Unfortunately, toilets will always clog, but usually homeowners are well equipped for these situations. Sadly, there are times where your plunger might not get the job done. Maybe you've just bought a new toilet, or maybe your plunger broke. If you can't get the job done with your plunger, or you don't have one, try these steps to make your toilet flush.
Water Bucket
One of the easiest ways to get your toilet to flush without a plunger is to dump a bucket of water into your toilet. It's important to use the biggest bucket (or container) that you have, and to pour quickly into the toilet. Slowly pouring the water will only fill up the toilet bowl, making your situation even more precarious.
Instead, hold your bucket over the toilet, and dump the water into the toilet as fast as you can. Ideally, you should just flip the bucket over and dump all the water into the toilet at once. If done correctly, the sudden addition to the water pressure on the toilet drain will flush out whatever is lodged in there. If it doesn't work, drain the toilet of excess water (you can use the same bucket) and try again.
Snake
If you don't have a plunger, a toilet snake is your next best option. Plumbing snakes go straight into the drain and can break up clogs to quickly fix the problem. If you don't have a snake, hardware stores sell them and some even rent them by the hour to homeowners. If you can't find one, you can try buying a flexible metal water lead, like the kind that you attach to your bathroom faucet to let water into the faucet.
Take the snake (or thin flexible water pipe) and slide it down the hole of the toilet. Once you've gone as far as you can, twist it to break up anything that it's come into contact with. With any luck, the toilet will soon be unclogged.
Wait
If none of these options work, try waiting a while before you do it again. If you have another toilet in your home, use that one instead. If your toilet is blocked up with paper or excrement, it's sitting in water that will eventually soften and loosen it up, making it easier to flush. Take a break for around half an hour, then come back and try these steps again. You may find that it's much easier to get the toilet to flush.
Not being able to flush your toilet is a terrible nuisance, but thankfully with these steps you'll have a better chance at getting it unclogged. Just remember to buy a plunger that fits your toilet properly before you need it again!
For professional help, contact a service like Ideal Plumbing & Heating.
Share2 January 2016
When you get a clogged drain or a toilet that just won't flush, do you reach for the phone and call for a plumber? When you have these seemingly simple plumbing problems around your house, you have to make a decision quickly. Do you pay for someone to come out and make the repairs, or do you attempt the repair on your own? This blog is all about DIY plumbing repairs. You will learn the basics and find tips for when to cut your losses and call in for professional assistance so you don't make a small fix one that needs serious repairs.
