How to Easily Unclog a Toilet
A clogged toilet is a very unpleasant experience especially if you want to use it but can't! The toilet clog usually happens at the most inappropriate times. Just imagine you are at your friends’ house and you just used the restroom but when the turn came to flush the toilet, instead of the toilet waste draining out the water in the toilet overflows. This may sound a little disgusting but all of us have gone through it once in our life. Blocked toilets are very embarrassing, but try not to panic, take a deep breath and see what you can do about it.
Before finding a solution for a clogged toilet, let us find out the possibilities that can clog a toilet.
Reasons for the toilet getting clogged :
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Hard Water
Most of us do not know the implications of hard water. Hard water is the water rich in minerals can be a reason for your clogged toilet. This type of water blocks the pipelines and the waste material cannot pass through it hence resulting in the clogged toilet. The best way to avoid hard water blocking the drainage is to use a water softener for the water entering in the flush tank.
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Hard Objects
Flushing of hard objects and plastic can also be one of the reasons for the clogged toilets. A lot of people still flush their hygiene products in the toilets like sanitary pads and condoms. These product does not dissolve in water and creates a blockage. A hard object like razor blades, shampoo bottles when flushed down the toilet causes the blockage. To avoid this type of blockages make sure that you do not flush hard and solid things in your toilet, yes you heard it right it is that simple.
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Old Pipelines
Worn out and old pipes can be the reason for the clogged toilets. During the rain, these pipes break down, which causes the drainage of the toilet slow and resulting in the clogged toilets. The pipelines should be checked and replaced on time as it can create a lot of mess for you.
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Toilet Paper
Too much toilet paper, cotton balls and cleaning wipes in the flush can also block the pipelines, so make sure that you are using an appropriate amount of toilet paper and do not flush your used wipes and cotton balls in the toilet.
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Flapper
A Flapper is an important part of the flush tank, present at the end of it. A flapper is that part of the toilet tank that lets the water passes whenever we press the flush button for the flush. There are plenty of reasons that can cause the flapper not opening completely and providing less water for the flush. Weak flushes are also one of the reasons for the clogged toilet. To make sure that your flapper is working properly, open your flush tank, dip your hand inside it, and make sure that there is nothing wrong with the flapper.
Despite following the tricks mentioned above if for some reason your toilet still gets clogged, it can be easily unclogged by you.
Following are some ways in which you can unclog your toilet yourself:
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Use a Plunger
If the waste material you deposited in the toilet bowl does not go down with the first flush, do not flush again. Flushing it again will make it worst and the dirty water might overflow from the toilet bowl. Get some old newspaper and spread them around your toilet, this will soak up the water in case of an overflow and will make the cleaning easier afterward. Once you are done with it, use a plunger. Make sure that you have a good quality plunger. A good quality plunger has a thick rubber cap by the end of it. Insert the plunger inside the pot. Cover the hole at the end of the pot and start pushing and pulling water inside and outside the hole. Repeat this process for a good ten to fifteen times and all of the waste material will go down the hole. Flush the toilet again after the plunging to make sure that it's working properly. Remove all the newspapers that you spread around the toilet seat and mop the area with a good antiseptic.
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Enzyme Remover
Use an enzyme remover product. These products are cheap and easily available in the market. This type of remover is used to break down the organic waste material. These products are a little dangerous and can burn your skin. Wear rubber gloves as a safety measure and then use these products. Read the instructions on the bottle carefully. Pour some of the product directly into the toilet bowl and wait for a good two to three hours. After waiting, flush the toilet. This is one of the most effective ways to get rid of the clogged toilet but this process is time-consuming. This enzyme remover product usually dissolves your waste material in a semi-solid form, which is easier to pass through the pipelines.
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Drain Cleaner
Make a drain cleaner at home to get rid of the clogged toilet. Take about half a gallon of water and boil it. After boiling add some baking soda and vinegar in the water. Wait for two minutes until the water starts boiling again, turn off the stove. Pour the drain cleaner in the toilet bowl and let it sit there overnight and flush it in the morning. Baking soda and vinegar when used together make a chemical mixture that can dissolve the waste. There is a lot of vinegar available in the market but white vinegar or apple cider vinegar works best as a drain cleaner.
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Plumbing Snake
A plumbing snake is made up of a flexible wire that can go in deep into the toilet. The best way to use a plumbing snake is to insert it completely in the hole. After inserting it down the toilet bowl move the wire in a circular motion and up and down. Repeat this step for ten to twenty times and then pull it back from the hole. It will either drain the things down that were blocking the system or will break them into pieces. Flush the toilet after using a plumbing snake and your toilet is unclogged. If you do not have a plumbing wire in your house or cannot find one in your neighborhood, do not worry about it. You can easily make one at home from a wire hanger. Take a wire hanger, cut it from one side and bend it in the opposite direction and your plumbing snake is ready.
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Vacuum Cleaner
A dry or wet vacuum cleaner can be your last resort to get help from. Empty the toilet bowl from all the water with the help of a vacuum. After emptying the toilet bowl remove all the attachments from the vacuum pipe and use the flexible part of the vacuum pipe. Insert the pipe in the hole at the end of the pot. Insert it as deep as it goes. Start the vacuum once the pipe is in the hole. The vacuum will suck all the things that were blocking your waste material to go down the drainage pipes. Using a vacuum can create a lot of mess for you and it can get a little difficult to clean it afterward.
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Dishwashing Detergents
Dishwashing agents are easily accessible and available in every house. Dishwashing detergent can also help you in unclogging your toilet. Boil some water in a bowl and add some detergent in it. Pour that hot water and detergent mixture in the toilet bowl and leave it overnight. Flush your toilet in the morning and you will be good to go.
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Plastic Bottle
Fill a large plastic bottle with hot water or pour the drain cleaner in it. However, place the bottle in a way that the opening of the bottle is at the end of the toilet bowl and squeeze the bottle as hard as you can. This will shoot the water with a lot of pressure and there is a chance that the things that were stuck in the pipe and were causing blockages might break or dislodge.
Conclusion
There are a lot of reasons for your toilet to get clogged. A few of them are even mentioned above. The first thing you can do to save yourself from the embarrassment of a clogged toilet is to avoid doing things that can block our toilets, but if your toilet still got clogged try fixing it on your own. After giving a chance to all the things mentioned above, if you still can’t unclog your toilet, call an expert. A plumber is the one that can help you with the unclogging of the blocked toilet. Find a good plumber in your area and contact him. Hopefully, you will have an unclogged toilet with the help of a professional expert. Make sure to avoid all the things that cause your toilet to get clogged.
