How To Unclog A Toilet

Maintaining a home means taking care of the little things as they happen. And occasionally that means unclogging the toilet.

When the toilet becomes clogged, there are two ways to clear it.

Unclog A Toilet Using A Plunger
There are two types of plungers: cup and flange plunger. The flange plunger, or ball plunger, is specially shaped to clear clogs in toilets. The flange’s special shape seals the hole at the bottom of the toilet bowl, and uses a vacuum and the force of the water to clear the clog.

Continue plunging until the clog is clear. For stubborn clogs, continue on and use a toilet auger.

Unclog A Toilet Using a Toilet Auger
For stubborn clogs, it may be time to bring in a closet auger, or toilet auger. A toilet auger is a special tool with a long handle, an offset hand crank, and an auger bit at the end to break through clogs, or retrieve an obstruction such as a rag or toy. The auger bit is connected to the crank handle, and gives you a total reach of about 3 feet.

• To use the toilet auger, place the curved end of the auger handle towards the drain within the toilet. Insert the guide tip into the drain.
• Crank the auger into the drain until it tightens. Then change directions and crank the other way until tight. Repeat until you feel the clog loosen and disappear. In some cases your obstruction may be an item accidentally flushed, such as a towel or toy. If the auger continues to hit against something, pull up and check.
• If the auger gets stuck, continue to crank back and forth to release. Be careful not to pull to hard, or you may crack or break the toilet porcelain.
• After the auger is free, use the plunger again to make sure the obstruction is clear. Flush only when you are sure the obstruction is clear.