How to Unclog a Toilet with Dish Soap or Detergent and Other Techniques?
If you have a clogged toilet, you can unclog it without the need to use a plunger. What you will need is a dishwashing detergent and a bucket of hot water and some rags to put around the toilet bowl just in case it overflows.
Toilets get blocked up for a number of different reasons. And there are a number of ways to unclog a toilet. For your everyday common blockage, the method that we will share is absolutely easy to do. But if have a more stubborn block, or a blockage that may be deeper inside the pipework, there might be need for a toilet auger or plunger, or the assistance of a plumbing professional.
For a simple toilet clog, don’t panic or don’t call the plumber just yet. Try this little trick first. This is the safest way to unclog a toilet. You need a regular dishwashing detergent and some hot water. The first thing to do when unblocking a toilet is putting down some towels on the bathroom floors, just in case it overflows. Because it could get a bit messy if it does overflow. The next step is to put the dishwashing detergent into the toilet bowl.
Give it a generous squirt inside the bowl. Then grab the bucket of hot water and slowly pour it into the bowl. What this does is help the detergent penetrate the clog, and helps the detergent to lubricate the pipes which will make the clog slippery. Be patient because this might take 20 minutes to take a full fit or to unclog a toilet.
After 20 minutes, you will see that the water level in the toilet has gone down a little bit. What you need to do now is to pour another bucket of water into the bowl, and hopefully, that will clear the block. If you do flush it, it might come up too high from the bowl’s rim and overflow over the edge. So get a bucket of water, and pour it into the bowl with some force. And that will hopefully clear the blockage. Give it a minute or two and see how it goes. And you will see the water go down to the regular level that it should be.
Another way to unclog a toilet is to use four buckets of hot water and some dish soap poured into the toilet. First, you need to pour a bucket of hot water into the clogged toilet bowl. Then put some dish soap into the toilet. Then put another bucket of hot water and some more dish soap. Repeat the process until you get to the fourth bucket of water. After a few minutes, you can try flushing the toilet water out by hitting the flusher. You will see that the water will go up and then eventually go down the toilet drain in a few seconds.
Unclog a Toilet Using Pro Techniques if the Water and Dish Soap Solution Does Not Work.
Once the toilet is clogged, stop the water so that it doesn’t overflow from the bowl. Remove the toilet tank lid, push the flapper all the way down into a closed position. The flapper is an important part of a toilet tank that holds the water in the tank. By pushing the handle, the flapper valve opens and flushes the water in the bowl. Shut off the water supply to the toilet, if you are unable to stop the bowl from overflowing.
Then, understand the reason of the clogging, and choose the best methods to unclog a toilet based on each cause. One of the usual causes of clogged toilets is and accumulation of human waste and toilet paper. It is best to make use of a toilet auger or plunger for these clogs. Objects such as toothbrushes, pens, and toys can be best unclogged by a toilet auger. The hook at the end of the auger can help retrieve these items.
Mobile phones and water bottles can be tremendously tough to retrieve. There may actually be a need to reach into the toilet, or remove the toilet and retrieve blockages from the discharge side. It is very important that if you don’t know the cause of the blockage, to never reach your hand into the toilet. It is strenuous to retrieve round objects from a toilet bowl.
Choosing the correct tool to unclog a toilet is only a part the job. A cup plunger used for sinks will give a low success rate. A flange plunger is better for toilet clogs. Because it can create a stronger seal. A toilet auger is also good because it can directly have contact with the clog. The downside is that it is the most expensive.
Depending on how high the water is in the bowl, you may have to remove some. This will prevent water splashing or spilling into the floor. Maintain the angle when placing the plunger into the bowl to fill it with water and expel the air. Create a strong seal by firmly positioning the plunger against the bottom toilet opening. Push down plunger and then lift it straight up. Do not let the plunger to lift away from the bottom opening. Some force should be put in the down and upstrokes. After multiple plunges the blockage should be dislodged, thus enabling you to unclog the toilet. Remember the four Ps. Place, purge, pump and pull.
Unclog a toilet with an auger requires you to retract the auger fully and carefully place it at the bottom of the toilet. Don’t allow the metal retrieval end to come in contact with the exposed porcelain as it will easily scratch it. Spin the handle clockwise while applying light pressure. The spiral retrieval hook is designed to grab on to objects in the clockwise direction. It may be required to spin the auger counter clockwise briefly to pass the toilet’s integral trap. Once the blockage is freed or grabbed on to, the auger can be reversed.
The next technique to unclog a toilet is to create a positive seal within it. It requires removing all the solids and liquid from the bowl. Using a wet bag, wrap a garbage bag tightly at the hose’s end. Try to create a strong seal against the bottom of the toilet and turn on the vacuum. With luck the round object will become dislodged.
Keep the toilet clog-free with any of these solutions.
If you need professional help on a unblocking a toilet or blocked drains, contact the blocked drain experts on 0412 738 874 or leave a message.
Helpful details for a Blocked Drain and Emergency Plumber situation:
Triple zero – 000
City of Melbourne – Floods and Storms
VicWater
Yarra Valley Water
Victoria State Emergency Service
