By Andrew • Oct 29
What Causes Your Drains to Clog?
A clogged drain may start as a minor annoyance but can gradually worsen into a complete blockage that makes sinks or tubs unusable and potentially causes serious plumbing problems.
Toilet clogs. They’re just part of life. Sooner or later every homeowner will be looking for how to unclog a toilet. It’s nothing to panic about. Usually, clogs can be resolved quite easily. In the rare case that the clog is too stubborn and severe for you to remove yourself, a professional plumber can make quick work of it. Regardless, it’s no big deal to get a toilet unclogged, so long as you know what you’re doing.
Start with a Plunger
Of course, the starting point is with the good old-fashioned plunger. If you don’t have one of these handy items in your home, invest in one today. Ideally, you’ll have one for every bathroom.
You know how to use a plunger, but here are a few tricks: To ensure a really tight seal, put some petroleum jelly around the plunger’s rim. Make sure the top of the plunger is submerged—and if necessary, add some water to the bowl. Plunge vigorously, but not so much that you’re splashing water out. Hopefully, that’s all it will take to get your toilet working again!
Make a Volcano
If that doesn’t work, try this. Bring a big pot of water to a simmering boil, then allow five minutes for it to cool. Put a cup of baking soda into your toilet. Then chase it with two cups of water, and after that pour in the water—ensuring that it doesn’t overflow. Give the mixture a couple of hours to work; with any luck, it’ll be a good, effective clog remover! (And it’s natural and safe for your plumbing, too.)
Use Soap
As in the last tip, bring a big pot of water to a simmering boil—then, as it cools down, squirt some dish soap into the toilet bowl. Be generous with it! Then, after the water has cooled just a bit, pour it in. The idea is to flush the clog away, with the soap making for a good, slippery exit.
Snake It
If none of that works, the next step is to get a plumbing snake and try to work out the clog that way. You can find a plumbing snake at any hardware or home improvement store. Just be sure you’re careful, and don’t move the snake around too quickly; you don’t want to be flinging dirty water all over your bathroom.
Get a Professional
If all four of those approaches fall flat, your next step is to call a professional plumber to take a look at things. Day or night, our Vancouver plumbers are ready to help. Call us to get quick assistance with your stubborn toilet clog!
