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You are possibly one of the people who have had a bad experience with clogged or blocked toilets, especially in public places. As a result, you may have normalised rejecting the urge to respond to the call of nature whenever a public toilet is all you have to use.
All of us have, at some point, had to wait in pain until we got to our home toilet to relieve ourselves when upon opening a public toilet lid, we found the toilet bowl was filled with brown water. This is a problem caused when the toilet drain is blocked with wastes and items that are not flushable. Clogged toilets are inevitable and are not unique to public toilets only.
Sometimes after using and flushing the toilet at home, the worst happens. Instead of the toilet bowl emptying as it is designed to, it fills up. When this happens, we mostly close the lid and walk away in disappointment figuring out what to do or hoping it will resolve by itself.
A number of factors contribute to toilet clogging and there are ways you can use to prevent your toilet from clogging or manage it when it does happen. Plunging is the most popular and simple way you can clear toilet blockage and will be the main focus of this article.
Sometimes however, the clogs might be extremely hard to remove in which case you require professional plumbing services. The information here will guide you on using a toilet plunger to navigate through the terrifying experience of encountering clogged toilets or blocked drains in your home.
What Causes Toilet Clogging
Your direct actions and other factors beyond your control can cause blockages along the toilet drain. It is therefore important to have knowledge of the things we do that can lead to clogging of our toilets at home. Any of the following can cause toilet blockage or clogging:
- Too much toilet paper
- Low water flow
- Foreign objects in the drain
- Old septic systems
- Nature’s call
What Is A Plunger?
A plunger is a plumbing tool consisting of a rubber suction cup attached to a wooden or plastic handle. It is the most ideal tool for unclogging bathroom sinks or toilet drains and every household is recommended to have one.
Types of Plungers on the Market
There are a variety of plungers in the market featuring different designs and materials that are effective for various drain challenges. The standard plunger, which is known to most people, is made of what appears like a basketball that has been cut into half.
Plungers are categorised based on purpose as follows:
- Toilet plungers
- Sink plungers
- Shower plungers
- Automatic plungers
- Multipurpose plungers
It is important that you use the type of plunger that fits the drainage issue you are facing.
Choosing the Best Type of Toilet Plunger for Clearing a Clogged Toilet
Always keep in mind that the type of a plunger you use should be determined by the nature of the drain problem you are dealing with. A certain type of plunger may be more useful in clearing clogs in the shower drain than it is for the toilet drain.
The material, design, ease of use and overall effectiveness are factors you need to consider when choosing a plunger for unblocking your toilet. Maintaining a strong seal during the plunging process is desirable as it helps to sustain the pressure that clears the blockage.
The material of the plunging head that creates a tight seal as well as the handle that provides a good grip to withstand the plunging motion must be put into consideration when choosing a plunger for your toilet drain.
The following three types of plungers are ideal for unclogging toilets:
- A beehive plunger – Has an extended flange that fits in almost any toilet drain.
- A traditional flanged plunger – Features a narrow flange that clears the toilet clog within a few quick tries.
- A bellows-style plunger – Although it has a shorter handle ideal for sinks and tubs, it also has a flexible plastic bowl that clears toilet clogs faster than the traditional plunger.
It is recommended that you use a plunger with extended flange because it fits and seals the drain opening well for enhanced suction.
Guide On How To Plunge Your Toilet When It Clogs
Plunging a toilet often looks easy and straightforward, no wonder we all keep a plunger in the house. While the process is indeed not complicated and almost anyone can handle it, following the appropriate techniques makes the unclogging effortless. Below is a step-by-step guide that you can follow to fix a clogged toilet using a plunger.
Step 1: Ensure Personal Protection and Safety
- Have your ideal toilet plunger ready.
- Put on rubber gloves, a face mask and a protective clothe in case of splashing.
- Spread a layer of rags at the toilet base to care for unintended splashing and spills.
- If the toilet bowl is filled with water, empty it to half in an extra bucket before plunging.
- Plug any existing drain holes like sink and shower drains in the bathroom as this will ensure the plunger moves effectively.
Step 2: Securing a Tight Seal in the Toilet Drain
- Rub petroleum jelly on the rim of the flange.
- Hold the plunger in a vertical position with the handle pointing straight up.
- Direct the plunging end in the toilet bowl aiming at the toilet drain hole and push it down gently to eliminate the air and have a good seal.
