One of the most annoying home issues you might have is a clogged toilet. If left unattended, it not only keeps you from using the restroom but can also lead to unhygienic conditions in your bathroom. A blocked toilet needs to be fixed right away to prevent more problems like a flooded bathroom or offensive odors permeating your house. It can be caused by foreign objects like toys or jewelry that fall into the bowl by accident, or it can be caused by materials that accumulate over time and cause a slow drain.
Reaching for the plunger is frequently the first thing people do when their toilet won’t flush. Not everyone, though, is adept at successfully plunging a toilet. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to do this; this guide will walk you through all the processes and provide you helpful advice on how to do the task quickly. We’ll cover all the information you need to handle this frequent household problem, from choosing the right plunger to using the perfect approach.
Tools Needed
Ensure you have all the tools needed before starting the process of unclogging your toilet. The procedure will go more smoothly and effectively if the proper tools are available. Here’s what you’ll need:
Good Quality Plunger (Preferably with a Flange): The kind of plunger you use can have a big impact on how well the blockage gets cleared. Due to its special shape and capacity to produce a tight seal, a flange plunger is ideally suited for toilets and provides optimal results.
Rubber Gloves: Contamination and bacteria can be found in toilets. Rubber gloves will shield your hands from harmful diseases and keep you safe.
Rags or old towels: Dipping can get a bit dirty. Utilizing old towels or rags might assist shield your bathroom floor from water damage by catching spills.
Bucket (Optional): If the water level in the toilet bowl is too low, a bucket can be used to add water, which is required for a successful plunge.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare the Area
When you see a clogged toilet, your first thought might be to get the plunger and start unclogging the drain. However, you can save yourself a lot of trouble and time if you take a few moments to set everything up.
Keep an eye on the area immediately surrounding the restroom. At the base of the toilet, spread out some old towels or rags. To catch any water that may splash out during diving, this is a crucial step. Towels like this might help prevent water damage to your bathroom floor in case of a major blockage.
After that, you should put on some rubber gloves. The toilet is a perfect environment for germs to grow, so it’s crucial that you wash your hands often. Protect yourself from microbes and any cleaning chemicals in the water by donning a pair of gloves.
2. Choose the Right Plunger
Using the correct plunger will unclog your toilet more efficiently. There are many different kinds of plungers, and not all of them are safe to use in the bathroom. One kind is the accordion plunger, another is the flange plunger, and the third is the cup plunger.
The cup plunger is the most common and widely used type of plunger, and it is typically installed in sinks. At its tip, a rubber cup creates suction. However, it isn’t the best choice for toilets because it doesn’t create a tight seal around the curved drain.
Flange Plunger: an additional rubber flap, extends from the interior of the cup and can be folded out. Because it helps to close the drain, the flange greatly improves the toilet’s ability to generate the suction necessary to eliminate clogs.
Accordion Plunger: is designed to exert a great level of force and is constructed of sturdy plastic. Although it’s not as bendable as the flange plunger, it gets the job done and isn’t always easy to handle.
The use of a flange plunger will provide the best results. It can eliminate the blockage because of its design, which generates the necessary suction and a better seal.
3. Position the Plunger
The proper placement of the plunger is essential for effective plunging. First things first: get the plunger in the toilet bowl at an angle. The objective is to thread the flange into the hole in the drain.
Make sure there is water submerging the plunger. To remove the blockage, you cannot submerge a plunger in air and obtain the necessary suction. Fill the toilet bowl with water until the rubber portion of the plunger is submerged if the water level is not high enough. If you need more water, you can gather it with a bucket.
4. Create a Seal
Firmly press the plunger to seal the drain when you’re ready. Because it enables you to create the suction required to remove the blockage, the seal is essential.
Make sure the plunger and drain are properly shut before plunging. Air pockets result in less suction effectiveness and more difficulty unclogging the impediment. Make sure the flange touches the drain aperture all the way before applying pressure with the plunger to achieve a tight seal.
5. Plunge with Force
You can dive once a seal has been formed and the plunger is in the proper position.
Refrain from pushing too hard at first to prevent splashing. Any trapped air in the plunger should be released with the first push. You can begin diving harder when you’re ready. Drag the drain down and up quickly to make sure the seal is intact. The suction and pressure created by this up-and-down motion effectively removes the blockage.
It’s vital to maintain consistency. Continue doing fifteen to twenty plunges using this technique. This should clear the barrier and let the water drain because of the force it produces.
6. Check the Results
After a few plunges, elevate the plunger slightly to see if the water in the bowl begins to drain.
The blockage is partially removed when the water begins to drain slowly. Continue diving until the water is no longer restricted.
If the water doesn’t drain, it could be the result of a more significant or persistent clog. Whether or not you leap again in this situation may determine your next course of action. Make sure you keep your seal tight and provide adequate force each time you try to dive.
The water should drain smoothly once the blockage has been removed. To ensure that it drains, flush the toilet. The problem will be fixed if the water flows freely.
7. Clean Up
It’s time to clean up after unclogging the toilet.
