How to Unclog a Toilet

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
There’s never a good time for a clogged toilet, but clogs seem to happen at the most inopportune moments. Fortunately, you can clear most clogs yourself without having to pay a plumber. Follow these steps, and you should have the problem cleared up before the in-laws come over for dinner.

Steps

1. Flush only once. If it’s not flushing the first time, don’t flush again. This will cause more water to be pumped into the toilet bowl. If you let the water in the bowl sit for a while, it will usually drain at least a little bit, although it may be very slow.
2. Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Toilets are inherently unsanitary places to work, but a good pair of rubber cleaning gloves will protect you from the germs within.
3. Protect the floor. What’s worse than a clogged toilet? An overflowing toilet. Prevent or stop overflow quickly to avoid a disgusting mess and damage to your house. Place newspapers on the floor. Minor splashes and spills are bound to occur when you’re unclogging the toilet. Several layers of newspaper around the toilet will help protect your floor.
4. Make sure the water supply to the toilet is off. It should be located right behind the toilet, it looks like a regular faucet knob. Do not shut off the supply for the house, since this will prevent others from using water. If the water is off to at least the toilet, this will prevent the bathroom from flooding.

Dish Soap and Hot Water Method

1. Add a little dish soap (a few squirts) to the toilet. Be careful about using this method in an apartment complex, though.
2. Pour a pot or half a bucket of very hot water (NOT boiling water–it can dissolve important seals) from about waist level into the bowl. The water should not be hotter than a hot tea you can drink comfortably – and a little won’t work, you want to raise the temperature of the water passing around or pressing on the clog. Let that sit for a few minutes. If the water has not gone down, do it again or move on to the plunging method. Sometimes pouring hot water (not boiling hot) into the bowl will soften a clog enough for the clog to loosen and clear on its own.

Plunger Method
If you know there’s an object (such as a child’s toy) causing the clog, skip the plunging and go straight to another method.

1. Use the right plunger. It is important to use a large heavy-duty rubber plunger, either the ball-shaped type or one with a fold-out rubber flange on the bottom which forms a seal. Do not use the small cheap suction-cup type of plunger – these will often not work with toilets. Remember, the larger the plunger, the more force you can apply down into the clogged drain. The plunger should have a shape which ensures that the water you force out of it when you push down does not shoot back up into the toilet bowl instead of pushing into the drain. There is also the option of getting an integrated pump plunger which will use a jet of water to dislodge the blockage. One or two pumps with this type of plunger is usually sufficient for your average blockage.
2. Insert plunger into the bowl and press down firmly but slowly making sure you’re covering the hole completely. The plunger should be submerged in water to be effective. Add water to the bowl if necessary. It is important to be pushing and pulling with water not air. Sharply pull up on the plunger to create suction in the drain, them push in to create pressure. It is the suction then pressure, rocking back and forth, that constantly disturbs the clog in both directions that will gradually cause it to be loosened. If the plunging eventually drains the bowl but the clog is still blocking a free flow down the drain, leave the plunger in the bowl and use a bucket to fill the bowl with water again. Fill it to the point it is normally after a regular flush. Stubborn clogs might require you to do this a number of times.

Wire Coat Hanger Method
If plunging fails to unclog the drain, a wire coat hanger may clear the obstruction.

1. Unravel the coat hanger. Twist the top ends of the coat hanger apart until they are no longer connected.
2. Stick one end of the wire into the drain. Once the wire is in the drain, twist it, push it, and maneuver it in a circular motion to clear the drain. This will generally work if there is an obstruction in the first few inches of the drain.

Plumbing Snake Method
A snake (also sometimes called a “flexible cleaning tool” or “auger”) is a flexible coil of wire that can “snake” through the curves of a drain and get deeper than a wire can.

