How To Unclog A Toilet: 4 Easy And Effective Methods (2024)

The Easiest Ways To Unclog A Toilet In An Emergency

Knowing how to unclog a toilet is a valuable life skill. I’m sure we’ve all been in a “situation” at some point in our lives that involved someone else’s bathroom, a clogged toilet, and the crushing weight of our own panic and humiliation. (In fact, the fact that is one of my most popular posts makes me even more certain it’s a common experience!)

While we can’t go back and change the past, nor erase our memory of the incident, what we can do is learn how to calmly and discreetly unclog a toilet and avoid such calamities in the future!

Related: This Simple Tip Prevents Clogged Drains, According To Plumbers

In this post, you’ll find 4 simple and straightforward ways to unclog a toilet. Learning multiple methods may seem like overkill, but personally, I’d much rather have a few different tricks up my sleeve and not need them than be utterly helpless in an unfamiliar setting!

So without any further ado, let’s talk toilets, shall we?

Check out this toilet unclogging hack in action in my video at the end of the post!

How To Unclog A Toilet: 4 Easy Methods

1. Unclog A Toilet Without A Plunger With The Hot Water “Plumber’s Trick”

I picked up this simple 3-step method to unclog a toilet without a plunger from a plumber who visited our house years ago. It’s ideal for emergencies, since it calls on supplies that are ubiquitous in most bathrooms.

What You Need:

• A bucket or empty trash can
• Soap (optional)

Step 1 – Stop The Water!

If the water is rising in the toilet, the absolute first thing you should do is remove the toilet tank lid and press the flapper down. The toilet flapper allows water to flow from the tank into the toilet bowl, and pressing it closed will immediately stop the water from rising, preventing a potential overflow.

You can also shut off the water supply to the toilet as an added safety measure. Look for a handle behind the toilet and close to the floor, and turn it clockwise to shut off the water.

Step 2 – Pour Hot Water Into The Toilet Bowl

The next step is to add some hot water to the toilet bowl, which will help dissolve the clog and make it easier to flush. This is the way to unclog a toilet fast — it usually only takes a couple of minutes to work!

Look for a bucket or wastebasket, empty it, and fill it with hot water from the tub or sink. Pour the water into the toilet bowl, wait a minute or two, then try either plunging the toilet or flushing the toilet again. (Turn the water back on if necessary, and keep your hand close to the flapper in case the attempt is unsuccessful!)

Step 3 – Squirt Some Dish Soap Into The Toilet Bowl

If the previous step didn’t completely take care of the problem, the next step is to try adding some soap. Dish soap, hand soap, or even shampoo can help get the clog moving through the pipes!

Just squirt a few tablespoons of soap or shampoo into the toilet bowl, wait a couple more minutes, then flush. The combination of the hot water and soap should be enough to unclog a toilet and get the water moving again!

2. DIY Clog-Busting Toilet “Bombs”

The second method I want to share isn’t quite as useful as the plumber’s trick for toilet clogs that may arise when you’re out and about. However, keeping a container of these fizzy toilet “bombs” in your own bathrooms can certainly make it easier for both you and your guests to unclog a toilet quickly and easily!

What You Need To Make Toilet Clog-Clearing “Bombs”:

• 2 cups baking soda
• 1/4 cup Epsom salt
• 1/2 cup dish soap
• Silicone mold
• Time to let them sit overnight

Directions:

Add the baking soda and Epsom salt to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the dish soap a little bit at a time, stirring after each addition, until the mixture feels like wet sand.

Divide the mixture evenly among the cavities of a silicone mold, pack them tightly, then set the mold aside to dry overnight. Once your toilet bombs are completely dry, remove them from the mold and store them in an airtight container.

How To Use Clog-Busting Toilet Bombs

To unclog a toilet, drop one of the bombs into the toilet bowl, pour in a quart or so of hot water, then let it sit for as long as possible (an hour is ideal). The ingredients and hot water will work together to break down the clog, and you should only need to flush to fix the clogged toilet!

3. Borax

What you need:

• Borax

For this method, you only need one thing: borax. While borax is commonly used as a laundry booster, it’s useful in a variety of other cleaning applications too, including helping to fix a clogged toilet!

To use it, start by shutting off the water supply to the toilet. Pour about 1/2 cup borax into the toilet bowl, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then follow with a bucket of hot water.

Try flushing again. If necessary, repeat by adding more borax and hot water to the toilet bowl

4. How To Unclog A Toilet With A Plunger

What You Need:

• A toilet plunger

For about 90 percent of clogged toilets, you only need one tool—a toilet plunger. Look for a toilet plunger with an extension coming off of the bell-shaped end, which will help create a seal between the plunger and the toilet drain at the bottom of the bowl that will make your plunging efforts more effective.

To use a toilet plunger to unclog a toilet, aim the flange extension into the toilet drain and push it in gently. (This first push will expel the air trapped inside the plunger, so you don’t want to push too hard and risk blasting a bunch of water out of the toilet bowl!)

Once you force out the air, continue plunging in and out about 15 to 20 times, making sure to maintain the seal. This will force water back and forth in the drain, effectively loosening most clogs. Stick with it, and your efforts will almost certainly pay off!

Bonus Tip: Don’t Pour Drano Down The Toilet

If you’re wondering if you can pour Drano down the toilet, the answer is a resounding NO! Unless a plumbing product is specifically meant to be used in toilets, don’t use them there — some create a lot of heat, which can crack porcelain toilets or soften PVC pipes. You could end up turning one relative minor problem into several serious ones, so you’re better off steering clear!

You’ll find more useful toilet and plumbing tips in these posts:

• This One Household Appliance Makes It Easy To Unclog A Drain
• How To Unclog A Sink Using Just 2 Natural Ingredients
• This One Simple Fix Will Keep Your Toilet Clean Longer

Do you have any tips or tricks for fixing a clogged toilet?