Clogged Toilet: Bucket, Plunger and Closet Auger Methods Compared

A clogged toilet can be tackled with three methods, one of which needs no tools: a bucket of water, a plunger and a closet auger. The demonstration starts with diagnosis, then moves through each method in order.

Diagnosing the problem

A toilet that doesn't flush well is caused either by an obstruction in the bowl or a problem with the parts inside the tank. To troubleshoot, take off the tank lid, put toilet paper in the bowl, flush and watch. The thing to look for is the flapper lifting all the way up and emptying the tank into the bowl. Water drains from the tank through holes under the rim and rushes through the bowl. Here the tank appeared to work, and the toilet paper did not go all the way down, so the problem was judged to be in the bowl.

Method 1: a bucket of water

Fill a bucket with two to two and a half gallons of water and pour it into the bowl all at once. This uses hydrostatic pressure, the force of water pushing down into the bowl. It works best when the water level in the bowl is low or medium. If the bowl is full or near overflowing, skip it and go to a plunger or a snake. In the demonstration the level was medium, which lowered the odds of success, and the next test with toilet paper still failed.

The water volume matters: the economical tank holds only 1.6 gallons, so the bucket delivers more than a normal flush, and it is not something to do every time.

Method 2: the plunger

The preferred plunger has a very narrow opening, so it can move a large volume of water in a focused, quick push. A plunger shaped like a cereal bowl on a stick is not recommended. The plunger should be filled with water from the bowl, because water won't compress but air will. Expel the air first, let it refill with water, and then push firmly a couple of times; this either pushes the obstruction down or brings it back into the bowl. Objects such as pens or glasses sometimes come back out.

After a few pushes the toilet gave a good flush and everything went down. Keep a plastic bag nearby to put the dirty plunger in so nothing drips in the house. A toilet paper test afterward flushed well.

Method 3: the closet auger

A closet auger, or toilet snake, resembles a normal plumbing snake but has a fixed handle and a protective boot so the porcelain isn't scratched. It is about six feet long. Hold the boot, with the corkscrew end inside, and slip it into the toilet, then push the snake through. About three feet of it went in. What came out on retracting was rust from the tool itself, and it too should go in a bag. A final flush with more toilet paper was called pretty successful.