How to Unclog a Toilet

A simple plunger volition make you lot the family hero! Acquire how to unclog a toilet here.

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Time

An hr or less

Complication

Beginner

Price

Less than $20

Introduction

Clogged toilet? No problem. With a little do and a plunger or a toilet snake, fifty-fifty a home repair rookie can get nearly chock-full toilets dorsum upwards and running in minutes (without flooding the bathroom and making the state of affairs worse.)

Tools Required

Toilet Not Flushing All the Way? Hither's What to Do.

A poor flush means that your toilet drain is partially or completely plugged. Most chock-full toilets are what are known as "slow drainers." That is, flush water partially fills the basin but doesn't blitz out and clean away the waste product. The water level remains high, then normally drains downward to normal height inside a minute or two. You might not even know the toilet is clogged until you lot affluent it. And then if you doubtable a problem, examination the drainage first, and so accomplish for the toilet plunger.

Project step-by-step (4)

Stride ane

How to Test the Drainage of a Toilet That Won't Affluent

Before trying to unclog the toilet through brute force, remove the tank chapeau, lift the flapper valve slightly to let a loving cup or ii of water into the bowl, and run across if the water goes down. Have towels ready, though, considering flushing a clogged toilet may flood your floor!

Lift toilet flapper to release a bit of water

Stride 2

Unclog a Toilet: Begin With a Plunger

For nearly 90 percent of clogged toilets, you lot just need i special tool — a toilet plunger. Buy a toilet plunger with an extension flange on the rubber bell-shaped end. A toilet plunger with an extension flange is designed to fit toilets better, so you tin evangelize more "oomph" to the plunge. The toilet plunger will unplug sink and tub drains, also, if yous merely fold the flange back into the bell.

How To Use a Plunger

Beginning, plunge the toilet with the rubber flange pulled out to go a amend seal. Button in and out vigorously, keeping enough water in the basin to cover the plunger. As always, towels handy to wipe up whatsoever water that splashes out.

Plunging Tips

A toilet plunger fits over and seals the toilet bleed. Clothing rubber gloves — things can get messy— and follow these plunging tips:

  1. Make your offset plunge a gentle i. Initially, the bong volition be total of air. A hard thrust will forcefulness the air back around the seal and blow water all over the bath and y'all!
  2. In one case you force out the air, plunge vigorously in and out, maintaining the seal. You'll be forcing water in both directions in the bleed, which will effectively loosen most clogs. Stick with it, plunging 15 to 20 times if necessary.
  3. Exist patient. Endeavor alternating between steady strokes and occasional monster heaves.
  4. Go on enough water in the bowl so the toilet plunger stays covered. Trying to force air through the toilet trap won't generate much pressure.

Well-nigh of the time, plunging is all it takes to articulate the clog. Simply for tougher clogs, try using a toilet snake.

(Note: If you have repeated clogging, it might be a toilet performance issue. Learn how to ameliorate your toilet's performance here.)

how to use a plunger to unclog toilet diagram

Step iii

Major Toilet Surgery (If All Else Fails)

If the clog resists all your efforts, you'll probably have to pull upward the toilet. This chore volition take several hours, because you take to turn off and unhook the water supply, partially disassemble the toilet, and unscrew it from its mounting band. Chances are you can then become at the problem. Be sure to purchase a new wax ring and new mounting bolts to reseal the toilet base of operations to the mounting band.

If other drains in your dwelling house are plugged, or if h2o comes up through them, the trouble is probably farther down in the main drain pipes out of piece of cake reach. For those clogs, y'all may have to call a plumber. Plumbers are expensive, but they can put your bath back in service fast, even if in that location's a major blockage.

ⓘ

Family Handyman

Step 4

Bonus Toilet Unclogging Dos and Don'ts

1. Avert Chemicals.

Don't be suckered into thinking powerful chemicals will do the messy work for you lot. They sometimes work, but they're slower. And when they don't work, y'all take a bleed total of corrosive water on your hands. If you tried chemicals and they didn't work, run every bit much h2o into the toilet as possible and let it sit down overnight to drain through the clog. Then, when you plunge, wear safety goggles and rubber gloves to go on the water out of your eyes and off your blank skin.

two. Go along the Toilet Cover Down.

A skilful way to avert preventable clogs in the starting time identify, especially if you have small kids. This keeps toys, crayons and hairbrushes from falling into the toilet.

iii. Don't Pour Hardening Compounds Downward the Toilet.

Only pour a liquid down the toilet if it's going to stay a liquid. These include such things as drywall joint compound, grease, caulk and wax products.

toilet plunger

Originally Published: Jan xvi, 2020