How to unblock a toilet without a plunger

Unblocking the toilet

The clogging of toilets is typical in every household. It doesn’t matter whether you hire the best plumber for toilet installation or to fix your toilet; at some point, it will come to clog, and you will need to unclog it. How would one identify clogging in the toilet? Well, slow draining is one of the obvious signs that your toilet is blocked.

So what happens when you realise that your toilet is clogged? Clogged toilets can cause you a lot of inconveniences, let alone the unpleasant smell it can cause in your house. While some people simply prefer hiring professional services to have their toilets unclogged, most people are DIYers at heart.

There are several DIY methods of unclogging toilets. In most cases, especially in emergency cases, most people resort to the use of a plunger to unclog their toilets. A plunger is easier to use and helps in the faster unblocking of toilets.

However, what happens when you do not have a plunger? Or, maybe you just want to know other alternatives for unclogging your toilet. Do not panic! This article will outline some of the better options for unblocking a toilet without using a plunger.

Toilet unblocking without plunging

Patience

What we mean by patience is that all you need to do is wait. Well, this sounds like a joke and an unhelpful thing to do. Sometimes all it needs is to let the water work itself and find its way down. The water in your toilet will exert pressure on the matter, clogging your toilet as it tries to flow down.

With ample time, the water would break down the clog and easily flow down into the drain. However, this process may not be very effective, and it requires some time to be efficient. It, therefore, may not be of help in case of an emergency. Furthermore, this approach would only be best to try if you have more than one bathroom. You cannot use the same toilet while you leave the water to try and dislodge the clog in it.

Hot water

Here is another simple way of unclogging your toilet without necessarily using a plunger. As opposed to the first approach above, here, you will need hot water and a bucket. Pour enough water into a boiling pan or water bath and place it over a source of heat. Leave it for some time until it is almost boiling.

However, ensure that the water does not reach its boiling point. If the water boils, it may crack your bowl, thus further damage is done. Pour the hot water into your toilet bowl and allow it some time to work. The heat combined with the water flow should be able to break down the matter clogging your toilet.

Dish soap

Another better alternative to the use of a plunger is using substantial dish soap with hot water. Dish soap has properties that allow it to dislodge dirt, grime, and grease or oily substances. When used together with hot water, it could effectively help in unclogging toilets.

All you need to do is pour about one cup of dish soap directly into your toilet, then follow it with some hot water. Allow the mixture to sit for about half an hour; if you do not see the results, give it more time since some clogs can be very tough. This approach should be able to leave your toilet free from clogs.

Baking soda and vinegar

Probably you have heard of the wonders of this mixture, especially in cleaning drains and surfaces. However, the combination is not only used in cleaning; it is also very effective in unclogging toilets. It would help if you poured a cup of baking soda directly into your toilet while ensuring that it covers the maximum surface area possible. Then, add two cups of white vinegar circularly to distribute evenly around the toilet bowl and into the drain.

A mixture of baking soda and white vinegar produces a reaction that is visible through the effervescence. This reaction is safe for your toilet and can break down the clog in your toilet. After adding both the contents into your toilet, allow them about an hour for effective unclogging before rinsing with water.

This mixture will help in unclogging your toilet and cleaning it as well. Both the substances are readily available to anyone. They are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and safe, not to mention they are economical.

Epsom salt

Most people do not stock Epsom salt in their houses, not knowing how helpful it could be in unclogging toilets. This approach is faster as compared to the use of hot water and baking soda. Here you do not need to waste any time boiling water; it could be very effective in an emergency.

Epsom salt works similarly to the mixture of vinegar and baking soda except for the cleaning part. Add sufficient Epsom salts in your toilet bowl, then follow it with enough water. The combination will produce a fizzing reaction that will break down the clog in your toilet.

Tooth brush

This method will require having at least an old toothbrush, if not a new one. Further, it would help to ensure that you have a change of clothes, put on rubber gloves and a pair of goggles if you have one.

Push down the toothbrush into your toilet. While exerting average force, move the toothbrush back and forth to break down the matter clogging the toilet. Do not use too much force as it could damage your toilet, thus leaving you even in a worse scenario. Flush the toilet with enough water. It would be best to throw away the toothbrush after use.

Wire hanger

A wire hanger forms the best alternative for a plunger. You can easily modify it to look like a drain snake and use it to unclog your toilet. You need to unfold the wire hanger and straighten it. Similarly, it would be best to tie a rag or piece of cloth at the tip of the wire to prevent it from scratching inside your toilet bowl and drain pipes.

Push the straight wire down into your toilet, push it with average force to loosen the clog. It is not recommended to use much force as it could damage the toilet.

Toilet auger

A toilet auger is also known as a drain snake. It is a long and flexible tool with a cork-screw-like tip. The tip enables the auger to perforate, break down and remove the blockage in toilets. The first step while using a toilet auger is pushing it down into the toilet bowl until you feel the clog.

Once you feel the blockage, rotate the auger while you keep pushing it downwards. The rotation will enable the auger to loosen and break down the blockage into smaller pieces that can easily be pushed down by the water when you flush your toilet. A toilet auger works in two different ways; you can either push the blockage downwards or pull the blockage out of the bowl once the tip of the auger pierces it.

Always remember to flush your toilet after you are finished working the auger down the toilet bowl. However, if the blockage is a tough solid matter that cannot be removed through a toilet auger, it would help to remove the bowl first to reach the blockage and eventually remove it.

Plastic bottle

This process will require having a change of clothes and putting on a pair of rubber gloves. First, remove as much water from your toilet bowl as possible. Fill a sizable plastic bottle with warm water. It is best to use warm water since boiling water might damage the plastic bottle.

Place your thumb at the top of the bottle, then fit the top of the bottle into your toilet`s outlet located at the bottom. Remove your thumb and squeeze the bottle. The pressure inside the bottle would propel the warm water into the pipe and hopefully loosen and break down the blockage.

Drain cleaners

Drain cleaning is a method that involves the use of chemicals to clear blocked drains. However, the use of chemicals should be the last resort, that is, when the other approaches fail to work. Chemicals could corrode and damage your drain pipes. They are also toxic and could be harmful to you and your family.

Preventing toilet blockages

It is not difficult to unblock a clogged toilet. However, the exercise could be unpleasant and consume much of your time. Therefore, the recommended thing to do is to try and prevent toilet blockages before thinking of unblocking a toilet. However, you will need to understand the causes of a toilet blockage.

The primary cause of a toilet blockage is low pressure or weak water flow. Such factors make flushing the toilet ineffective; thus, clogs can quickly form in the toilet. Other materials such as tampons, pads, baby wipes, toilet paper, hair, toys, etc., can also easily block your toilet.

Frequent application of vinegar and baking soda mixture could help prevent clogs or remove the small blockages. Finally, when unblocking your toilet, it is best to begin by the application of non-chemical approaches.

Most chemicals are toxic, hazardous to the environment, harmful to you or your family, and should always be the last resort. The approaches discussed herein-above are the best alternatives for unblocking your toilet without using a plunger. However, if you are still experiencing issues it is probably in your best interest to contact a professional to handle those hard to undo clogs.