How to Clean a Choked Toilet
Cleaning a choked toilet is one of the least enjoyable tasks any homeowner can be asked to undertake. The idea of dealing with a blockage in a toilet is never a pleasant one, but the more quickly it can be dealt with, the better. There are several techniques that can be employed to clean a choked toilet, the majority of which, thankfully, take relatively little time to achieve their goal. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Bucket
- Kettle
- Plunger
- Drain cleaner
- Cup
- Vinegar
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
Instructions
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1
Lift the lid off the tank and check the level of water inside. Lift the bar on the water flotation ball to stop water from flowing into the toilet. This will prevent the toilet bowl from overflowing and will make it easier, as well as less messy, to remove the choke.
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2
Bail out water from the toilet bowl with a small bucket or other watertight container, until there is only a little water left in the toilet. Boil a kettle full of water. Pour the boiling water into the toilet bowl up to the half-full point. The boiling water will help to break up most items causing a choke.
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3
Push the plunger into the toilet bowl and press down firmly to form a seal around the U-bend. Push down and pull up in a series of firm, steady motions to create suction that will force the choke out. Perform this motion for five minutes. Attempt to flush the toilet. If the choke is cleared, the toilet will flush normally.
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4
Pour drain cleaner into the bowl. Instructions on the drain cleaner will give a precise guide to how much drain cleaner to use, but a capful or two should be enough as a rough guide if no instructions are provided. Wait 15 minutes for the drain cleaner to mix in, then use the plunger again. Attempt to flush the toilet. If the choke is cleared, the toilet will flush normally.
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5
Pour 2 cups of vinegar and 2 cups of bicarbonate of soda into the toilet bowl. Press the plunger down over the volatile mixture and press down to form a firm seal over the U-bend. Leave the mixture to react for 30 minutes, causing bubbles of gas that will force the choke out. Boil a kettle full of water again. Remove the plunger. Pour boiling water into the toilet bowl. Flush the toilet three times to remove the choke.
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Tips & Warnings
When attempting to flush the toilet to check that the choke has been cleared, do so with the lid off the tank. This way, you can easily reach in and lift the lever on the flotation device to stop the water flowing in the event that the choke has not cleared. This will prevent the bowl from overflowing.
Chemicals such as drain cleaner are designed to dissolve organic tissue, which includes skin. Always wear gloves when handling drain cleaner. In addition, wear safety glasses when working with drain cleaner and a plunger, in case of splashes.
References
- Photo Credit John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images
