How to Unclog a Toilet

A simple plunger will make you the family unit hero! Learn how to unclog a toilet here.

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Fourth dimension

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $xx

Introduction

Clogged toilet? No problem. With a little practice and a plunger or a toilet snake, even a home repair rookie can get most clogged toilets dorsum upwardly and running in minutes (without flooding the bath and making the situation worse.)

Tools Required

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

A poor flush ways that your toilet drain is partially or completely plugged. Most chock-full toilets are what are known as "deadening drainers." That is, affluent water partially fills the bowl but doesn't blitz out and clean abroad the waste. The water level remains high, then usually drains down to normal elevation within a minute or two. You might not even know the toilet is chock-full until yous flush it. So if you suspect a problem, exam the drainage beginning, and then accomplish for the toilet plunger.

Project pace-by-step (4)

Step one

How to Exam the Drainage of a Toilet That Won't Flush

Earlier trying to unclog the toilet through brute forcefulness, remove the tank lid, lift the flapper valve slightly to let a cup or two of water into the bowl, and see if the water goes down. Have towels set up, though, considering flushing a clogged toilet may flood your floor!

Lift toilet flapper to release a bit of water

Step 2

Unclog a Toilet: Begin With a Plunger

For nearly xc percent of clogged toilets, you just need 1 special tool — a toilet plunger. Purchase a toilet plunger with an extension flange on the rubber bell-shaped stop. A toilet plunger with an extension flange is designed to fit toilets better, and then yous can deliver more than "oomph" to the plunge. The toilet plunger will unplug sink and tub drains, as well, if you just fold the flange back into the bong.

How To Employ a Plunger

Kickoff, plunge the toilet with the safe flange pulled out to get a meliorate seal. Button in and out vigorously, keeping enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger. As always, towels handy to wipe up any water that splashes out.

Plunging Tips

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

  1. Make your first plunge a gentle one. Initially, the bell volition exist total of air. A difficult thrust will strength the air dorsum around the seal and blow water all over the bathroom and you!
  2. One time you force out the air, plunge vigorously in and out, maintaining the seal. You'll be forcing water in both directions in the drain, which volition effectively loosen most clogs. Stick with it, plunging fifteen to 20 times if necessary.
  3. Be patient. Endeavor alternating between steady strokes and occasional monster heaves.
  4. Keep enough h2o in the basin so the toilet plunger stays covered. Trying to strength air through the toilet trap won't generate much pressure level.

Most of the time, plunging is all information technology takes to clear the clog. Just for tougher clogs, try using a toilet serpent.

(Annotation: If y'all have repeated clogging, information technology might be a toilet functioning issue. Learn how to meliorate your toilet'south performance here.)

how to use a plunger to unclog toilet diagram

Step 3

Major Toilet Surgery (If All Else Fails)

If the clog resists all your efforts, yous'll probably have to pull upwards the toilet. This job will take several hours, considering you have to turn off and unhook the water supply, partially disassemble the toilet, and unscrew information technology from its mounting ring. Chances are you can and so get at the trouble. Be sure to buy a new wax band and new mounting bolts to reseal the toilet base to the mounting ring.

If other drains in your dwelling house are plugged, or if water comes upward through them, the problem is probably farther down in the main drain pipes out of easy reach. For those clogs, you may accept to telephone call a plumber. Plumbers are expensive, but they can put your bathroom back in service fast, even if there'southward a major blockage.

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Family unit Handyman

Step iv

Bonus Toilet Unclogging Dos and Don'ts

one. Avoid Chemicals.

Don't exist suckered into thinking powerful chemicals will exercise the messy work for yous. They sometimes piece of work, merely they're slower. And when they don't work, you have a drain full of corrosive water on your hands. If yous tried chemicals and they didn't work, run as much water into the toilet as possible and let it sit overnight to drain through the clog. Then, when you plunge, wear safety goggles and rubber gloves to go along the water out of your optics and off your blank pare.

two. Continue the Toilet Cover Down.

A expert style to avoid preventable clogs in the outset place, especially if you lot have modest kids. This keeps toys, crayons and hairbrushes from falling into the toilet.

3. Don't Pour Hardening Compounds Downwardly the Toilet.

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

toilet plunger