How to Unclog a Clogged Toilet in Three Steps
Ugh - there goes the toilet again. Today's toilets are more eco-friendly because they use less water per flush, but this also means they pack less of a wallop than the less-efficient toilets of yesteryear. Which means you'd better be ready to unclog a toilet, but don't worry: it's not as hard as you thought. Here are three steps for doing just that.
- Step 1. First, make a few preparations.
If you don't know what's clogging the toilet, try to ask anyone else who lives with you if they might know. This, of course, will depend on your individual situation and whether or not you already know what's causing the clog. Second, as you're preparing to unclog the toilet, try to spread a few towels around the area - it's likely that you'll splash some toilet water around. Make sure you wash these towels after you're done.
- Step 2. Use a plunger.
This is the basic tool you'll use when working with toilets, and for most clogs, this might actually be your only step. If you've never used a plunger before, don't fret; it's actually pretty simple.
First, you'll want to make sure that there's enough water in your toilet bowl to cover the head of the plunger. Make sure that you don't actually flush the clogged toilet again - instead, you'll want to simply add some water from an external source like a faucet. This will help make the plunging go more smoothly and make sure you get adequate pressure to unclog your clog.
- Step 3. If the plunger fails, try a toilet auger.
This isn't your first option; you'll want to use the auger for the especially stubborn clogs that the plunger simply isn't able to handle.
A toilet auger is much like a plumber's snake, but it is often treated with a plastic coating to help protect the inner workings of your toilet. Using the auger, you can actually "reach in" and manually dislodge a clog by either grabbing it and pulling it back up, or by pushing it through down to your drainage line.
Working with a clogged toilet is one of the easiest things to fix around the home - as long as you know what you're doing. Keep a couple of these tools (a plunger and an auger) handy around the house - you just need one of each. This way you can avoid unnecessary trips to the hardware store or calls to the plumber.
Photo Credits: apartment therapy
Originally posted 2009-07-30 03:30:52.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on June 3, 2010 in
How to Fix, Plumber, toilet
Clogged toilet? Get to work!
Let's face it: when it comes to your bathroom, you don't always have a lot of time to get things done. Emergencies in your bathroom can seem especially high-priority if you've got a quick water leak and need to get something flowing again before your entire room is flooded. If that's the case, you'll want to learn some bathroom basics - and how to handle them in a hurry. Here's how to fix your clogged toilet quickly.
First, if we can assume that you need to plunge a toilet in a hurry, we can also assume that your toilet is probably filling up. It's time to get the plunger quickly. Usually, you'd want to get the plunger after you add some water to the toilet, as plungers work best when the plunger head is also submerged in water. The good news is that during a serious backing up of your toilet, you'll have plenty of water to work with already. (That, of course, is also the bad news.)
This means that you should simply grab the plunger and get to unclogging right away - no waiting for the "right conditions" - just get to work! Next, you'll start plunging by pumping the toilet in rapid succession. Even if you splash some water around on the ground, don't worry. The water can be dried up, but you'll want to get the clog fixed as soon as possible.
A key element in this equation will be the plunger itself. If you don't have a very good plunger under the bathroom sink, you probably won't be able to unclog a toilet quite as quickly. Don't go for the "cute" plungers that look better than the big, clunky ones - you want a big, clunky one. These ones will be able to cover the entire drain in your toilet and move the most water possible, making each pump of the plunger more powerful. It will be difficult to clean out your clogged toilet in a rush if you're using a small, plastic plunger.
It's important that if you need to get your toilet unclogged quickly, you do it right the first time. Make sure that the plunger covers the entire drain of the toilet, as this seal will help to create the force you want. If it takes a couple of extra seconds to make sure you have the plunger on right, that's okay. Those extra seconds will mean that your plunger will be that much more effective when you do start pumping.
After a "bathroom emergency" like unclogging a toilet, you might find yourself amused at how rushed you felt. But if you know how to unclog a toilet the right way, you should feel perfectly relaxed, a true Unclogging Master.
Photo Credits: Two Big Paws
Originally posted 2009-09-01 03:37:21.
This post involves:
... and focuses on:
Posted by Fix Handyman on April 27, 2010 in
Bathroom, Handyman, How to Fix, toilet
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