A blocked toilet is one of the most common and annoying household problems. It can be a little complicated to unblock a toilet, but with this blog post, you will learn all about it and be able to do so in no time.
This blog post focuses on different methods and solutions to various problems you might have with the toilet and how to unblock it when you are stuck. There are several reasons why a toilet might have become blocked, which can be:
1. Clogged pipes
This is the most common reason why a toilet might have got clogged and this is mostly due to the pipes that are located in your bathroom. This happens when not enough water flows through the pipes, which can lead to a blockage. It takes a little while before you can recognize the signs of this problem since there are no obvious leaks or smells.
2. Construction waste
You might have just finished building up a new bathroom or kitchen within your house, and there is construction waste in the toilet. There might be bits of mud, water or concrete that may have blocked your toilet, and this is mostly due to the construction site being too close to where you live.
3. Bad design
There can be a bad design when it comes to how your pipe connects together, and this can cause them to become clogged. This is not a problem that you can fix easily and should be left to the professionals to do the job instead.
4. Toilet paper
You might find that there is a blockage in the toilet, this is mostly caused by the toilet paper that may have been left behind after you have used the bathroom. The best way to avoid this problem would be to flush the toilet as soon as you have finished with it and not leave any more in the bowl.
5. Overflowing toilet cistern
You might have a toilet cistern that has become overfilled, mostly caused by not having any water in the bowl after you have used it.
What do you need to unblock the toilet
You need:
A plunger
A pair of rubber gloves
A bucket to catch the water
A hacksaw or a hacksaw blade
Adhesive tape (optional)
Before you start unblocking your toilet, you must ensure it is flushed. This can be achieved by pushing the handle forward and then back. If you can still push any blockage out of the toilet, then go ahead and try plunging at it with the plunger.
If you don’t have a plunger, you can use the following:
Hot water
Baking soda
Vinegar
A wire hanger
If you think your toilet is blocked with too much toilet paper, try flushing it through the pipes with a bucket of cold water. This large volume of water should flush the paper through the u-bend.
Method 1: Using a plunger
A plunger is the simplest method of unblocking the toilet. Every household should have a plunger lying around somewhere. The first step would be to plunge it. Keep plunging for about 10 minutes with moderately hard force on the plunger. If this doesn’t work, you might have to push something in from the U-bend and try to get it caught while making a flushing motion. If you can feel it moving up, use your hand under the water and pull it out.
Method 2: Using a wire hanger
This method is a little bit complicated. First, you must get the wire hanger and cut off one end. Carefully push this end into the U-bends of your toilet using the plunger handle for guidance. Once it is in, pull on the other side of the wire hanger and see if anything comes in. This method is quite successful, but it takes a little more time.
Method 3: Using baking soda and vinegar
You will need to mix the baking soda with vinegar and then pour it into the U-bend of your toilet. This will create a chemical reaction which bubbles up, thus bringing up whatever might be stuck there. It needs to be left there for a while before flushing it. Please note that you should always check after a while whether or not any blockage has been unblocked by this method. If it hasn’t, you should consider doing something else.
Method 4: Using a hacksaw and adhesive tape method
This method requires a hacksaw and adhesive tape. First, hack off the part of the U-bend sticking out of the wall. Then you need to push 6 to 8 inches of duct tape into the pipe with a thin wire (not a wire hanger). You then need to push in one end of the hacksaw blade into this hole and saw outwards until you have got all through. Now push it back out of the hole and pull it tight. You should then push a stick through the other end of the hacksaw blade and pull it tight until you have got it all through. Seeing what you do with this method might be easier if you use a mirror.
If none of the methods mentioned in this blog post works for you, then it is advised that you consult a professional who will charge a fee for their services. If you are locked out of your own toilet, the most effective and efficient method is to call up a plumbing company from your area and ask them to come over and open it. This should be done with caution because if the toilet has been left unflushed for too long, then it can cause serious damage to your private parts.
