Even with great plumbing, toilets can still get clogged. You should always have a plunger handy at home in case of emergency as it’s one of the most efficient and easiest ways to unclog a toilet. It can be intimidating trying to unclog a toilet with no plunger but luckily there are many different things you can try if you find yourself with no plunger and have a clogged toilet.
Unblock Drains Without a Plunger
1. Wait It Out
Sometimes just waiting can be all that’s needed provided you have a bit of patience (and another toilet). The water inside your toilet puts pressure on the clog in the drain as it attempts to flush out. With time, the pressure built up could move the clog on its own. You should be prepared to wait for as long as 24 hours for this to happen.
2. Drain Unblockers
Drain cleaning chemicals can work very well to unclog your toilet although we wouldn’t recommend them. The chemicals used to make the drain cleaner can cause chemical burns to your skin or even damage your plumbing due to their strength. We’d only ever recommend using drain cleaning chemicals if you have them on hand and are in a pinch. Alternatively, you could make your own at home using a 2:1 formula of bleach to powdered washing detergent.
3. Hot Water
For this method all you’ll need is hot water and a big bucket. The water should be hot but not at boiling point as boiling hot water could cause your toilet bowl to crack which could make things a lot worse. All you’ll need to do is fill the toilet with hot water using the bucket, the reason this works is because the heat along with the movement of the water can break up and remove the clog from your toilet.
4. Washing Up Liquid
If hot water isn’t cutting it, you can try using hot water with washing up liquid. Washing up liquid is made to break up grease, dirt and grime so there’s a good chance it could work to unclog your toilet. Put a cup or so of washing up liquid into the toilet bowl and add hot water on top and leave it sit for a while. Sometimes this can take up to 30 minutes to work, depending on the clog, shampoo could also be used in place of washing up liquid.
5. Baking Soda & Vinegar
Baking soda & vinegar makes a great mixture for unclogging and even cleaning toilets. This mixture makes a great cleaner for all types of surfaces. It can also help to eliminate a clog in a toilet. Firstly, pour a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl. Spread it around so that it covers as much of the bowl as possible and let it sink in. After spreading the baking soda around, add two cups of vinegar slowly in a circular motion so that it spreads evenly around the toilet. As the vinegar starts to mix with the baking soda, it’ll start to fizz which will then start breaking up the clog. Let this mixture sit for about an hour before you attempt to flush it. If the first try doesn’t work, use the same amounts again but leave it overnight.
6. A Wire Coat Hanger
If you have a spare wire coat hanger around the house, you can make a makeshift toilet snake. Unfold the hanger completely and straighten it out as much as possible. If the end of the coat hanger is rough, you can tie a rag around it to prevent scratching the toilet bowl/pipework. Put the coat hanger down the drain and poke the clog to loosen it. You might have to use a bit of force but make sure not to use too much as you could end up causing damage.
7. A Toilet Brush
If you don’t have any of the above, you could sacrifice your toilet brush (if it’s a cheap one). Force the brush into the back of the toilet bowl and move it back and forth quickly. Don’t use too much force as you could damage the toilet. You might want to get changed before you try this and make sure you wear some gloves and goggles too. Once your down, throw the brush out and invest in a new one.
The best is to Call Stillorgan Drain Cleaning who will clear blocked drains dublin within an hour.
086 107 2329