It's a messy job but somebody's
got to do it - unclogging a toilet may not be the prettiest
of projects, but everyone knows that it needs to be done
from time to time. Luckily, if you know how to properly
handle the situation, getting rid of clogs is not very
difficult.
 When a toilet becomes clogged, do not continue
flushing. Pushing the flusher more than once doesn't help
the clog and can lead to a flooding toilet. If you need to
remove excess water from the toilet bowl, bail it out until
it's only half full. Leaving too much water behind will make
unclogging the toilet a big mess if you plunge, but at the
same time, not enough water means the plunger won't be able
to seal tightly around the outlet. You should add water if
there's not enough in the toilet. In most cases a toilet
becomes clogged because the toilet trap is blocked. In the
case when a plunger or toilet auger has no effect, the
waste-vent stack could be blocked.
 Any old plunger can do the trick when it comes to
unclogging toilets, but for stronger suction a molded-cup
version works wonders. Plunge up and down strongly a dozen
times and then quickly remove the plunger. If you hear the
water move along making a "glug" sound, you have most likely
removed the clog. But before you flush again, pour more
water into the bowl, allowing it to empty more than once. If
several plunging attempts fail, auguring may be required.
 Any toilet clog can be resolved with a closet
augur. An augur is a tool with a long handle and a plastic
cover for protecting your toilet from scratching. To begin,
pull the spring to the top of the handle so that it only
sticks out a little at the end. Place the bit into the bowl
outlet and crank. As you do this, if you feel resistance
just pull away a little, jiggle the handle, and crank again.
A closet augur works well because it can grab blockages and
remove them from a toilet, but it can't deal with solid
objects such as toys. If you suspect something solid may be
blocking the toilet, remove the toilet to reach the
blockage.
Note: Chemical drain cleaners are not meant for
toilet clogs. They don't solve toilet blockage problems and
can make it more dangerous to plunge or augur through a
clog. |
