What To Do When a Toilet Clogs

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A clogged toilet can ruin your day or, more likely, your morning, weekend or evening since toilets seem to clog after hours, when you and your family are getting ready for work and school, or just when you are sitting down to relax and watch the game.  Calling a plumber is always your best bet, but sometimes a clogged toilet can be cleared easily and you can save yourself a little money along with the time and hassle of waiting for the plumber.

First, if you see the toilet start to back up, you need to turn off the water before the bowl overflows.  There should be a shutoff valve at the wall below the toilet tank.  If the water has already overflowed onto the floor, get it cleaned up with some old towels or paper towels before it finds its way under the toilet and other fixtures and soaks into the subflooring.

When attempting to clear a clogged toilet, remember that time is your friend.  Take your time and don’t be in a rush.  Trying to rush it usually just results in a bigger mess.  Sometimes just the weight of the water in the bowl will clear the clog after it has had a few minutes to soften up.  If you are not so lucky, your next step is to try using a plunger.

Place the rubber plunger in the bowl completely under the water so that the rubber part covers the hole completely.  Push firmly but gently to try to force water pressure down the pipe.  Go easy at first until you get the hang of it.  If the clog does not clear after a dozen good plunges, it’s probably time to call a plumber.

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