Unclog a toilet
Most toilet clogs clear with the right plunger used the right way. Use a flange plunger, the kind with a soft extension that seals into the drain opening, not the flat cup type meant for sinks.
- Stop the overflow. If the bowl is close to the rim, close the shut-off valve behind the toilet, or lift the tank lid and hold the flapper down.
- Seal and plunge. Get the plunger fully underwater over the opening, push gently to let the air out, then plunge firmly in and out.
- Use an auger if it won’t budge. A toilet auger (closet auger) has a guard that protects the porcelain and reaches the trap inside the toilet.
Don’t pour chemical drain cleaners into a clogged toilet. If you plunge and it comes back, or other drains gurgle or back up too, the clog is further down the line, and that’s a plumber’s job. Related: Toilet won’t flush and Fix a running toilet.
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