My Bathroom Toilet Is Clogged

Too much toliet paper can quickly clog a toilet.

A clogged toilet can wreak havoc in your home, particularly if you only have one bathroom. Not uncommonly, someone may flush a clogged toilet, leave the room, and, when the next person enters the bathroom, she finds the floor flooded. The clogging happens to almost every toilet occasionally. Knowing how to repair the clog on your own to avoid having to pay an expensive plumbing bill is important.

Causes of Clogging

Using too much toilet paper, trying to flush sanitary napkins and other items that should be discarded and errant toys tossed in the toilet by a curious toddler are all common reasons that a toilet can clog. Flushing the toilet rarely loosens the clog and can result in the toilet overflowing.

Tools for Unclogging

Store a toilet plunger behind your toilet or in a nearby closet to remedy the occasional clog. If you have continuous problems with clogging, you may find investing in a toilet snake or closet auger is necessary. Both these tools are available at discount, hardware or home supply stores and are relatively inexpensive.

Basic Clog Repair

When a toilet is clogged, grab the toilet plunger before attempting to flush the toilet. Ensure the toilet has enough water to cover the rim of the plunger; if not, add some water from the faucet. Place the rim of the plunger over the hole in the bottom of the toilet. Push up and down on the plunger gently, and keep the seal tightly in place. After a few plunges, if the clog does not drain, use a more forceful action to unclog the drain by pushing it up and down firmly and briskly, which should break lose the clog. You will know the clog is clear when the bowl drains. If this method does not work and you have other bathrooms available in the home, letting the clog sit overnight may soften it so that you can plunge it out. After removing the clog, flush the toilet two or three times to ensure the toilet is clear.

Closet Auger Repair

For stubborn clogs, purchase a toilet snake or closet auger as they are often called, which is similar to a regular drain snake except that it has a protective rubber coating around the tool to prevent scratches on the toilet bowl. The toilet snake is flexible, and usually working it back and forth in the drain causes the obstruction to loosen. Twist the cable back so that it is at the tip of the closet auger. Insert the tip with the curved portion facing into the direction of the drain. Crank the toilet snake until it becomes tight, and twist it back in the other direction. The cranking action will clear the obstruction. Once it does, remove the closet auger and flush the toilet two or three times to ensure it is clear.

References

• Mother Earth News: How to Unclog Drains Without Chemicals
• Clemson University Extension: Repair It Yourself!
• Acme How To.com: How To Unclog a Toilet with a Closet Auger