We previously went over how to prevent a toilet from clogging, but sometimes the worst is unavoidable and you need to get down and dirty to get it running properly again. Before you grab any of your tools, you’ll want to put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands from any unwanted spray.
Whether your toilet is completely clogged – you can tell because the bowl will completely fill up or overflow – or only partially clogged, you’ll want to let the water level drop before you tackle the problem.
Plunger: The single most important tool to keep near your toilet. The vast majority of clogged toilets can be fixed with a few good plunges as long as you use proper technique. Be gentle with your first plunge; you don’t want to force all of the air in the plunger out and cause the water to spray all over you and your bathroom. Once you’ve gently pushed the air out, you can use a more aggressive technique while still maintaining the seal around the toilet’s drain. Make sure there’s enough water in the toilet bowl to keep the plunger covered so the seal remains unbroken, but this should take care of most clogs.
Plumbing Snake: In the rare cases where the plunger can’t take care of your clog, the next step is to break out the plumbing snake. Feed the snake down the toilet’s drain until it reaches the clog, and then turn it clockwise to the tip can break through or screw into the blockage. Most blockages occur at the S-bend, so you shouldn’t need to feed too much into the toilet before it makes contact.
Call in the Pros: Unless you’re prepared to disassemble the toilet yourself, it may be time to call in a professional if both your plunger and plumbing snake fail to clear out the clog. They’ll be able to diagnose the issue and take care of the problem without too much of a hassle. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, our plumbers are available 24/7 any day of the year for emergency services, and charge no trip or overtime fees. Find your nearest bluefrog Plumbing + Drain with our “Find Your bluefrog Plumbing + Drain” page, or give us a call at 888-794-0341 to schedule your free home consultation today.
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