You should always have a plunger in the house. If you fail to heed this advice, though, and experience a clogged toilet, don’t despair! There are a few ways to unclog a toilet without a plunger.
First of all, never try to repeatedly flush the toilet since that will just flood your bathroom if you have a true clog. If the water in the toilet is still running and threatens to overflow, turn off the water using the valves behind the toilet. Wait until the water goes down a little, since some of these tips require you to ad liquid to the bowl, then pick one of the following suggestions to try first. Repeat as necessary.
Please note: if the water doesn’t go down in the bowl by itself, you may have to remove it manually. We know it’s gross, but it has to be done.
Here are eight different plumbing methods on how to unclog a full toilet without a plunger:
1. Dish Soap or Shampoo
First, squirt a good amount of shampoo or liquid dish soap, about a quarter cup, into the clogged toilet. Next, add around four litres (a gallon) of very hot tap water to the toilet bowl.
Wait a few minutes and watch to see if the soap and hot water breaks up the toilet paper and other clog debris, and help it to go down the drain. You can turn on the water and see if flushing helps. If not, repeat steps one and two.
Note: do not add hot water if the level in the toilet is too high. Also, do not ever add boiling water to your toilet as this could crack it due to the temperature change.
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Dump one cup of baking soda into the bowl of your toilet; try to spread it evenly so it covers all of the surfaces in the toilet. Wait until it sinks to the bottom.
Add two cups of vinegar to the toilet, slowly pouring it into the bowl. Move the jug in a circular pattern so it distributes the vinegar in an even manner. You’ll see the chemical reaction soon after the vinegar touches the baking soda.
Let the mixture sit for up to an hour before you try to flush. If it doesn’t work, add the same amount of baking soda and vinegar again and let it sit overnight.
3. Hot Water
Sometimes, the simplest methods work the best. With this option, find a bucket and fill it with the hottest tap water you can find. Next, dump it into the toilet slowly. Make sure you don’t overfill it!
Wait a while and see if the hot water helps break up the clog so you can flush it down.
4. Epsom Salts
This is one option you might try if you’re at someone else’s house and don’t want to ask for a bucket, dish soap, or a wire hanger. Look in the cabinets for some epsom salts or bath salts. If you drop in some epsom salts or a bath bomb, the fizz from the reaction may break up the clog. Just make sure to offer to your friend to replace whatever it is you used to do the job.
5. Bleach and Powdered Dish Detergent
If you don’t mind using chemicals, then you may want to try the bleach and powdered dish detergent option. Pour a couple of cups of bleach into the bowl, and one cup of powdered dish detergent. Wait up to half an hour to see what the chemicals have achieved, then try to flush.
Note: only use this method if you haven’t tried other chemicals in the bowl. You don’t want to have a nasty chemical reaction on your hands!
6. Toilet Brush
Hold the toilet brush the same way you would a toilet plunger, and go to town. Push the bristles into the drain hole of the toilet, pump it up and down a few times, and step back. Sure, it’s gross, but would you rather have a clogged (or overflowing) toilet or to have to buy a new toilet brush?
7. Wire Hanger
If you don’t have a toilet brush (ew!) or you just don’t want to use it, you can try to use a wire hanger from your closet. Unwind and straighten it out, then push it gently into the toilet drain hole. Use the wire to break apart the solids as much as you can, then try to flush. Repeat as necessary.
8. Cling Wrap
Use plastic wrap to totally cover your toilet bowl, then flush it. When the plastic starts to bulge upwards, give it a firm push down. That will force the clog through the pipe and out of your toilet.
What seemingly crazy ways have you tried to break up a clog in a toilet before without a plunger? What worked the best?
