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
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Posted by Fix Handyman on September 1, 2009 in
Bathroom, Handyman, How to Fix, toilet
Bathtub or toilet clogged? Grab a plunger!
Being able to plunge away a bathtub or toilet problem with a plunger is one of the basic home improvement skills everybody should know. It might not always be the most pleasant task, but it's simple, easy to learn, and it often gets the job done. The better you understand how to fix a clogged drain with a plunger, the less you'll need to work. Here's how to most effectively fix your drain using a plunger.
First, what kind of plunger do you have? Most of us imagine the stereotypical bell-shaped plunger, but you might have seen other options at the local hardware store. Use the "stereotypical" one; this bell-shaped plunger should be able to fold back to become flatter when you need to unclog either a sink or a bathtub. There are less-traditional plungers that aren't able to change their size for the type of drain you'll be unclogging; try to avoid these.
Next, it's important to understand that plungers work better if they're encased in water. If your toilet is clogged and there's hardly any water in the bowl, fill a container with water and use it to fill up the toilet bowl about halfway up. Once you have enough water over the drain to essentially cover the end of the plunger, push the plunger over the drain and form a seal around it. Now, pump the plunger over the drain keeping the seal tight, usually using much of your force to push in the plunger. You should notice that the clog appears to be loosening; however, you might not be able to tell until you flush the toilet again.
You can probably try another round of plunging if this doesn't work. If your plunging still seems fruitless, you'll have to move to the next step on the plumbing ladder: using a snake to break up the clog. If you use a snake and continue to have trouble with a clogged drain that seems totally blocked, it will probably be time to call the plumber.
Most of your clogs, however, should break up once you use a plunger. At the very least, you'll be able to loosen up a clog enough to get your toilet working again. When it comes to other clogged drains - such as the bathroom sink or the bathtub drain - you can fold back the plunger and use a similar method of plunging, making sure that there's some water present above the drain.
Photo Credits: julia fredenburg
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 3, 2009 in
Bathroom, Bathtub, How to Fix, Plumber, toilet
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
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Posted by Fix Handyman on July 30, 2009 in
How to Fix, Plumber, toilet
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