Do you know what usually clogs a toilet? Toilet paper! If you’re just like me, you must be dreading the mere thought of having a clogged toilet in your home. After all, no one ever wants to deal with a blocked toilet. This is simply one of those house problems that you can’t just wish to go away.
In fact, you must act at the very moment you notice the slightest problem when flushing. If you choose to ignore the tell-tale signs, high are the chances that this issue would just get worse. Wait longer and the problem compounds exponentially. So, before your sanity gets the best out of you, find out how you can fix your clogged toilet.
I’m sure you know many ways how to unclog the toilet. Maybe you even considered increasing the water supply so you can flush it all in. For starters, you can try double flushing all you want. But what if you’ve tried all the usual stuff and your effort still amounted to nothing? Don’t worry. We’re here to share some tips and tricks about how to unclog toilet when nothing works.
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Extraordinary Ways on How to Unclog Toilet when Nothing Works
Clogged toilet? – Don’t worry. Below are some not-so-ordinary yet effective ways to get your clogged toilet fixed in no time. Just follow the steps outlined below and you may be able to solve this rather awful problem on your own.
The White Vinegar and Baking Soda Solution
If the plunger simply won’t work and you happen to be out of degreaser, no need to panic. Here is a popular alternative to that. Vinegar and baking soda are among the staples in the pantry of most homes. Let’s get started on this concoction to get your toilet unclogged in a jiffy.
Materials Needed:
- 1 cup of vinegar
- Half a cup of baking soda
- 1 gallon of water
- Bowl
Instructions:
- Mix two cups of water and one cup of baking soda in the bowl.
- Make sure that you blend both ingredients thoroughly.
- In a separate container, measure two cups of vinegar.
- Pour the fully blended water and baking soda solution into the toilet bowl.
- Right after that, pour the two cups of vinegar as well.
- Allow the solution to react to the vinegar. This can take a few minutes.
- Try to do some other chores and just come back to this later.
- Check if there some sort of reaction happening from beneath the bowl, which could come in the form of bubbles.
- If you do see some bubbles, then it means that the baking soda and vinegar have reacted. Most of the debris stuck inside the drain pipe should now loosen up.
- Flush your toilet bowl. If the water went through without any problems, then your problem is fixed.
- Alternately, you can pour a gallon of hot water into the bowl, not in the toilet tank, to flush it further and help clear up the fragments.
The Lemon Juice and Baking Soda Solution
In case you don’t have enough vinegar in your pantry, you can use lemon juice instead. Lemon juice has the same characteristics as vinegar so you can very well use it to create the same explosive effect. Just use the same ratio so that the solution will effective regardless of the toilet tank water level.
Materials Needed:
Half a cup of baking soda
1 cup of lemon juice
Instructions:
- Put the baking soda into your toilet.
- Give it a couple of minutes to settle.
- Pour the lemon juice next.
- Let the two ingredients react together for 30 minutes or so.
- Flush the toilet.
- If it seems that the clog seems to be there, just repeat the whole process.
The Household Bleach and Powdered Soap Solution
In case you don’t have any baking soda in your pantry, don’t lose hope. You can run to the laundry room instead and find some bleach. I bet that you don’t know that bleach is a potent solution that can help unclog the toilet pipe in no time at all. The steps are very simple too.
Materials Needed:
- 3 cups of household bleach
- 1 gallon of water
- Suitable container
- Stove or water heater
Instructions:
- Using a stove, heat one gallon of hot water.
- Pour 3 cups of bleach as the water heats up.
- Carefully pour the hot water with bleach, make sure it is not boiling water, into the toilet bowl.
- Wait for 15 minutes for the clog to soften before flushing the toilet.
The Hot Water and Dish Detergent Solution
This trick for unclogging toilets is very similar to the steps listed above. Simply replace the household bleach with dish soap. Dish soap is a very common household item that will surely be present in your kitchen. A generous amount of liquid dish detergent will do the trick.
Materials Needed:
- 1 cup dish soap
- 1 gallon of water
- Stove or water heater
Instructions:
- Boil a gallon of water then allow it to cool off a little.
- Pour the dish soap into the bowl.
- After a few minutes of cooling, the boiling water should degrade to very hot water. Pour it into the bowl and leave it there for a few minutes.
- You may also use a dishwashing bar soap for this method but you will have to cut them into smaller pieces so they will easily dissolve.
- Wait for a few minutes before flushing the toilet to further get rid of debris and clogs.
The Hot Water and Shampoo Solution
If you need a quick fix to a toilet that won’t flush, here’s what you may be looking for. This is going to be most helpful if happen to be in somebody’s home and you suddenly encounter a clogged toilet problem. All you need are some things that are inside the bathroom itself. Once you’re done, it may be a good idea to clean the bowl with a toilet brush as well.
Materials
- 1 cup of shampoo or liquid soap
- 1 gallon of hot water
Instructions:
- Get some hot water from the tap. Set it aside.
- Dump huge amounts of shampoo or liquid soap into the bowl.
- Pour the warm water in.