Get rid of the used rags and towels carefully. Before discarding them, you might want to think about putting them in a plastic bag if they are immersed in contaminated water.
Next, give the plunger a thorough cleaning. The plunger must be thoroughly cleaned before being stored because bacteria are known to reside in toilets. The plunger can be cleaned with a disinfectant spray or by soaking it in a solution of bleach and water.
Wipe the area around the toilet to remove any drips or spills. This step supports keeping the restroom hygienic and clean.
Lastly, give your hands a good wash. You still need to keep your hands clean and clear of any potential toxins even if you are wearing gloves.
Additional Tips and Tricks
While the aforementioned techniques are adequate for removing the majority of obstacles, the following extra pointers and suggestions will help to expedite and simplify the process even further:
Use Hot Water: Occasionally flushing the toilet with hot water-not boiling water-will help to dissolve the blockage. Certain blockages can be dissolved with heat, which facilitates their removal. As soon as the basin is filled with hot water, go back in and let it sit for a while.
Dish Soap: By lubricating the blockage and making it simpler to remove, a small amount of dish soap applied to the toilet bowl can help. Very sticky or oily drains can be unclogged using soap. After using some soap to lather up the bowl, dive straight in and give it a minute.
Refrain from Flushing Non-Flushable Items: Take care what you flush down the toilet in the future if you want it to remain clear. Items such as tissues, sanitary napkins, and large quantities of toilet paper need not to be flushed. If these products clog pipes, then more significant issues could occur.
Regular Maintenance: Keeping your toilets and pipes in good working order will assist you stay clear of obstacles. Regular use of a drain cleaner will help maintain your pipes clear. A skilled plumber’s inspection of your plumbing system can also assist you in identifying problems before they become significant headaches.
Be Mindful of What You Flush
Only toilet paper and human waste should be used in toilets. Significant blockages may result from flushing other objects like paper towels, sanitary napkins, dental floss, or sanitary goods. Tell your family members what should and shouldn’t be flushed.
If used excessively, even items designated as “flushable,” such as certain wipes, can cause clogs. It’s possible that these goods decompose more slowly than toilet paper. Limit how many wipes you flush at once if you use flushable wipes.
Water-Saving Toilets
Certain contemporary water-saving toilets utilize less water during each flush, which occasionally leaves the tank empty. Make sure your water-saving toilet is operating properly and producing enough water flow to effectively remove waste if you have one.
Sometimes, especially with low-flow toilets, you may need to flush more than once to make sure all the waste is removed. This can avoid clogs and lessen the need for repeated plunging, even if it uses more water.
How to Avoid Clogs in the Toilet
Indeed, clogged toilets may be a major annoyance. The good news is that you may avoid clogged toilets by taking preventative measures.
The following advice can help you prevent toilet clogs:
Check the items you flush: Paper towels, tissues for the face, napkins, wet wipes, floss, feminine products, hair, diapers, cotton balls, grease, and oils should not be flushed. These substances clog anything you flush down later in your pipes as they remain there, building up to the point of a blockage.
Double-flush: It’s fascinating to learn that toilet paper is one of the things that clogs toilets. Toilet paper often doesn’t dissolve in water right away. To make sure the toilet paper doesn’t clog, you may flush the toilet twice.
Keep your primary sewer line in good condition: Tree roots may also clog your sewage line, which puts your plumbing system at risk of blockages from dirt and debris. Engage a licensed plumber to inspect your sewage pipes at least twice a year to prevent this. In this manner, you may see any issues before they become worse.
Keep objects away from the toilet bowl: A lot of people store stuff like soaps, combs, brushes, decorations, and extra toilet paper on the shelf above their toilets. These kinds of things are readily knocked into the sink and down the drain. Make sure nothing that may fall in by mistake is in the vicinity of the toilet bowl.
Summary
Handling a blocked toilet is a typical but unpleasant home problem. Fortunately, most blockages can be cleared quickly and easily with the correct equipment and methods. You can make sure you can manage these kinds of circumstances by following the detailed directions in this book, which cover everything from selecting the right plunger to using the right plunging method.
Upholding preventive measures is just as crucial to keeping a toilet free of clogs. Clogs may be greatly reduced by careful flushing practices, routine maintenance, and quick treatment to small drainage problems. To avoid most clogs in the first place, be sure that only human waste and toilet paper are flushed. Your pipes may also be kept clear with routine cleaning and the sporadic use of safe drain cleaners.
Do not hesitate to call a licensed plumber if you run into a blockage that defies all attempts to pass it. Recurring blockages may be a sign of more serious plumbing system problems that need to be fixed by professionals. Frequent expert inspections may also assist in spotting such issues early on and resolving them before they become serious hassles.
You may save time, money, and worry by learning how to properly plunge a toilet and by using preventative maintenance procedures. Give this tip to others so they may keep their home operating well and prevent the annoyance of a blocked toilet. You may make sure that a blocked toilet is only a little setback in your everyday schedule by being organized and proactive.
