There is nothing worse than coming home from a long day to a blocked toilet. Learning how to unclog a toilet without having to call a plumber (or 24 hour plumber if it’s the middle of the night) will save you time and money. So let’s get started.

Operation unclog toilet: How to unblock a toilet that is backed up?

The best method to unclog a toilet will depend on how badly it has clogged. For minor problems such as those caused by too much toilet paper (often referred to as “soft” clogs) you may be able to simply wait the problem out. With most clogs, water will be trapped in the bowl and the simple force of gravity, combined with the loosening action of water, may be enough to dislodge the blockage. But you may have to wait an hour or so for the water to do its work.

To move things along a little faster consider adding a few generous squirts of dish soap (biodegradable if possible!) into the bowl of your toilet. If you let this sit for a while and flush with some hot water, it may dislodge and unclog your toilet. The properties of the dish soap act as a lubricant that can help the clog to detach from the sides of pipes. But remember not to flush if the water in the bowl is close to the rim. The bowl is designed to hold one entire tank of water, but typically not much more than this.

If you are in a hurry, or have a stubborn clog on your hands, then a toilet plunger should do the trick. It is important that you create a solid seal over the entrance to the trap way in order to create the necessary suction and pressure to dislodge the toilet clog. Ensure there is some water in the pipes as water does not compress as much as air when placed under pressure. So if you plunge against water, you’ll be creating more pressure per push. If you are using a standard sink plunger you may find that this slips around on the curved surface of the toilet bowl (they are designed for flat surfaces). Far better to use a specialized toilet plunger.

If you feel tempted to unfold a wire coat hanger to try to reach what is stuck and break it up a little, bear in mind that the bends in the toilet trap way will usually keep the clog out of reach. Remember also that the wire of the hanger may scratch the porcelain of the toilet bowl, so be careful.

unclog toiletIf none of the above approaches work and you’ve still got a blocked toilet, do not despair. You can always use a toilet snake or toilet augur. A toilet snake may look unfamiliar but they are very easy to use. Simply place the end of the flexible cable into the toilet bowl and begin unwinding. The cable will extend round the bends in your trap way dislodging any clogs as it goes. If you come to the point where you feel some resistance, you will need to rewind the cable back into the bowl and remove anything that comes up with it. Repeat this process until your toilet runs clear. Toilet augurs can easily be bought online and are specifically designed to unclog a toilet.

As a last resort, you can use a drain cleaner but bear in mind that cleaners can be very harsh on the pipes and are typically not very good for the environment. There are enzymes that you can purchase that will literally eat the materials that are stuck in your pipes. This is not the fastest method, but can be effective. More on how to unclog a toilet without a plunger.