1. Insert one end of the snake into the drain and push down, feeding the snake further into the drain until you feel an obstruction.
2. Twist and push the snake through the obstruction until the water begins to drain.
3. Snake in reverse. It may become necessary to remove the toilet and run the snake through in the opposite direction. This is especially true with hard obstructions that may have been flushed by a curious child. If a hard obstruction is known, and you are not comfortable removing and replacing the toilet, contact a plumber.

Chemical Method
If nothing else works, you can try a drain-cleaning chemical. They’re available at most grocery, hardware, and “big box” stores. These chemicals are harsh on the environment, so try to avoid using them if possible. If you suspect that there is a hard obstruction, do not use a chemical solution; use a snake or call a plumber. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to use only chemicals that are specifically listed for toilets.

Video

With the right tools, unclogging a toilet is a breeze. Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet show you how to unclog a toilet without flooding your bathroom.

Tips

• If nothing works, you may have a problem deeper in the plumbing lines, and you’ll probably need to call a plumber. You’ll usually be able to clear the clog yourself, but even if you can’t you at least fought the good fight.
• Disinfect the toilet bowl with a disinfectant cleaner after you’ve cleared the clog. Do not use bleach, if you pour then flush it mixxes with sewage and causes lethal carbon monoxcide Dispose of the wire (if used) and disinfect or dispose of the rubber gloves and any other tools (such as a plunger or snake) that you used. These tools can spread germs and start to stink if not properly cleaned. A used plunger (especially the aforementioned flange plungers) may still have water inside of it after plunging. Keep it over the toilet, turn it a bit, and shake it slightly to drain it so it won’t drip on the floor.
• If you need to stop the flow of water to the bowl at any time, you can turn off the valve to the toilet (usually located behind or to the side of the toilet), or you can open up the toilet tank and lift the float arm. When the float is lifted past a certain level, the water will stop. It will resume when you let go of the arm.
• If you can see the cause of the clog, put on a pair of rubber gloves and remove it from the toilet if possible.

Warnings

• Do not push or pull the plunger violently when it is in the toilet bowl as it is unnecessary and will cause splashing.
• Drain-cleaning chemicals are generally extremely toxic and hazardous. Avoid contact with skin and eyes, and do not mix chemicals. Follow all manufacturer instructions to the letter, and heed all warnings.
• Most drain cleaners available in retail stores for home use are not appropriate for toilets. Check the product label to ensure the product is compatible for use with toilet drains.

Things You’ll Need

• A plunger
• Optional dish soap
• Rubber gloves
• Optional wire hanger
• Optional bucket
• Newspaper

Related wikiHows

• How to Turn Off the Water Supply to a Toilet
• How to Fix a Running Toilet
• How to Clean a Toilet With Coke
• How to Convert Any Toilet to a Low Flush Toilet

Sources and Citations

• VideoJug.com A video on unclogging a toilet. The original source of this article. Shared with permission.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Unclog a Toilet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Fix a Slow Toilet

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Slow flowing or flushing toilet? Here are some things to try if the weak flush is caused by an obstruction in the bowl’s rim where water is discharged. Toilets with this problem typically quickly accumulate unwanted deposits because the flush leaves portions of the bowl unwashed. The procedures discussed will not fix the toilet if dumping a bucket of water in the bowl causes water to “back-up” instead of forcing a normal flush. The use of muriatic acid in such circumstances would be both ineffective and extremely dangerous.

