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How Do You Know If Your Toilet Is Clogged?

A clogged toilet can be a massive pain if not taken care of. But your life can be easier if you know when your toilet is blocked and how to unclog it immediately. Keep reading to see the dos and don’ts about unclogging a toilet!

Why does the toilet keep clogging?

There could be several reasons why your toilet keeps clogging, from things that you flush down the toilet to the pipes or the structure of the toilet itself. Usually, plumbing is where the issue lies. Look for the following signs if your toilet keeps clogging:

Clogged Toilet
  1. Your toilet model is old and not functioning to its fullest
  2. You flush things that you should not flush down the toilet
  3. There are things stuck in the toilet trap
  4. You use tissue paper excessively
  5. The sewer pipeline is clogged
  6. The vent is not functioning

How do you know if your toilet is clogged?

You can look for some signs in your toilet to know if it is clogged. You will notice that the toilet will not flush properly; the bowl will be full after flush. The water may rise instead of leveling up. Here are five sure signs of a blocked toilet that you can look for:

The water from the toilet takes a very long time to drain out

Your toilet is clogged if the water from the toilet bowl takes too long to drain after you flush. The water can take too long to drain, which means the level will stay the same for too long. Or it will drain out too much water from the bowl as the blocked drain creates a vacuum.

Your toilet bowl is either full or overflowing after flushing

If the water in your toilet bowl fills up to the brim instead of getting flushed out, your toilet is clogged. However, this is not a big concern as this only means that your toilet is clogged at the trap, and your drains may be functioning well.

There is a gurgling sound coming out of your toilet

If random gurgling sounds are coming from the different pipes in your house, you know your toilet is clogged. The clogged toilet will let gases escape from the vents and seals within your plumbing, causing these sounds.

Also Read: Air Bubbles in Toilet: What Are the Causes and How to Fix It?

Your toilet smells really bad

A sure-shot way of knowing that your toilet is clogged is if a foul smell comes out of it. This is because the blocked pipes do not let the waste drain out of the toilet properly, causing the odor to build up.

Your gully trap overflows

If you notice the gully trap overflowing outside your house, it indeed indicates that your toilet is clogged. The gully traps are an exit for your drains, so if the ones outside your home are blocked, it will lead the sewer to discharge waste into your house property.

Required tools to unclog a toilet

  1. Rubber gloves
  2. Toilet plunger
  3. Vinegar
  4. Baking soda
  5. Hot water
  6. Dish soap
  7. The snake
  8. Household bleach

How can I unclog my toilet?

Here are different ways by which you can unclog your toilet:

Using a plunger

Plunge the Toilet

A plunger is a basic household tool that everyone has. Make sure you have the right plumber to get the job done efficiently. A plunger with a flange is the best to clear out a clogged toilet. Take the plunger and set the bowl part inside the toilet bowl. You should wear your rubber gloves to do any of these steps. This will help your hands stay clean throughout the process. The first plunge is to get rid of any air inside the plunger. Once the air is out, and the seal is tight, you can plunge it down a couple of times before you pull it out to release the tight seal. The water should drain out after this. If it doesn’t, you can repeat this a couple of times.

Using vinegar and baking soda

If you don’t have a plunger or a plunger does not work, try using a home remedy. Vinegar and baking soda as a combination are excellent cleaning agents. You can add a cup of baking soda to your toilet bowl and let it sit for half an hour. Next, take two cups of vinegar and pour it down the toilet bowl. Let it sit for another few minutes before you flush it down the toilet. You’ll know the toilet is unclogged when it makes a gurgling sound before clearing everything in the drain.

Using hot water and dish soap

Take a gallon of hot water and some dish soap. Pour the hot water into the toilet bowl and let it sit. After around 10-15 minutes, the mixture should soften the clog. You can flush the toilet after that as you usually would. You can also replace the dish soap with shampoo if you don’t have it.

Using the Snake

The snake is for about $10 online. You can reuse this as many times as your toilet gets clogged. You are advised to use gloves for this as using the snake can get extremely messy. However, a snake is helpful, especially when the clog is deeper than the bowl. You need to push the “snakey” end of the tool deep into the toilet bowl and whirl it around a little bit until you feel the clog come out.

Household bleach

Bleach is the most readily available item in your house, and even if you do not own it, you can buy it from the market. This works just like baking soda and vinegar would. You can pour the hot water first and then the bleach. Then, wait for it to work its magic before you flush it all down the drain.

Call a plumber if nothing works

When nothing else works, contact a professional! For example, you can call a plumber and pay a reasonable amount to get it all fixed.  

How much does it cost to unclog a toilet?

The cost of unclogging a toilet ranges from $200 to $700 nationwide. Most individuals pay around $350 to clear the toilet drain and perform any necessary repairs with an electric auger or hydro jet. A basic drain snaking or professional treatment could cost as little as $150 at the low end of the price spectrum. On the high end, serious clogs left unattended result in sewer backup or pipes that need replacement can cost up to $1,000.

How do you increase flush pressure?

The two easy ways to increase the flush pressure of your toilet are to either make sure the valve is in the “on” position for the best pressure, or the water level in your toilet tank is at the perfect level.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Is it okay to leave a clogged toilet overnight?

To answer simply, no. It is not okay to leave a toilet clogged overnight if you can help it – this increases the chances of foul smell spreading through the house.

  1. How do you unclog a toilet fast when the bowl is full?

The plunger or the Snake is your best bet to unclog a toilet fast enough without a huge mess and when the bowl is full.

Wrapping Up

The article mentions a few helpful ways to understand when your toilet is clogged and how you can unclog your toilet, with or without professional help.