chamber of your toilet is full. If it is full, then the blockage is located further along the main pipe. If the chamber is absent of water then the blockage is somewhere in the toilet pan, or in the soil pipe from the water closet to the chamber. If you find yourself faced with a problem which extends beyond the toilet itself, you should call a professional plumber to fix the problem.
Step 3: Agitating the Problem (Utilizing the Plunger)
Almost everyone has learned how to use a plunger before. There are several kinds of plunger, as well. Some plungers are better than others. They're all generally used in the same way; place the rubber head over the toilet pan, create suction by moving the head up and down in a vigorous motion. This will cause the blocked pieces to be moved around and to, hopefully, begin to break apart and/or shift. If your current plunger doesn't fix the problem, you can always get a high quality, pump action plunger. This kind of plunger pushes air down into the main pipe and is able to agitate the blockage far more than the traditional plunger.
Step 4: If All Else Fails (Toilet Augers, Chemicals and Professionals)
Some blockages just aren't to be done in with the classic plunger. For these tough blockages, you can utilize a toilet auger. An auger is a long piece of flexible metal wire than can be fed into the toilet pan down into the main drainage pipe. You can also make a makeshift auger using wire coat hangers, though we suggest against this as you may end up doing more harm than good. Blockage can almost always be cleared by using an auger. Once you're positive that you've cleared the blockage, make sure to flush the toilet a few times, and possibly plunge it again, to make sure that everything has been thoroughly loosened up. There are a few other options that you can explore, such as chemical agents meant to loosen up toilet blockage. Be careful with these, as they can be damaging to the skin and eyes. If you're aware of something solid that is blocking your drain, there may be a serious problem, and it may be best to get a hold of someone who has the proper tools for the job.