- Flush the toilet right after.
The Enzyme Product Solution
If you don’t know it yet, there are enzyme product solutions easily available in stores that you can use to clear the clog in your toilet bowl. Thank goodness for these products, clearing those toilet clogs has suddenly become easier. Using them is very easy too.
Materials
- Enzyme solution
- Gloves
- Googles or Eye Protection Glasses
Instructions:
- Read the label first. All manufacturers have their own set of instructions on how to use their products so be sure to understand them.
- Make sure that the bathroom is airy or well-ventilated before going to work. This is a protective measure in case the solution is too strong. You don’t want to get suffocated inside the bathroom.
- Wear eye protection and gloves. They will also protect you against a splash back.
- Refrain from standing near the shower stall or tub when pouring the enzyme solution.
- Carefully pour the solution into the toilet without spilling any of it. Otherwise, it may damage the tiles, marbles, stones, and stainless-steel fixtures.
- Do not mix the enzyme solution with any other cleaning products.
- Never use other kinds of cleaner after it either, especially if it doesn’t seem to work, as this may cause some hazardous chemical reactions.
- Flush the toilet. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about this as well, particularly when it comes to water temperature and how low you should wait before you flush or pour the water.
The Chemical Drain Cleaning Solution
If an enzyme solution proves to be hard to find, don’t worry. You may purchase some regular chemical drain cleaners instead. However, be sure to get the one that can be used for low-flow toilets. Do note that not all these products are manufactured for such a purpose. Don’t forget to read the label before making the purchase.
Materials Needed
- Chemical drain cleaner
- Protective gear
Instructions:
- Double-check that your drain cleaning solution is not a chlorinated drain cleaner, as that type can cause some damage to your bathroom fixtures.
- Read the manufacturer’s instructions to know the right quantity required to get rid toilet of clogs.
- Ventilate the bathroom to prevent suffocation.
- Wear gloves and eye protection.
- Pour the right amount of drain cleaner into the bowl.
- Keep the lid down to prevent the fumes from escaping.
- Do not use a plunger after pouring the solution as the liquid may splash back on your skin.
- Flush the toilet a few minutes after or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The Epsom Salt Solution
The Epsom salt solution works much like the baking soda and vinegar toilet clog fix. Like that one, Epsom salt would create a bubbling reaction from beneath the bowl to dislodge the clog and make flushing a lot more unproblematic.
Materials Needed
- 1 cup of Epsom salt
- 1 gallon of hot water
Instructions:
- Heat a gallon of water and set it aside
- Pour a generous amount of Epsom salt into the toilet.
- Let it stand for 20 minutes or so.
- Flush the toilet with hot water.
The Cola Solution
Are you still having no luck with your toilet clog? Don’t worry. There are a few other things in your kitchen that can help solve the problem. This time, you’re going right into the fridge to take some cola out. Did you know that cola is quite effective in dissolving toilet tissue? Believe it. Now here’s what you ought to do.
Material Needed
- 2 liters of cola
Instructions:
- Pour 2 liters’ worth of cola into the toilet.
- Allow it to sit overnight.
- Flush the toilet first thing in the morning.
The Ultimate Toilet Bomb
If you’ve tried all the solutions above and none seems to work. Here’s yet another trick up our sleeves. This one is a combination of all the solutions listed above, and that’s the main reason why we’re calling it the ultimate toilet bomb. You can even keep some of these bombs for future use.
Materials Needed
- Half a cup of Epsom salt
- 2 cups of baking soda
- 9 tablespoons of liquid dish soap
- 4 cups of water
- Muffin tin or similar container
- Mixing bowl
- Aluminum foil
- Stirrer
Instructions:
- Combine the Epsom salt and baking soda in a bowl.
- Mix them together.
- Add the liquid dish soap slowly into the mix.
- Knead it like a cookie.
- Use the aluminum foil as a lining for the muffin tins.
- Use a scoop to create the bomb balls.
- Be sure to pack the balls together.
- Let them dry overnight.
- Take the bombs from the tin and place them in a jar or similar resealable container.
- Pop one bomb into the toilet.
- Pour 4 cups of hot water.
- The bomb will fizz, knocking out the toilet clogs in the process.
- With the toilet bomb safely stored, you can put one into the toilet if it seems clogged.
The Plunger Technique
Note that there are several types of plungers. For this purpose, you’ll need the one that is specifically created for toilet bowls. This one looks a lot like a sink plunger, only longer. Here’s how you should use it.
Materials Needed:
- Toilet plunger
- Rubber gloves
- A gallon of water
Instructions:
- Pour some water into the toilet bowl.
- Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
- Place the plunger the toilet bowl.
- Do so at a certain angle so the cup gets filled with water.
- Push and pull the plunger forcefully, taking care not to break the seal of the cup around the toilet hole.
- Repeat the motion up to six times before pulling the plunger off the toilet drain hole.
- Flush the toilet.
- If the water still fails to drain properly, do all the steps again.
