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Unclogging Your Toilet
It's happened to all of us. You're rushing around in the morning, trying to get out the door, and you realise the toilet is clogged. Don't panic. If you can't get a plumber to come in quickly, there are a few things you can try yourself using everyday household items.
Baking soda is one of those items — and together with vinegar, it just might be the cure-all you need to unclog your toilet with no nasty messes or expenses. This article will walk you through the steps you need to unclog your toilet using baking soda. Let's get started.
Unclogging A Toilet With Baking Soda And Vinegar
To get started unclogging your toilet, you'll need to have the following:
- Baking soda
- Gloves
- White vinegar
- Hot water
- Plunger
Here is a step-by-step guide on unclogging your toilet using vinegar and baking soda.
Step One: Drain the toilet
Most of the time, a clogged toilet is always full because the water doesn't flow down the drainpipe when it's flushed. Toilet paper, wet wipes, sanitary products, or other things worsen this situation by being flushed down the toilet.
To get started, you need to drain out the water. You can use a small container and empty it into a bucket. Take as much water out of the toilet bowl as possible. Draining the bowl ensures that the baking soda and white vinegar work on the bowl instead of being diluted by the water.
Step Two: Add baking soda
With the water level in the bowl reduced, add one cup of baking soda into the bowl. You can start by pouring small amounts. The amount of baking soda used will depend on the clog.
Step Three: Add white vinegar
Add two cups of vinegar slowly into the toilet bowl. This reduces the rate of the reaction. Allow the reaction to take place. The required time will depend on the amount of baking soda and vinegar used and the clog's size.
Vinegar is a mild acid, while baking soda is alkaline. When the two mix, they cause a fizzing reaction, which results in the toilet being unclogged. If you pour vinegar into the toilet bowl too fast, it will cause the toilet to overflow.
Step Four: Pour hot water into the toilet bowl
While the fizzing reaction occurs, you should have tons of hot water boiling in a water heater. Once the fizzing reaction has ceased, pour the hot water into the toilet bowl.
While the baking soda and vinegar break down the blockage, the hot water melts it. It will soften the blockage also, allowing it to flow down the drainpipe easily.
Step Five: Flush the toilet
Wait for the hot water, baking soda, and vinegar to work. After some time, you'll notice the water level in the toilet bowl has reduced significantly.
The next step is to flush the toilet. Flushing provides the required pressure to push the clog down the drain. However, if the water level in the toilet bowl hasn't decreased, reduce it by emptying it into a bucket. It will help reduce the chances of overflowing and causing a bathroom mess.
After flushing, you should note how quickly and forcefully the water flows. The water will flow faster and more forcefully if you've successfully unclogged your toilet. However, if the water level in the bowl increased but didn't drain quickly, it's a sign that your toilet is still clogged.
Step Six: Repeat the process
You'll need more than just baking soda, white vinegar, and hot water for more stubborn clogs. To unclog stubborn clogs, you'll need to repeat the above process. However, you'll have to let the mixture sit overnight rather than a few minutes or hours.
After the fizzing reaction has stopped, use a bell-shaped plunger to clear the blockage before pouring hot water into the bowl. While plunging, ensure the water level in the bowl is below the halfway mark. This will stop air from getting into the plunger and make it hard to clear the blockage.
Alternative Ways To Unclog Your Toilet
Using dish soap or degreaser
What if you're unable to unclog your toilet with baking soda? What else can you readily use at home? Dish soap is a common household item that can save the situation. It is also ideal if you don't have baking soda and vinegar.
To unclog your toilet using dish soap:
- Pour a half cup of dish soap into the toilet and let it sit for a while.
- Carefully pour hot water down the toilet and wait for it to clear the blockage.
A combination of hot water and dish soap helps break up and dissolve whatever is clogging the toilet. However, be careful with the hot water as it may crack your toilet bowl.
Apply a little petroleum jelly on the plunger
A plunger can also unclog a toilet. A durable rubber plunger with a flange is the best. To unblock your toilet using a plunger:
- Apply a bit of petroleum jelly around the edges of the plunger.
- Press the plunger into the toilet until the seal is secure and ensure it's submerged. If it's not submerged, the plunges won't be sufficient. You can add hot water until it's submerged.
- Plunge until you break the blockage.
Use a drain snake
A drain snake, also known as a toilet auger, is a flexible cable with an adjustable cranking handle and an elongated spring-like head. It's 3-6ft long and can clear clogged toilets and drain pipes.
A drain snake hooks the toilet clog or breaks it into smaller pieces that can easily flow down the drain. Before using the drain snake, make sure your toilet is half full.
What Is The Cause Of Clogged Toilets?
If your toilet is frequently clogged, several reasons could be the source of the problem.
Installing inferior quality equipment
Inferior quality pipes are a significant cause of clogged toilets. You can avoid this by installing suitable pipes and equipment.
Hard water
When water flows into the toilet, the minerals, especially calcium, adhere to the jets. This could cause them to become blocked, resulting in less water flow and inefficient toilet flushing. If you have less pressure on your flush, your toilet is more likely to become blocked.
Using too much toilet paper
Toilet clogs can be because of excessive use of toilet paper. You can prevent toilet clogging by reducing your toilet paper usage.
Flushing unwanted items in toilets
Toilets are designed for human waste disposal only. Toilet traps are P or S-shaped that keep the stagnant water and prevent gases from leaking from the sewer room. Flushing other items such as hair, wipes, and non-flushable items lead to toilet clogging.
Children flushing foreign items
A toilet is a fun place for children to visit. They love water and can transport things such as toys into the toilet. If left alone, they can clog your toilet by flushing such items down the toilet. Hence, it's essential to monitor them.
Blocked plumbing vent
Roof vents are an essential component of the toilet's plumbing system. If the plumbing vent becomes blocked by dead animals, leaves, or any other matter, the flow of the drain decreases, and consequently, the toilet becomes blocked. You'll need blockage detection tools to know the location of the clog.
Plumbing Tips To Prevent Toilet Troubles
While you can quickly unclog your toilet using baking soda or any other alternative, you can save time and money by preventing your toilet from clogging.
- Use mild drain cleaners such as baking soda, vinegar, and mild soap to clean your toilet frequently.
- Only flush human waste and toilet paper.
- Train your children on how to use the toilet properly.
- Avoid harsh chemical cleaners as they can cause problems.
- Inspect the toilet frequently to ensure that it works properly and fix any leaks immediately.
Know When To Call A Professional Plumber
You will need to call a professional if you cannot unclog your toilet with baking soda or the other alternatives above. For instance, if your toilet has been clogged for days or weeks, you likely have a more severe problem that a plumber should address.
Some signs of problems with your toilet's plumbing system include gurgling noises from the drainpipe and a sudden drop in the toilet water level. All this shows a problem further down the sewer line, which might need drain cleaning or even toilet repair. Baking soda and white vinegar will not work for more complicated issues, so don't hesitate to call a professional plumber.