Step 3: Creating the Suction Power and Clearing the Clog
- While sustaining the seal, pump the plunger up and down forcefully to create the suction power and clear the clogging.
- Finally, pull the plunger up sharply to break the seal. Water should rush down the drain.
If nothing seems to happen, repeat the steps or reach out to a professional plumber.
Other Tips That Will Help You Unclog Your Toilet
We always assume that a toilet plunger will work in most instances of toilet blockage. What happens if you do not have one at the time when your toilet shows signs of overflowing? Here are other ideas you can implement when you flush your toilet and get a ‘gurgle’ sound instead of the expected ‘whoosh’.
- Using Vinegar and Baking Soda to Unclog your Toilet
Vinegar and baking soda are non-toxic household cleaning aids that, besides being great deodorisers, are helpful in keeping your drains flowing smoothly.
If you do not have a plunger and you are confronted by a blocked toilet, vinegar and baking soda can be handy. You only need to add a cup of baking soda to your blocked toilet and wait for some time then slowly pour two cups of vinegar into the toilet. Again, allow some time to pass and flush the toilet to establish if the clogging has cleared.
If nothing seems to happen, repeat the steps or contact a professional plumber.
A mixture of vinegar and baking soda reacts to form bubbles, so you should be careful while mixing these products to avoid overflowing or splashing.
- Using Household Bleach to Unclog your Toilet
Household bleach breaks up the clogging down the toilet drain.
Add 2-3 cups of bleach into your toilet and leave to settle for 1 to 2 minutes then pour 1 cup of powdered soap. After 10 to 15 minutes, flush your toilet to establish if the clog has cleared.
- Applying Hot Water and Dish Soap or Shampoo to Clear Toilet Clogging
Extremely hot water and dish soap or shampoo can be used to soften the clog in the toilet.
Pour dish soap or shampoo into the toilet and leave for some time. Pour the hot water into the toilet and leave for 10 to 15 minutes for the clog to soften. The toilet should flush freely thereafter.
- How to Use a Drain Snake to Get Rid of Toilet Clogs
The drain snake is a coiled flexible spiral ‘snake’ about 1/4-inch thick with a handle on one end also known as toilet snake, toilet auger or drain auger. This is such a versatile device that can be used manually or with a power drill to get rid of clogs from the toilet.
It is recommended that you use an auger made specifically for toilets.
- Direct the end of the drain snake into the drain hole and uncoil it down the drain until you feel resistance and go past the S-shaped toilet drain.
- Slide through until you hit a clog and rotate until the snake tip attaches to the clog and pull out.
- Run water into the toilet forcefully to establish if the clog has cleared.
How To Reduce The Occurrence Of Toilet Clogging In Your Home
Avoiding clogs is the best way to prevent your toilet from blocking and overflowing. Knowledge of what should and what should not go down your toilet drain will help you prevent toilet clogs.
Here are the best tips to use to reduce the occurrence of clogging in your toilet:
- Do not flush anything other than human waste and toilet papers. Ensuring that only human waste and toilet paper are flushed down your toilet drain will not only save you from the mess of toilet clogs but also protect your plumbing pipes and save you from costly repairs.
- Prevent items that do not disintegrate in water such as facial tissues, wipes, napkins, fats/oils and plastics from going down the drain.
- Ensure you do not flush large amounts of flushable materials in one go as they may not entirely dissolve and slowly build up into clogs.
- Secure the toilet from kids who are likely to drop toys and other non-flushable items into the toilet bowl.
- Keep the top of the toilet tank clear of items that might fall in the toilet bowl and slip down the toilet drain.
- Know when to plunge your toilet. Ideal time is normally when the flushing is slow or weak suggesting that clogs are beginning to build up.
- Regularly service your septic system to remove sludge and scum that might lead to plumbing backups.
Professional Toilet Unclogging Services In Sydney
Although you can prevent or clear toilet blockage by following the above tips, sometimes you require the services of professional plumbers to prevent or handle the mess.
Hero Plumbing is Sydney’s go-to plumbing company with fully certified professional plumbers. For any of your business or home toilet plumbing needs, including toilet repair, leaking toilet, and blocked toilet, contact the experts and you are guaranteed quality plumbing work done to industry standards.
The best thing about hiring a professional plumber is that they use the latest technology to tackle the most stubborn toilet clogging problems.
