4 Easy Steps in Unclogging a Toilet Fixture

The four steps in unclogging a toilet fixture are choose and acquire the right tools, take the plunge, see if it drains and for stubborn clogs, use the auger.

Unclogging a toilet fixture is one of the most common household problems there is.  Believe it or not, you can do the job alone and need not hire licensed plumbers to take over. Toilets can be clogged by buildup of wastes and also toilet paper or maybe intentional flushing down of objects that aren’t suitable to toilet pipes. This dilemma is inconvenient and utterly, unsanitary. Learn to unclog a toilet fixture with these four easy steps.

Choose and acquire the right tools

The following materials are dependent on the difficulty level of the clogged toilet. You need rubber gloves to stay clean, a flange plunger and not a cup plunger because this is only suitable for sinks and bathtubs. You also need unused newspapers or rags to cover the floor surrounding the toilet and hot water for the plunger. Also have a bucket in handy since this will be used during the third step. Lastly, you need a toilet auger or closet auger or toilet snake for stubborn clogs and this is optional. When you now have the right tools, proceed to the next step.

Take the plunge

First, make sure the toilet area is surrounded by rags or newspapers to catch any spillage or overflow. Don’t forget to wear your rubber gloves. Shower the toilet plunger with hot water because it makes a better seal when wet than when it is stiff.  Place the toilet plunger over the toilet and make sure you have a tight seal between the plunger and the toilet bowl. Take the plunge slowly but firmly then rapidly pop it up. Do this several times and increase speed in every attempt. When the water level is down, you are likely to have unclogged the toilet. Disinfect the toilet plunger before putting it in storage. If the after 15 plunges or so, move on to the next step.

See if it drains

Test if the toilet will drain now that you’re done plunging. Take note that you mustn’t do this by flushing unless you are one hundred percent sure that the clog is removed. This can be done in either of these two ways. First one would be slowly pouring water down the toilet using a bucket. The other way is to open the lid of the toilet tank and slowly lifting the flapper seal halfway. Do not lift it all the way up because this will cause flushing. You will know that the clog is cleared if water goes down easily. If not, go back to the previous step. But if it fails again, move on to the next step.

For stubborn clogs, use the auger

If plunging doesn’t do the trick, you might have some foreign object stuck in the toilet pipes. In this case, you have to use a toilet or closet auger or a toilet snake to push the stuck object down the pipes. You can also hook the obstruction and pull it upwards. Test for drainage and then store the auger after disinfecting it.

Usually, using the toilet plunger and auger dislodges the clog. But if all attempts fail, proceed to the unwritten step, “Call a Plumber”. Keep in mind that when buying tools for unclogging a toilet fixture, buy those that are intended mainly for toilets and not for inks or bathtubs.