Home Remedies to Unclog the Toilet

Until something is not right, a toilet is something people don’t even consider giving attention to. Frankly, a clogged toilet can be a very embarrassing thing to experience, especially when you are at your friend’s or relative’s home. There can be many reasons for a blocked toilet. Ranging from something like a foreign object getting trapped inside it or something even as simple as improper installation of water pipes, a blocked toilet can be a hassle to deal with and can take up a lot of time to unclog. However, before you pick up the phone and call a plumber to fix it for you, there are some home remedies that you can try to unclog it yourself. These methods are easy and can be done using items that may already be present inside your household.  A plumber can cost you a lot of money depending on what type of blockage you have inside your commode. Also, there will be some situations in which you will have no choice to call a plumber, like, damaged or blocked pipelines. For the most part, a blocked toilet can be easily remedied using household items and some knowledge. Today, we are going to share with you some home remedies that you can use to unclog your toilet. These are listed as follows;

Plunger

Using a plunger may be a very basic thing to do, however, it can be very effective in removing small blockages inside the toilet. Every house should have at least 1 plunger, especially one that contains a flange because these are very effective in unclogging a toilet. Put on a pair of rubber gloves to avoid any water getting splashed on your hands. Insert it in the toilet bowl and lower it down slowly and gently. This is usually done to remove any air present. As you have made a proper seal now, the next step would be to rapidly push the plunger down and pull it up and continue the motion for at least 10 seconds. The last step would be to extract the plunger with huge force, breaking the seal that had been created earlier. If you have done the process correctly, the water will rush down and any clog will be removed. If by any chance the clog does not disappear, repeat the above-mentioned steps until it does. It is a cheap and effective way of removing any type of minor clogs from the toilet.

Drain Cleaner

Drain cleaners can be purchased from the supermarket and are usually present inside every household. They are not only used to unclog a toilet, but also any type of water pipelines that may have a blockage present inside them. If you choose to go this route, consider staying away from chemical drain cleaners as they can damage and corrode the water pipelines that lead to the toilet or even destroy the ceramic of the toilet. They are also a burn hazard and can irritate your skin if you come in contact with it. It is a good idea to get an enzyme or bio-cleaner and follow the instructions that are printed on the back of the drain cleaner bottle. When you pour it into the toilet bowl, be sure to wear gloves. Also, after pouring it in, you can use a plunger to allow it to flow inside the bowl.

Vacuum the Toilet

This method may seem unorthodox, but it can be very effective if done correctly. Before you start, put on a pair of rubber gloves and insert the hose of the vacuum in the toilet bowl. If the toilet is filled with water, vacuum it out first. Once you have vacuumed out the water, the next step would be to wrap a towel around the hose and put it in the drain as it will create proper suction. After this, turn on the vacuum cleaner. If done correctly the vacuum will pull out any type of foreign object that may be obstructing the toilet and causing a clog. Don’t forget to properly sanitize and clean the vacuum cleaner you have used for this process.

If you opt not to use your vacuum cleaner for this purpose, you can also consider installing toilet macerators or grinders. Usually installed in sanicompact toilets like malls and offices, these devices break down the solid waste and prevent clogs from occurring.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

This is probably one of the oldest home remedies to remove a clog from a toilet. If your toilet is not flushing and a plunger is not unclogging, it is time to turn to some items present inside your kitchen. When combined, baking soda and vinegar are excellent for cleaning any type of surface, however, these items come in handy when a plunger is not working or you don’t have one. Add one cup of baking soda to the clogged toilet and wait for a couple of minutes. After that slowly add 2 cups of vinegar to the toilet bowl containing the baking soda. Allow the baking soda and vinegar to work. After a few minutes try to flush the toilet. If the blockage has been removed, the toilet will flush like normal.

Hot Water and Dish Soap

If the vinegar and baking soda method do not work, you can also use two other household items to try and unclog your toilet. Every household has a dish soap and water present. Boil one gallon of water, while the water is reaching its boiling point, squirt in dish soap inside the toilet bowl. Once the water becomes very hot and not boiling, add it to the toilet with care. Give the solution a few minutes to soften up the blockage that may be present inside the toilet. Viola, the clog is gone and you can flush your toilet normally now.

The Final Words

The process of unclogging the toilet may seem very difficult, however, it is far from it. It can be easily done with items present inside your house and with proper knowledge, you can do it yourself. However, if you are hesitant that you may damage something, the right decision would be to seek professional help and call a plumber. Today, we have made you aware of some home remedies that you can use to remove a clog from a toilet. If none of these worked for you, this article on how to unclog a home toilet presents some more ideas. Give them a try before you get professional help.