What Household Items Can Unclog a Toilet?

Everyone has clogged a toilet in the absence of a plunger. Fortunately, there are numerous potential solutions that do not require the use of a plunger. Here are a few easy ways to unclog a toilet that don’t make a big mess. And if you’re cunning enough, you might be able to break up the clog without anyone noticing! (We will keep your secret safe)

1. Cleaning the Clog with Baking Soda and Vinegar

You may be familiar with using baking soda to create a mass of foam for drain clogs, school science project volcanoes, and cleaning battery terminals, but did you know it can also be used to remove clogs from your toilet? Baking soda and vinegar are excellent cleaning agents, and when poured into a clogged toilet, they frequently break up the clog without requiring you to use a plunger (or rush out to buy one if you don’t already have one).

The best ratio/recipe for this concoction is as follows: Combine three cups of boiling water and two cups of vinegar in a mixing bowl. Pour one cup of baking soda into the clogged toilet, followed by the hot water/vinegar mixture. Allow the ingredients to do their work, and return in about 30 minutes. The clog has most likely dispersed, and a single flush will send it down the drain. As an added bonus, the foaming and natural cleaning action of the baking soda and vinegar will leave your toilet bowl much cleaner!

2. Degreasing a Toilet Clog with Dawn Dish Soap

There may be times when you don’t have vinegar or simply don’t have enough room in the bowl to experiment with the foaming action. In that case, you might want to try this clog-busting technique! Pour a half cup of Dawn Dish Detergent (or another brand) into the clogged toilet. To speed up the cleaning process, carefully pour boiling water into the bowl after the dish soap. In most cases, the boiling water and soap will dissolve the clog, allowing the toilet to flush it down the drain!

Bonus Information: It’s possible that you’ll be stuck in a toilet clog on a date. If this happens and you don’t have a plunger, you can try using any liquid hand soap or shampoo you have on hand, as well as hot water from the sink, to try to clear the clog. With luck, you’ll leave the room smelling like a bed of roses!

3. When it’s time to get a Drain Snake from Lowe’s or Home Depot

If you’ve exhausted all other options, you should consider purchasing or renting a drain snake. This can be tricky because snakes come in a variety of lengths and grades. Some may even damage your pipes if you use one designed for larger drains, so consult your drain unblocking mansfield “expert” at the hardware store and read descriptions before making a mistake and causing damage.

To use a snake, insert the flexible end into the drain and crank the snake handle to break up the clog. A word of caution, however: be cautious of how far you push the snake in.

When using a snake for the first time, many homeowners can actually compact the clog and make it worse. If you feel like you’re having to push the snake too hard to get it past the clog, back it out and try again. This is something you really need to get a feel for, and this is where professional experience comes into play.

4. Make an appointment with Mansfield Plumbing.

If you haven’t been able to clear the clog on your own, you may need to call a professional plumber. You don’t want to risk pipe damage when the cost of unclogging is so low compared to the cost of replacing damaged drain pipes.