How to Fix a Clogged Toilet

How to unstop a clogged toilet -- fast!

By Ken Collier and Duane Johnson

Overview and Preparation

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In this article, we’ll show you how to avert a morning household disaster by clearing a clogged toilet fast. With a little practice, even a home repair rookie can get most clogged toilets back up and running in minutes, without flooding the bathroom and making the situation worse . . . sometimes much worse!

A $4.95 Plunger Will Make You the Family Hero!

For about 90 percent of clogged toilets, you only need one special tool—a plunger. Buy one with an extension flange on the rubber bell-shaped end (opening photo). It’s designed to fit toilets better so you can deliver more “oomph” to the plunge. You could pull a woodchuck from a hole with one of these things. It’ll unplug sink and tub drains too, if you simply fold the flange back into the bell.

A poor flush means that your toilet drain is either partially or completely plugged. A toilet that’s completely plugged—a no-drainer—is obvious. The toilet bowl will fill to the brim with flush water and perhaps overflow. Give the water level 10 minutes or so to drop, then attack the problem with a plunger (Photo 1).

However, most clogged toilets are slow drainers, that is, flush water partially fills the bowl but doesn’t rush out and clean away the waste. The water level remains high, then usually drains down to normal height within a minute or two. You might not know the toilet is clogged until you flush it. So if you suspect a problem, test the drainage first as we show in Photo 2. If it doesn’t drain, don’t flush it. Reach for the plunger.

Do’s and Don’ts

1. Avoid chemicals. Don’t be suckered into thinking that powerful chemicals will do the messy work for you. They sometimes work, but they’re slower. And when they don’t work, you have a drain full of corrosive water on your hands.

If you tried chemicals and they didn’t work, run as much water into the toilet as possible and let it sit overnight to drain through the clog. Then, when you plunge, wear safety goggles and rubber gloves to keep the water out of your eyes and off your bare skin.

2. Keep the toilet cover down, especially if you have small kids, so toys and hair-brushes won’t fall into the toilet.
3. Don’t pour hardening compounds down the toilet. These include such things as drywall joint compound, grease, caulk and wax products.

From The Family Handyman - April 2000

Originally In How to Fix a Clogged Toilet