The toilet is perhaps one of the most used and under-appreciated part of your house. What do you do when your faithful commode clogs up? Depending on what is clogging the toilet drain, you might have to try various methods to unclog the toilet.
The first thing most people do is reach for the chemical drain cleaners. Depending on your pipes and the cleaner, chemicals could do more damage than good. Instead, try one of these helpful tips to unclog the toilet.
Use a plunger
Believe it or not, there is a particular toilet plunger you need to look for—you want a plunger that has a funnel or cone from the bottom of the cup that can fit your drain opening. This funnel or cone will be more effective than a regular drain plunger. You can see a toilet clog better after a flush. Flush the toilet so you have 2 to 3 inches of water. Turn off the water supply valve. The valve is located at the wall base behind the toilet. Put the plunger directly over the toilet drain and this plunging until you remove the clog.
Use a toilet auger to unclog the toilet
A toilet auger is also called a closet auger and can be used to unclog the toilet. To use the toilet auger, you need to turn off the water supply valve. Pull back the handle to withdraw the cable into the protective case. Insert the auger’s tip into the drain opening, have the bend of the auger pointed toward the back of the toilet bowl. Keep the tip clear of bowl to avoid scratches. Push in the handle and extend the cable into the drain until you hit the clog and push in the auger to break up the clog. When the clog goes away, pull back the handle to bring back the cable. Once water drains, turn on the valve.
A word of caution though: Don’t use the auger equipment if you have already used chemicals in your toilet to unclog the drain.
Home remedy to unclog the toilet
Another method to unclog the toile, is a more natural method using baking soda and vinegar. If you want to try to unclog the toilet without chemicals, plunger or auger. Try this method:
Step 1: Assess the clog.
See how bad the clog is first so you can see how much equal parts of baking soda and vinegar to use. This method is most effective on a clog of fecal matter.
Step 2: Scoop baking soda into the toilet.
Start with one-fourth cup to one-half cup of baking soda.
Step 3. Pour vinegar into the toilet.
Use equal parts of vinegar and baking soda. This means that for one cup of baking soda, use one cup of vinegar. Once you pour the vinegar into the toilet, it will fizz. Let the fizzing work its magic over the next couple of minutes.
Step 4. Pour hot water into the toilet and check to see if the drain is unclogged. You will want to pour the water into the toilet carefully and slowly to prevent cracking the porcelain or melting the bees wax ring which seals the toilet and the floor. If the seal melts, you could be setting up a continual leak that will eventually damage the flooring.
Step 5. Repeat as necessary until the drain is unclogged.
Once again, do not put baking soda and vinegar into the toilet drain, if you have already used chemicals to try an unclog the toilet.
It is always good practice to try to prevent clogs by not flushing heavy paper products down the toilet. Make a point of teaching children to not discard things in the toilet. Follow a schedule of regular drain maintenance to reduce build-up in your drains. Be sure that whatever you use, it is right for your system and pipes. If you have a septic tank, have our experts inspect it every 2 to 3 years.
Probably the best thing to do when you need to unclog the toilet is to call a licensed, experienced plumber. You know they will unclog the toilet completely. Call Fite Plumbing at 317-271-5400 to make an appointment. You can also visit us on the web at https://www.fiteplumbing.com/ to make an appointment. We can help you unclog the toilet and get the water in your pipes moving again!
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