A clogged toilet – οικονομικές αποφράξεις – is a frustrating reality and appears to happen at the most awkward times. Luckily, in most cases, you can resolve these problems and unclog on your own with a few DIY ways. After you use your sink, whether, in the bathroom or the kitchen, you may see the water flowing more slowly or there might be standing water that doesn’t appear to be going down the sink drain at all. In either case, a clog is probably the reason, and the more quickly you fix the problem, the less likely it will lead to bigger problems.

5 methods to unclog a toilet

Try out these five various ways to help you unclog a toilet.

Method #1: How to unclog a toilet with a plunger

This is one of the most common methods to unclog a toilet. With this way, choose a heavy-duty plunger. Good options include ball-shaped plungers or ones that have a solid, seal-forming rubber collar.

Materials

  • A plunger
  • A drain snake

Instructions

  1. After operating the plunger under hot water to soften it, put it over the whole hole in the toilet bowl. If there isn’t enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger, add more until the plunger head is covered.
  2. Gently push the plunger over the hole, and then draw it back up.
  3. Constantly push and pull until you see that the water level is going down.
  4. If the toilet rinses, but does so slowly, wait until there’s enough water in the toilet to cover the plunger. Repeat the method until the problem is resolved. Note: you may require to use a drain snake to break up whatever is creating the clog.

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Method #2: How to unclog a toilet with dish soap

If you’re in a position where you don’t have a plunger, or if there’s a something stuck in the drain, try unclogging the toilet using dish cleanser.

Materials

  • Warm water
  • Liquid dish soap
  • a cup

Directions

  1. Fill a bottle with warm water.
  2. Put a half cup of dish soap in the toilet bowl and let it sit for 20–30 minutes. The soap will finally flow into the clog and lubricate the toilet trap way.
  3. Empty the hot water into the toilet bowl slowly. The clog should gradually become free.

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Method #3: How to unclog a toilet without a plunger or snake

If there’s a material object stuck in the toilet or a bunch of toilet paper is causing the clog, you may need to actually unclog the toilet.

Elements

  • Toilet brush or wire hanger
  • Rubber gloves, or plastic bag

Guidance

  1. Put on your rubber gloves. 
  2. Reach into the toilet to try and remove the clog.
  3. If you can’t reach the clog, use a hook or a toilet brush and reach into the toilet drain hole to see what you can remove. This can be a dirtier method, but it can be productive.

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Method #4: How to unclog a toilet with baking soda and vinegar

When going this direction, the trick is to use equal quantities of baking soda and vinegar. The more difficult the clog, the more slowly you should use these ingredients. For an insignificant clog, use a mug of each ingredient. For a more important clog, start with one-fourth cup measurements to stop an overflow of the water and its contents.

Materials

  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Hot water
  • Kettle

Instructions

  1. Heat your water in a kettle.
  2. Empty the amount of baking soda you’re going to apply (one cup for a smaller clog and one-fourth cup for a larger one) into the toilet bowl.
  3. Next, pour an equal amount of vinegar into the bowl.
  4. Once the fizzing calms down, put in a kettle’s worth of hot water.
  5. If this doesn’t unclog your toilet the first time around, you may need to repeat the method another 2 -3 times.

Method #5: How to unclog a toilet when nothing else works

If all other fails, try to be calm and give the clog time to work itself out before calling a plumber. When a toilet bowl is full of water, the force of gravity will simply take place and clear out the clog. Eventually, gravity will be solving the problem. This technique can be remarkably helpful if the cause of the clog includes too much toilet paper in the drain.

When to call a plumber

If the previous techniques have missed, it may be time to call a professional. It also makes sense to request a plumber help if:

  • you run into an unexpected obstacle and you aren’t confident in your expertise to fix it.
  • you’re concerned that you could cause damage to your plumbing. 
  • you have a more serious plumbing problem that’s bigger than a clog.

 If you need to locate a plumber, ask friends and family members for suggestions and read trusted third-party reviews.

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How to prevent toilet clogs

To limit future clogs, make sure that everything you’re washing away is flushable. Be careful with tampons, sanitary pads, paper towels, and napkins generally, all this aren’t flushable. Though it may seem that these products have rinsed, there’s a chance that they’re remaining in your pipes and forming a blockage. 

Here are a few more hints to keep in mind to avoid obstructing your toilet:

  • To test whether a product is flushable (i.e. baby wipes), put it in a bowl of water and let it sit. In another bowl, put some toilet paper in water. Compare the disintegration of each product. Did the baby wipe separate as the toilet paper did?
  • If there are children in the home, teach them how much toilet paper to use at one time. Nine to ten sheets per toilet trip are the usual number. Additionally, tell them to not place toys and other foreign things down the toilet.
  • Avoid saving items over the toilet that could fall into the bowl and cause a clog. This includes soap, tissues, combs, and so forth.
  • Choose toilet paper that easily dissolves.
  • If you have a bowel movement that requires more toilet paper than average, put half of the paper into the toilet and flush. Then, put the second half of the used toilet paper in the bowl and flush the toilet again. This tactic can reduce the chances of a clog.

Read more about plumping problems in Athens