The Petroleum Jelly Trick
So, you’ve used the plunger to flush the toilet, but it just won’t work. Don’t give up on that toilet plunger yet. There might just be another trick that you can do to possibly force those stuck paper towels down the drain and make all your toilet problems go away. Here’s what you’ll need:
Materials Needed
- Petroleum Jelly
- Plunger
- 1 gallon of water
Instructions:
- Get your good old plunger, ideally the one that comes with a flange.
- Put some petroleum jelly around the rim. This will help tighten the seal.
- Press the plunger over the toilet drain hole to make an airtight seal.
- In case the plunger is not submerged, add some hot water to cover it. This is necessary to make the plunging process more effective.
- Plunge the toilet.
- Keep on repeating the process, adding more hot water every so often, until the clog is gone.
The Plumbing Snake Trick
If the plunger doesn’t seem to work and you happen to have a drain snake in your garage, then you might just have the tool to solve your toilet woes. Plumbing snakes are also referred to as toilet augers or toilet snakes. In fact, many plumbers use these terms alternately. If you don’t know it yet, the auger is the best tool for cleaning a clogged toilet trap.
Materials Needed
- Plumbing snake
- Gloves and other protection equipment
Instructions:
- Carefully insert the other end of the plumbing snake into the toilet bowl.
- Try to push it further down until you hit an obstruction.
- Twist the snake until the obstruction is gone.
- Keep on twisting and pushing forward.
- Press on the flush to see if the water goes down faster now.
- If not, twist the handle and push the wire some more.
- Carefully pull up the snake.
- Clean and disinfect the snake.
- Store it properly after use.
The Wire Hanger Trick
If you don’t have a plumbing snake at home, don’t worry. There are some other things around the house that you can use in its place. One good alternative is a wire clothes hanger. Get this tool ready as soon as you observe that the water pressure in your toilet fails to flush everything down. Here are the things that you should do:
Materials Needed
- Wire coat hanger
- A pair of pliers
Instructions:
- Using a pair of pliers, untwist the wire from under the hook.
- Try to create a miniature toilet auger with the hanger.
- Carefully push your DIY auger down the toilet drain hole.
- Bend the other end to form a 90-degree angle, which will also serve as the auger’s handle.
- Crank the other end so that the auger goes through the clogs.
- Pull out when done.
- Flush the toilet.
- Discard the wire hanger or clean and disinfect it for later use.
The Saran Wrap Trick
If you are running out of options when it comes to clearing the clog in your toilet, don’t lose hope just yet. Here is yet another little trick a lot of people don’t know about. We can make this our little secret. You can thank me later.
Materials Needed
- Saran wrap or any other plastic wrap
- Gloves and other protection equipment
Instructions:
- Lift the toilet lid.
- Put the Saran wrap around the toilet seat.
- Make sure that you are making the seals airtight.
- Push on the Saran wrap surface, a little like how you do it with a plunger.
- With every push, the air that is trapped under the wrap will push the water into the toilet drain hole, breaking the clog in the process.
- Flush the toilet.
- Repeat the process until the flush goes down normally.
The Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner Trick
If you have a vacuum cleaner at home that can be used on wet and dry surfaces, then you’re in luck. And if it happens to have the drain tool, then your luck just doubled. You may possibly use this to clear up the clog in your toilet. In case you don’t have the machine or the tool, there might be an equipment rental center near you where you can get one.
Materials Needed
- Wet and dry vacuum cleaner
- Earmuffs or earplugs
- Bucket
Instructions:
- Wear your earmuffs or ear plugs as the vacuum may create a lot of noise when in use.
- Connect the vacuum cleaner to the power supply.
- Have the bucket nearby.
- Place one end of the tube, the one with the drain tool, deep into the toilet bowl.
- Prepare to turn on the power.
- Note that the water may splash while you’re vacuuming so hold the hose as steadily as possible.
- Stand where you are least likely to get splashed with toilet water all over.
- Turn on the vacuum.
- Notice that the vacuum makes a different sound if it is sucking something out of the toilet, like heaps of wet toilet paper.
- Carefully unmount and store the vacuum cleaner when you are done.
The Suction Cup Trick
A suction cup works much like the plunger, only better. These tools are commercially available in hardware stores so you will have no trouble finding them at all. While they are mostly used on drains, you can try it on your toilet bowl as well.
Materials Needed:
- Suction Cup
- Gloves and other protection equipment
Instructions:
- Position the suction cup over the toilet.
- Push and pull the handle a little to move the water down the toilet, thereby flushing out debris.
- Flush the toilet.
- Repeat the process until the water goes down easily.
After reading through all these, you now have many great ideas on how to unclog toilet when nothing works. But these are just some of the many creative ways we can think about. The ultimate solution, of course, is to get a professional plumbing service to help you out and make your problems disappear with the least hassle on your part.
You need to hire some plumbers because you never know if the issue is with your septic tank or any other crucial piping components. Once your toilet is fixed, you will never ever want to throw toilet paper in it again. Better yet, you’ll always follow the suggestions of your good old plumber on how to keep your toilet in tip-top shape.
