Clogged Toilet: When a Plunger Is Not Enough.

The little porcelain friend has done it again, it is clogged and the plunger is not working. There are a couple of things you can try before having to take the toilet completely off the floor for some bathroom/toilet surgery.

There are a few things to make sure of when trying to unclog your toilet. Make sure there is enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger when you are trying to use it. Also, grab a bucket as you might need to empty some water. You do not want to have too much water in the bowl as that will keep the plunger from working as good as it can. Make sure to put some old towels on the floor around the toilet because no matter how careful you will be, it is very likely to get water on the floor. Also, when doing all of this take the lid off the tank. This will ensure that even if the toilet does start to overflow you can lift the ball to keep water from flooding the bathroom floor.

Clogged toilets are no fun at all, but when a plunger is not enough it can really get frustrating. The next best trick to try is an auger. An auger is a snake like tool that will curve down into the toilet bowl to push free any stuck debris. The toilet has an "S" shaped curved as the water flows out of it. The toilet paper has to travel through a curve and it can sometimes very easily get clogged. Use the auger to go as far as possible into the toilet, then turn the auger handle until it gets tight. This will let you know that you have reached the blockage and once you have it tight, you can start pulling the auger back out. The blockage should pull back out and free or push down in the drain.

You can also try the dish soap and hot water method. Take a bucket of hot water, not boiling just hot, and mix with about 2 tablespoons of dish soap. Pour water into the the toilet about half way full and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. Sometimes the heat will help release the clog. After fifteen minutes if the water level has gone down some, put in more water and see if it will continue to go down.

If the plunger, auger, and dish soap do not work you are only left with a couple of options. Of course, you can call in a professional but this is something a doityourselfer can do and it will save you money. You will have to remove the toilet from the floor and go into the drain from the bottom. Make sure to turn the water line off and empty all water from the tank and bowl. Remove the little caps of the bottom of the bowl and screw off the bolts. Take the bowl off the floor and flip upside down. Try the auger from this end and that should work. Good luck with your porcelain friend!