How to Plunge a Toilet the Right Way

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By Donna Pullen
eHow Contributing Writer

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Clogged toilets can be a problem of the past by learning how to plunge a toilet the right way. These steps will explain the proper way to plunge a toilet and send clogs down the drain.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

heavy duty plunger
rubber gloves if desired
towels

Follow these Steps to Plunge a Toilet the Right Way

Step 1

Choose a heavy-duty plunger with a cup-type fitting. This is not the standard plunger. Heavy-duty plungers are used by professional plumbers. They are usually black with excess rubber hanging from the bottom. This excess rubber is usually referred to a cup. Cups can come in different sizes, usually a standard and extra large.
Step 2

Place several old towels around the base of the toilet bowl. Towels will help to catch any splashing of toilet water or in the case of overflow.
Step 3

Hold the plunger by the handle and place the other end into the hole. Gently push the plunger down into the hole several times until the plunger has a tight seal.
Step 4

Pull up firmly and quickly. This pulling up action is what will unclog the toilet. Many people try to unclog a toilet by just pushing repeatedly, hoping that the clog will be pushed through. But just the opposite is recommended. This is because the drain actually gets smaller and narrower as it goes further down. The toilet matter will just become more compacted by pushing.
Step 5

Repeat the process of pushing the plunger down slowly and pulling up quickly. This will eventually begin to break up the clog and draw pieces of toilet matter back into the main part of the bowl. By doing this rapid pulling motion several times, the toilet should become unclogged enough to flush.
Step 6

Use a closet auger if the plunger is unsuccessful. The closet auger is different from a snake because the closet auger has a protective cover to prevent scratches. The snake does not have this cover and may easily scratch the bowl.

Comments

tdbates831 said

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on 12/9/2008 Great article! Far better than How to Plunge a Toilet Correctly. Step 4, which explains it is the pulling action, not the pushing, that unclogs the toilet, is especially helpful. Thanks!