How To Fix A Clogged Toilet

The first thing any people are tempted to do when faced with a clogged toilet is to ram the toilet brush or some similar object into the bowl. In theory this makes sense you’re trying to break up the blockage in order for the water and waste to drain away.

However, you may simply be pushing the blockage tighter together; making it much harder to get rid of it or creating a problem for the future.

This is why it is essential to understand the correct way to fix a clogged toilet and why you should have the contact details for an emergency Sydney plumber handy; just in case.

Step 1 – Wait

The first sign you have a clogged toilet is usually when you pull the flush and the bowl fills up. In most cases the water will very slowly drain away.

The first thing you need to do is wait for the water to drain. While you’re waiting you can be getting cloths to clear up any water that has spilt out over the top of the bowl.

It will probably take approximately 10 minutes for the water to disappear.

Get Your Plunger

You need a toilet plunger not a sink one; they are shaped differently. The purpose of a plunger is to seal off the end of the pipe and then use the vacuum in the pipe to force the blockage to move.

You’ll need to cover the whole of the base of your toilet and then slowly push the plunger in and out; creating the vacuum that should move the blockage.

It is important to use slow even strokes; trying to do it fast is no more effective and likely to leave you with a much bigger mess to clear up.

You must retain the seal at all times when using the plunger.

Whatever you do don’t flush the toilet again until you are sure the blockage is sorted; you’re likely to have dirty water flowing across your bathroom floor.

Use A Snake

No you don’t need to find a real snake. The plumbers snake is a long thin tube that will move round the bends in your pipes and locates the blockage for you. The end of the tube looks like a corkscrew allowing it to move through most blockages.

This needs to be threaded until you feel the force of the blockage. Turning it clockwise will help it to slide through the blockage; either sending it down the drain or bringing it back to you.

The Last Resort

If neither of the above solutions has worked then you’ll need to disconnect the toilet and have a look in the pipes yourself.

This means unbolting the toilet from the floor and sliding it away from its pipe. You’ll need to wear gloves and be ready to deal with the overflow mess in your bathroom.

You can also insert much larger pipes directly into the waste pipe to ensure the problem is removed.