A clogged toilet is definitely of the top worst things to deal with in life. Is your toilet clogged but you don’t have a plunger? No problem! These genius hacks will help you unclog it in no time without a plunger.
1. The Hold-Flush Technique
We’ll start with the easiest of all our unclogging tips. Clogs can be caused by weak flushes. If you only turned the flush knob halfway, you may assume the waste is entirely gone when it disappears. However, there is a very high tendency of the large excreta getting lodged in the toilet trap, which is likely to cause clogging.
If you notice the water has risen a little higher than expected, turn the knob completely when you flush again. When pressure is applied, the flapper stays open; this means the full power of the water may be all you need to get things moving. If you have a dual-flush toilet, flush with the button that releases more water and hold it down.
2. Warm water
Use a bucket to pour 10-12 cups of hot water into the toilet – do not use boiling water, as it could possibly crack the toilet bowl. Let the hot water sit for a few minutes and then give it a flush. This nifty trick should help break up any blockage.
Note: Standing close to your toilet bowl with the bucket of water raised high, the higher, the better for this method. Flush with minimal speed. The minimal creates the pressure needed to displace the clogged mass. If you notice that the toilet is filling up instead, stop yourself midway and try other methods.
3. Using A Cloth Hanger
You probably think this technique is old-school, but it can be really useful for obstructions that are close to the toilet trap space. Get a wire hanger; cover the wire part with tape so you won’t damage the porcelain of the bowl. After this, push the hanger into the hole; shake it around for a minute, then flush.
4. Vinegar And Baking Soda
Let’s face it, dealing with a clogged toilet is somewhat messy, and you might want a more laid-back technique instead of coming in contact with the mess.
Well, pouring a mixture of two cups of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda into your clogged toilet bowl tends to dissolve your clog. It’s advisable to leave it in your toilet for 2-3 hours before you flush. You can use this mixture as a cleaning agent for your toilet bowl after the storm settles.
5. Using Dish Soap
If pouring hot water isn’t working to unclog a toilet, you can use some dish soap for the clogged toilet.
Pour about a quarter of the dish soap into the toilet bowl. Allow the dish soap to sit for about 15-20 minutes so that it gets time to move down from the bowl to the drain and near the clog.
Add two liters of warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
The dish soap will lubricate the drain clog and let the waste and paper pass smoothly. Flush the toilet once or twice to make sure that the toilet won’t clog again.
6. Household Bleach
The bleach method can be used to unclog a toilet without a plunger quickly and easily. Here are the steps needed to unclog your toilet with bleach:
Get 3 to 4 cups of bleach.
Pour the bleach into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes so that it reaches the drain and unclogs it effectively.
Turn on the water valve and flush the toilet twice to make sure that the drainpipe is lubricated.
7. Epsom salt
If time is of the essence, Epsom salts and bath bombs are your friends. They are not very easy to find but if they’re available in your house, you can give them a go. Place the Epsom salts or the bath bomb in the toilet bowl. Wait for it to react with the water in the bowl. Leave it for 10 minutes and check if it helped to unclog the toilet.
8. Toilet Brush
This might be the worst-case scenario if you are looking to unclog a toilet without a plunger but a toilet brush can help. It will be unpleasant to work with and will absolutely soil the brush but just angling the brush towards the drain, thrusting it towards the drain hole, and pumping it down and up will do the trick. Flush the toilet to see if it worked and repeat the process if it didn’t. Have some cleaning supplies on standby to clean up!
9. Using A Plastic Bottle
You may consider this technique too hands-on for your convenience; however, it may be your way out of a clogged toilet situation. First, turn off the flapper.
You would need to wear some gloves because you will get your hands dirty. Use a bowl to scoop the water out of your toilet bowl. Pour warm water into a bottle and cover it with your thumb.
Guide the bottle down your toilet bowl and remove your thumb and press the bottle. This forces the water out, and hopefully the clog, through the waste pipe.
10. Try using shampoo
A great trick for unclogging your toilet is using shampoo. Squirt a generous amount of shampoo into the toilet bowl, then pour in a bucket of very hot water (not boiling!) – let the shampoo and hot water sit for 10 minutes. If you notice the water level going down, repeat the process again until the toilet can be flushed. If the water isn’t going down, let the shampoo and hot water sit for another 10 minutes.
11. Plastic wrap
Running out of options and the water is continuing to rise? Try this clever trick from Tips & Crafts. Use plastic wrap to completely cover your toilet bowl – then give it a flush. As the plastic wrap starts to bubble up, firmly force the air down. The pressure of the air will force the clog through the pipe.
Next time you have that a clog just can’t be flushed – try these easy hacks to help prevent a big mess or bathroom flooding.