Steps

1. Figure out where the problem is. Fill a bucket or plastic trash can with a gallon or two of water and pour it quickly into the bowl. If it flushes slowly, you probably have a clog and the procedures on this page will not solve your problem. Instead use a plunger, plumber’s snake, or closet augur to clear any obstructions. See the related article about unclogging a toilet. If however the toilet now flushes quickly, the problem is with water delivery. Read on:
2. For slow water delivery and/or if water does not evenly “wash” the bowl, the usual method is to use a toilet brush and a pumice stone to clean the bowl paying particular attention to the area up under the rim. There are small holes there that dispense water into the bowl and these plus the surrounding area must be cleaned of mineral deposits. If necessary, use a pick such as the bent end of a wire coat hanger to clear the holes. Try not to scratch the porcelain however as this encourages deposits to quickly form again. A small mirror will help you see what you are doing under the rim. Brush the bowl and rim again and check if the above approaches have worked. If they have, you’re done. Otherwise, read further:
3. If your toilet is extremely affected by mineral deposits and/or you’re hoping to skip the manual cleaning steps above there is perhaps another way using the magic of basic high-school chemistry. However, there are serious safety issues to consider before utilizing this approach and it should really only be considered as a last resort (instead of replacing the toilet) by experienced, dedicated do-it-yourselfers. Study the following steps, tips and warnings and decide if you are capable of safely using muriatic acid. Do not buy muriatic acid until you are ready to use it and read, understand, and be prepared to follow all the bottle’s directions and cautions before you even carry it to the checkout. This stuff is extremely strong! Keep it well away from children and pets. Muriatic acid is not an option if you are on a septic system as it would kill the bacteria that makes the system work so you must use only “septic safe” methods and cleaners.
4. Turn off the water to toilet and flush. Use a plunger and/or a sponge and remove the water left in bowl so that the acid will clean the bowl to the bottom (including the critical jet-hole).
5. Use a clear piece of poly-film (or a clear trash bag) and tape and cover the top portion of the bowl while retaining a view of the bowl’s internal rim. The tighter the seal the better. Just cover the bowl portion, do not include the seat.
6. Maximize ventilation by placing a running fan in the bathroom window to exhaust air. Also open all other windows in the home. If you have a bathroom exhaust fan, turn that on too.
7. Take off the tank cover and insert a plastic funnel into the overflow tube. See the “things you need” section about the correct size of the funnel. If there is a tube going to the overflow tube, carefully take it off first.
8. Wear gloves, mask & eye protection. You should also wear an apron and rubber boots to protect yourself. Also, you should have an equally protected assistant firmly hold the funnel in the overflow tube so it cannot fall out. Carefully pour acid through the funnel fast enough that it begins to flow out of the holes in the toilet bowl rim but not so fast that the funnel overflows or falls out as this would splash acid & be extremely dangerous. You will only need about 0.5 to 1 gallon of acid. After pouring, cover the overflow tube with the sandwich bag and rubber band, then leave the bathroom and close the door behind you. Lock the door if children are in the house and make absolutely certain they stay away.
9. After 1 hour, remove the sandwich bag and replace the fill tube to the overflow tube. (If you’ve chosen a weaker acid this needs to be prolonged to at least overnight.) Turn on the water and flush a few times. Extra flushes are advisable in older homes with iron waste pipes as prolonged contact with concentrated acid will damage them. Check the rim holes for proper operation. Repeat the procedure if necessary or if there is leftover muriatic acid because it is not safe to store this stuff around the house.

Tips

• Some toilets just flush slowly because of their construction but if your toilet flushes more slowly over time (without “backing-up”), it is likely due to mineral deposits in the holes under the rim. If clearing the holes does not work, you may want to look into replacing the entire toilet. In fact there are many arguments for replacing the toilet instead of using dangerous chemicals. Modern toilets have drastically reduced their water requirements and better ones have computer-tested designs that work almost as well if not better than the older ones that used many more gallons of water.*
• It is also possible that the jet hole is partially clogged with something that muriatic acid will not remove. The jet hole is the small hole near the bottom of the bowl. Its purpose is to establish the siphon that provides the suction to empty the bowl. In a complete flush, just as the bowl fully empties you hear a “glurp!” which is the sound of the siphon sucking an air bubble and breaking because there is no more water to suck out. The jet hole is below the water line and checking it is, shall we say, unaesthetic! But it’s very easy to do. First attack the bowl with a plunger to force out water to allow easier access to the jet hole. Now insert a finger into the jet hole and feel around for an obstruction. Use caution because there could be sharp edges. In my case, I found a rubber washer loosely sitting in there. Flushing the toilet would push the washer up against the jet hole partially blocking it. I used a pair of miniature long nose pliers to fish out the washer (which probably fell into the tank during previous repair). It was surprisingly easy and did much to solve my problem.
• Muriatic acid will attack hard-water deposits in your toilet bowl better than any other product sold to consumers. If you need a septic-safe acid or are uncomfortable using a powerful but dangerous acid, you can try one of the numerous lime, calcium, or hard-water deposit removers such as CLR or even white vinegar (acetic acid). These are far safer but much less effective on the stubborn, somewhat inaccessible deposits inside a toilet rim. These products will also need a longer “soak” period (perhaps overnight) and followup with the mechanical action of a pick such as a coat-hanger. Several cleaning cycles may be necessary. Although muriatic acid is very dangerous, it is actually one of the safest of the “strong” acids found in the chemistry lab hence its presence on retail store shelves.

