How to Unclog a Toilet With a Plunger

A simple plunger volition make you the family hero! Learn how to unclog a toilet here.

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Time

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Price

Less than $20

Introduction

Clogged toilet? No problem. With a little practice and a plunger or a toilet serpent, even a domicile repair rookie tin get most clogged toilets support and running in minutes (without flooding the bathroom and making the situation worse.)

Tools Required

Toilet Not Flushing All the Way? Here'south What to Do.

A poor flush means that your toilet drain is partially or completely plugged. Most clogged toilets are what are known equally "deadening drainers." That is, flush h2o partially fills the bowl simply doesn't rush out and make clean away the waste. The water level remains loftier, then usually drains downwards to normal peak within a infinitesimal or two. You might not fifty-fifty know the toilet is clogged until you flush information technology. So if you lot doubtable a problem, exam the drainage first, and then attain for the toilet plunger.

Project footstep-by-step (four)

Step 1

How to Test the Drainage of a Toilet That Won't Affluent

Before trying to unclog the toilet through beast strength, remove the tank lid, lift the flapper valve slightly to let a cup or two of h2o into the bowl, and run across if the h2o goes downwardly. Have towels gear up, though, because flushing a clogged toilet may flood your floor!

Lift toilet flapper to release a bit of water

Pace 2

Unclog a Toilet: Brainstorm With a Plunger

For about 90 percentage of clogged toilets, you just demand ane special tool — a toilet plunger. Buy a toilet plunger with an extension flange on the rubber bell-shaped finish. A toilet plunger with an extension flange is designed to fit toilets better, so y'all can deliver more "oomph" to the plunge. The toilet plunger will unplug sink and tub drains, too, if you lot simply fold the flange dorsum into the bong.

How To Use a Plunger

Kickoff, plunge the toilet with the condom flange pulled out to get a ameliorate seal. Push button in and out vigorously, keeping enough water in the bowl to embrace the plunger. Equally always, towels handy to wipe upwards any h2o that splashes out.

Plunging Tips

A toilet plunger fits over and seals the toilet drain. Wear prophylactic gloves — things can get messy— and follow these plunging tips:

  1. Make your first plunge a gentle i. Initially, the bell will be total of air. A hard thrust volition forcefulness the air back effectually the seal and accident water all over the bathroom and you!
  2. In one case you forcefulness out the air, plunge vigorously in and out, maintaining the seal. Y'all'll be forcing h2o in both directions in the drain, which will finer loosen most clogs. Stick with it, plunging xv to 20 times if necessary.
  3. Exist patient. Endeavour alternating between steady strokes and occasional monster heaves.
  4. Keep enough h2o in the bowl then the toilet plunger stays covered. Trying to force air through the toilet trap won't generate much force per unit area.

Most of the time, plunging is all information technology takes to articulate the clog. Simply for tougher clogs, attempt using a toilet ophidian.

(Annotation: If yous have repeated clogging, information technology might be a toilet performance effect. Learn how to improve your toilet'due south performance hither.)

how to use a plunger to unclog toilet diagram

Step three

Major Toilet Surgery (If All Else Fails)

If the clog resists all your efforts, yous'll probably accept to pull up the toilet. This job will take several hours, considering you accept to turn off and unhook the water supply, partially disassemble the toilet, and unscrew it from its mounting ring. Chances are you can then become at the problem. Be certain to buy a new wax band and new mounting bolts to reseal the toilet base to the mounting ring.

If other drains in your dwelling house are plugged, or if water comes upwards through them, the trouble is probably farther downwardly in the principal drain pipes out of easy reach. For those clogs, you may have to telephone call a plumber. Plumbers are expensive, merely they can put your bathroom dorsum in service fast, even if at that place's a major blockage.

ⓘ

Family Handyman

Footstep iv

Bonus Toilet Unclogging Dos and Don'ts

1. Avert Chemicals.

Don't be suckered into thinking powerful chemicals will practise the messy piece of work for you lot. They sometimes work, but they're slower. And when they don't work, you have a bleed full of corrosive water on your hands. If you tried chemicals and they didn't piece of work, run every bit much water into the toilet as possible and let it sit down overnight to drain through the clog. So, when you plunge, wear rubber goggles and safe gloves to keep the water out of your eyes and off your blank skin.

2. Proceed the Toilet Cover Down.

A good way to avert preventable clogs in the first place, especially if y'all take small kids, is to shut the toilet chapeau. This keeps toys, crayons and hairbrushes from falling into the toilet.

3. Don't Pour Hardening Compounds Down the Toilet.

Simply pour a liquid down the toilet if it's going to stay a liquid. What shouldn't you pour down your toilet? These include such things as drywall articulation compound, grease, caulk and wax products.

toilet plunger

Originally Published: January 16, 2020