It happens to almost everybody at one point or another. You use your bathroom, flush the toilet, and watch in horror as the toilet bowl fills to the rim instead of going down. As it begins to overflow, you need to react fast. You either need to unclog the toilet or stop the water flowing in to mitigate the mess. Here are three tips to dealing with an overflowing toilet to avoid a big mess.
- Shut off the water. The water from the tank is already going into the toilet bowl by the time you realize you may have an overflow issue, but most toilets have a water shut-off valve. Turn off the water to avoid more water coming into the tank and bowl.
- Use your plunger. Most toilet clogs are in the curved pipes of the toilet. Too much toilet paper or other waste can make a clog. Your plunger can release most clogs and clear the pipes. When it clears, the water in the bowl will disappear and you can turn the water valve back on again to fill the tank and flush again to ensure your toilet is completely clear.
- Disinfect your bathroom. If you’re able to unclog your toilet, but you had an overflow, make sure to thoroughly clean your bathroom before letting kids or pets near the room. Use disinfectant to kill the bacteria and remove any health risk.
If using a plunger does not stop your overflowing toilet problem, you should call your local plumber. You may have a larger clog in your plumbing that needs professional removal with a snake or possible hydro-jetting.
Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(404) 973-2471