Warnings

• Try the Muriatic acid treatment at your own risk! Muriatic acid is extremely strong and it should therefore be considered as a last resort prior to replacing the toilet by experienced, dedicated do-it-yourselfers. If you have any doubt about your ability to handle this strong acid, consider trying the other approaches and safer chemicals or replace the toilet!
• Muriatic acid could destroy the tank flapper, the tank to bowl rubber seal, and any metal parts on older toilets such as the overflow tube. If you don’t have the skills to replace these parts yourself, consider using one of the weaker acids or buy a new toilet.
• Do not attempt the Muriatic acid procedure unless the area can be well-ventilated. Maximize ventilation by placing a running fan in the bathroom window to exhaust air. Also open all other windows in the home.
• Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles for eye protection and an OSHA approved mask designed to prevent the inhalation of acid fumes. An apron and rubber boots should also be worn.
• Read all the precautions on the acid bottle and be sure everybody in the area becomes familiar with the procedures it describes for handling accidents. Be very careful when using acid. Keep children and pets away from the area.
• Never mix household chemicals as this could cause blindness by creating violent reactions that spray chemicals unexpectedly and uncontrollably, release large quantities of toxic if not lethal gasses, and release heat that could crack the toilet. If you have toilet-cleaning pellets in your toilet tank, use rubber gloves to remove them and place in a clean sealed plastic container, then flush to clear before using other chemicals. If you clean the toilet with toilet bowl chemicals, flush numerous times before adding any other chemical to the toilet. If you have used drain cleaners, flush them away numerous times and allow plenty of time before adding Muriatic acid or any other toilet chemicals.
• Do not use the Muriatic acid procedure on a toilet if it “backs-up” instead of emptying normally when flushed or tested with a bucket of water.
• Do not store left-over muriatic acid. Either repeat the procedure or slowly and carefully pour the leftover in the bowl and flush it thoroughly away. This stuff is so strong that it often eats through the plastic container if it is stored for a prolonged period and it is simply not safe to have it laying around.
• Never use muriatic acid to clean hard-water deposits on any other surface or in any other way unless you really understand what you are doing.
• Avoid getting debris in the tank. If it goes down the discharge pipe, there may be no getting it out of there.
• Muriatic acid cannot be recommended for septic systems as concentrated acid will kill the bacteria that makes the system work.
• Rinse the funnel well and do not reuse it for food.

Things You’ll Need

• Bucket
• Wire coat hanger
• Mirror
• Bowl brush
• Muriatic acid, 1 Gallon (Available at hardware stores, pool supplies, & Target/Walmart seasonally.)
• Tape
• Trash Bag
• Sandwich bag
• Funnel (This must be plastic, as large as possible, and should fit snugly into the toilet tank overflow tube.)
• Rubber gloves (2 sets)
• Safety goggles (2 sets) & two OSHA approved masks designed for acid fumes
• Aprons (2)
• Rubber boots (2 sets)
• Rubber band

Related wikiHows

• How to Repair a Toilet / Commode
• How to Unclog a Toilet
• How to Fix a Running Toilet
• How to Choose a Home Improvement Contractor

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Fix a Slow Toilet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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