How to Unclog that Darn Toilet

If you are like any typical human being, you've probably, at least once in your life, gone to flush the toilet and to your surprise, had to watch in fear as the water rose higher and higher and possibly overflowed onto the floor. Great! A nice flood in your bathroom and no idea how to unclog that toilet of yours! I know that there are a lot of people out there who have plunged a toilet before, but I also know that there are plenty of people who are clueless. I was one of them, and I believe knowing how to properly unclog a toilet is an essential skill to have, especially if you ever live alone! So do not fear this dreadful situation anymore because here are some simple steps you can take the next time horror strikes:

1. Grab hold of a flange-type or ball-type plunger.
- These both cooperate with the shape of the toilet and are designed to tightly seal the opening in the bottom of the bowl enough to create an efficient amount of pressure necessary to plunge.
- Avoid using the old cup style plunger if you can. This is the type that most people tend to use, but it will make the job much more difficult. This type of plunger is designed to create pressure against flat surfaces. Therefore, it does not exert the same amount of pressure to the hole of the toilet as the others.

2. Put some towels on the floor around the toilet to avoid any extra mess.

3. If the toilet is full, get rid of some water until it is half full. If the bowl is empty, add water until it is half full.
- You need enough water in the toilet to cover the plunger.

4. Insert the plunger into the toilet and place it over the drain opening so that it completely seals it off.

5. Get ready to use your muscle power and pull the plunger up and down with firm rapid short strokes for 15-20 seconds.
- Avoid big careless strokes up and down because you may damage your toilet and will probably not even remove the clog.

6. If all of the water drains from the bowl, add water and plunge again.

7. If the water level seems to be back to normal and draining properly, then try flushing the toilet.
- WARNING: When flushing the toilet, make sure the lid of the toilet tank is off so that if the water begins to overflow again, you can quickly raise the ball in the tank to stop the flow of the water.

8. If the toilet is still clogged, repeat the same process again one or two more times.
- DO NOT forget to make sure there is a sufficient amount of water covering the plunger.

IF THAT CLOG IS JUST TOO DARN STUBBORN:

1. Try a closet auger/toilet auger.
- This is a tool that breaks through or gets a hold of the obstruction, whether it's a rag, a toy, or just too much toilet paper.

2. Insert the guide tube of this tool into the drain.
- Make sure the curve is facing the direction of the drain.

3. Crank the auger in one direction until it is tight. Then crank it in the other direction. Continue to do this until the auger is as far into the drain as it can go.

4. Crank the auger again.

5. Gently pull the auger out once it feels like it has grabbed onto to something or has broken up the clog.
- If you have trouble getting the auger out, turn the crank back and forth while gently pulling up or gently push and pull the auger.
- Do not force the auger out or you will break the toilet.

6. Use the plunger one more time to make sure the clog has definitely been cleared.

7. Flush the toilet if the water level seems normal and the toilet is properly draining.
- WARNING: When flushing the toilet, make sure the lid of the toilet tank is off so that if the water begins to overflow again, you can quickly raise the ball in the tank to stop the flow of the water.

So the next time you flush the toilet and are faced with the dreaded clogged toilet catastrophe, just remember that you now have the knowledge to make you and your toilet happy again!

References:
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/homemaintenance/plumbing/toilet/unclog2.phpS
http://homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/sbs_toilet_clog_3.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_383_unclog-toilet.html