Blocking your toilet is a truly horrifying experience and many people reach for a plunger when this happens but they can sometimes make the blockage worse or be very ineffective.
We'll show you how to unblock a toilet without a plunger and cover everything from how to unblock a toilet full of poo, to what you need to do to unblock a slow draining toilet. So panic not, we have you covered.
This method is a good one to use if you can see the cause of the clog, for example excessive toilet paper or stools. Most people use a coat hanger for this but a small length of garden hose can be a great alternative and works in pretty much the same way.
1. Decide whether you will use a coat hanger or a piece of hosepipe. If you are using a coat hanger, make sure to choose a metal one, if you choose to use a hosepipe you must ensure that it is fairly rigid but with a degree of flexibility.
2. If you’re using a coat hanger, you will need to use wire cutters to cut the wire just slightly right of the hook. Once you have done this, bend the coat hanger to form a straight piece of wire.
3. You do not need to empty the water from the toilet bowl in this method. If you’re able to remove the clog, the water will empty by itself.
4. Put on some rubber gloves and be prepared to get dirty. This job isn’t for the faint hearted and may result in your arm being submerged in toilet water.
5. Use the piece of hosepipe or hanger as a lever to try to dislodge the clog. You may need to try this at many different angles and go from side to side and up and down. If the clog isn’t shifting from trying to lever it out, try to break down the cause of the clog with the hanger or hosepipe.
6. Do this for around 5-10 minutes before choosing a different method. Sometimes blocks can be very stubborn and require a lot of shifting around.
You will know if you have removed the clog as the toilet water will rapidly fall and flush away the matter that caused the blockage. After attempting this method, please be sure to wash your hands and arms thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap.
The Downsides of Using a Plunger
- Plungers can be unhygienic and can spread germs all across your bathroom (but then again, any method can if you're not careful).
- You can end up with dirty toilet water in your face or on your clothes. This is due to the splash that a plunger can create.
- Some toilets are not shaped the right way for a plunger to work on.
- It can clog the toilet even more by sucking the poo and tissues up the wrong way.
Below are a list of recommended methods that will teach you how to unclog a toilet without a plunger.
Please Note: The best method for emptying a toilet bowl is by using a jug and large bucket - you should wear rubber gloves and a mouth mask any time you come into contact with contaminated toilet water.
5 Tips For Preventing a Blocked Toilet
No one wants to deal with the disgusting task of unblocking a toilet full of poo, so the best course of action is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some handy tips about that.
- Break down larger stools with hot water before flushing, this will help the toilet flush smoothly.
- Avoid using excessive amounts of toilet paper, if you need to use more than usual then flush before adding more.
- Try flushing your toilet before wiping with toilet paper, this will give the toilet a better chance at breaking down the stool.
- Some toilets have different levels of flush, try pushing down the flush handle or button harder to administer a more powerful flush.
By now you should be well equipped with advice on how to unblock a toilet without a plunger. In most cases, you shouldn't need to call a plumber to help you unclog the toilet.
Our favourite tried and tested method is using the hot boiling water method. You may need to put some manuel labour in but it's literally all you need, and a bit of patience.
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