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How to Unclog a Clogged Toilet

A clogged toilet can sometimes pose a real challenge, even for professionals with the proper tools and experience. Most often, a toilet in a residential setting will be clogged with paper, waste or feminine products, although we do sometimes see toys and other small household items when there are children in the home. Depending on the type and severity of the clog, there are a couple of different ways for homeowners to unclog a clogged toilet. Those methods are listed below.

Before proceeding to any of the following methods, please be sure that you have securely shut off the water to your toilet. Leaving the water on may leave you vulnerable to accidental flushes which could lead to overflow’s and flooding.

Shutting off the water to your toilet – In most cases you will find a small valve located on the wall behind your toilet, usually no more than 12 to 15 inches off of the bathroom floor. Place your hand on the valve handle and gently turn it in a clock-wise direction until you can’t turn it any further, your water should now be off. If you are unable to locate a valve behind your toilet, you may want to check inside the cabinet under your bathroom sink. If you still cannot find a valve, you should be able to shut off your main water supply with a valve located near your hot water heater, often in a basement, washroom or utility room.

Plunging a Clogged Toilet

The common plunger often serves as a first line of defense against clogged toilets, both in residential and commercial applications. Plungers typically work extremely well on small clogs. To ensure that your plunger will work to its fullest ability, you should check that the rubber is soft, flexible and free of cracks. As a plunger ages, the rubber becomes more brittle and begins to crack, causing a loss of pressure and efficiency when used.

Using your plunger properly – After shutting off the water supply to your toilet, lift the toilet seat to prevent dripping dirty water on the seat as you pull the plunger out of the toilet bowl. Slowly insert the plunger (rubber end down) into the toilet bowl. The plunger may displace some of the water, causing it to overflow onto the floor. Make sure that the rubber end of the plunger has fully seated around the drainage hole located in the bottom of the toilet bowl. Begin to push the plunger in a downward motion with a moderate amount of pressure and then return to the starting position. Continue to perform this action until the water in the toilet bowl begins to drain.

If after numerous attempts at plunging, the water in the toilet bowl does not start draining please refer to the information below on using a toilet auger.

Using a Toilet Auger to Unclog Your Toilet

If you run into a toilet that can’t be unclogged with a plunger, you are going to want to try a toilet auger. Toilet augers can be purchased at most major hardware stores for around $30 to $50 depending on the store and the size of the auger. In most instances a three foot auger will work fine for residential use. If you can’t afford to, or do not wish to purchase a toilet auger, you can find them at most equipment and supply rental stores.

Using your toilet auger – Before attempting to unclog your toilet, make sure that the water supply has been shut off and that you have lifted the toilet seat to prevent messes and/or any damage that may occur while using the toilet auger. Next you will want to insert the end of the auger into the drainage hole located at the bottom of the toilet bowl, being careful not to splash the water by inserting the auger to quickly.

Once you have the auger in place, begin turning the handle as you apply pressure in a downward motion to extend the inner cable and auger end. Once you have fully extended the auger cable you should see the water draining from the toilet bowl. Slowly begin to retract the auger cable from the drainage hole, making sure to continue cranking the handle so that you break-up any remaining material that may once again cause your toilet to back-up.

My Toilet Works Again, What Next?

Great! You have managed to successfully unclog your toilet with the professional tips above. Now that the water has drained from inside the toilet bowl, you may once again turn on the water supply and flush your toilet. If your toilet appears to be working well, you can begin the process of cleaning up your tools and work area.

There are some steps that you can take to prevent clogs like this from happening again. Make sure to follow our advice on preventing your toilet from becoming clogged (<– link) to prevent yourself from having to do this again.

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FEATURED REPAIR GUIDES

Toilet Repair Highlights

You may enjoy these random highlights from advice and information found right here on the My Clogged Toilet website.

Good tips and advice on toilet repair can prevent you from removing the wrong part or breaking something that could be costly to replace.

When you are plunging your toilet you should make sure that you use a lot of force so that the suction created might be enough to unclog the toilet.

This should solve your problem and save you a lot of money on toilet repair.

If your toilet leaves water on the floor around it then more than likely your wax seal is leaking.