A toilet clog is never good and seem to happen at the most inconvenient of times. Not to mention that feeling of seeing the water rise in the bowl getting closer and closer to the top. As you stand there in horror hoping it doesn’t overflow you try to think quick, what should I do. First off, you should never flush the toilet a second time. Most flush cycles in a toilet will hold the water in the bowl without over flowing. Flush a second time and you might have a much bigger issue on your hands, or the floor! Here are 2 methods of unclogging a toilet that are tried and true. They really do work.
Proper Plunger Use For a Toilet Clog
Most homeowners should have a toilet plunger at their house. There are several different styles of toilet plungers on the market so have fun choosing! Just remember the cheapest, dome style are not the best. First before you start to use a plunger it may be best to throw down some newspaper, paper towels or even old rags on the floor in the even you splash the water around. Next you want to place the plunger over the hole in the bottom of the toilet. You want to try and get the plunger to form a tight seal. You may want to run some hot water over the plunger to soften the rubber to get a better seal. On your first plunge, be careful as you will first be pumping air. Keep the seal tight and push again. These motions back and forth will move the water in the toilet drain, hopefully dislodging the clog. This may take 15-20 motions before it works. What happens if this doesn’t work? Try the next step!
Homemade Drain Cleaner…That Really Works!
There are many brands of chemical drain cleaners available to purchase at your local stores. Many of these chemicals are strong and can be dangerous. You should NEVER use a plunger after you have chemical drain cleaners in the toilet. Doing so may cause it to splash onto surfaces, skin or even eyes. What if you don’t have drain cleaner at your house and the plunger method didn’t work? Well with two simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. First dump 1 cup baking soda and 2 cups vinegar into the toilet. White vinegar seems best, but any will do. These 2 chemicals work together to fizz up and start working on breaking up the clog. Next you to pour half a gallon of very hot water. Don’t use boiling water, since this could crack the porcelain. This may not work fast…so let it sit overnight. Many times this will work overnight to break up the clog by morning.
