Waking up to a clogged toilet is the last thing you’d want to experience. While a clogged toilet is normal, there are ways in which you can avoid it. It is also important to note that if your toilet gets clogged constantly, you should call a plumber and get your toilet and drainage checked. As a conscious homeowner, you should always maintain good toilet practices to avoid constant clogging of your toilet. Here are some good toilet habits that you should adopt:

• Only flush toilet paper and not other types of napkins.
• Clean your toilet bowl with bleach from time to time to clear out the flushing system.
• Do not use your toilet as a garbage bin by throwing large and insoluble waste in it.
• As part of your regular toilet cleaning, always plunge your toilet to clear the track.
• Do not pour hardening compounds like plaster, drywall, caulk, or wax down your toilet.

Even after maintaining good flush hygiene, your toilet may get clogged. Different households have different ways when it comes to unclogging a toilet. But if you are attempting a DIY at unclogging, here are the tried and true ways in which you can do so:

Use a Plunger

A plunger is a tool that every household should have. For minor toilet clogs, this is the best method. A plunger unclogs your toilet using a vacuum technique and it is the best for when the clog has happened because of a chunk of toilet paper or biowaste blocking the track.

How to Unclog Your Toilet with a Plunger

1. Pick the right plunger for the job. There are many types of plungers available in the market and they all have different shapes. Plumbers trust a flange plunger for unclogging toilets.
2. If you see any toilet paper or fabric floating, remove it before you start plunging. This may hinder the plunging.
3. You should also plug other drains in your washroom to ensure that the plunging is most effective.
4. Once the preparation is done. Cover the drain hole of the toilet bowl with the bell of the plunger. Place the plunger in a way that most of the water intent is covered by the plunger and a seal is made by gently pressing the plunger towards the drain hole.
5. Hold the plunger at a 60-degree angle instead of a 90-degree angle. This will help maintain the seal between the plunger lip and the drain hole. If you have an old plunger, you can enhance it by rubbing petroleum jelly on its edges.
6. Start with a gentle plunge by moving the plunger in an up and down motion. If you start plunging hard, the water may splatter out of the toilet bowl.
7. Give it at least 5-6 plunges or about 30 seconds. The toilet should unclog automatically. If it is still clogged, wait for 5-10 minutes and repeat the plunging for another 30 seconds.
8. Call the plumber if it is still clogged.

Use Soap and Hot Water

Many householding pour different concoctions down the toilet to help unclog it. However, it is important to choose the right ingredients. Ensure that no ingredient solidifies later otherwise it will clog your toilet further. Hot water and dish soap mix is the best way to unclog a toilet. It is important to note that you can’t use just any soap for this purpose. It has to be dish soap. This is because dish soap and hot water are a good combination when it comes to breaking down solid particles. You also need to make sure that the water is hot but not boiling. Boiling water may damage pipes and calcium-based elements of your toilet. It can also crack the toilet bowl.

How to Unclog Your Toilet with Soap and Hot Water

1. Prepare the solution: Put one gallon of hot water in a pan and heat it.
2. Once you see small bubbles in the water, put it off heat and add pour half a cup of dish soap.
3. Before pouring the mixture down the toilet, ensure that the water valve is turned off.
4. Now pour the mixture down the toilet and wait for 10-15 minutes. It takes time for this mixture to work. During this time, it will break the clogged material into smaller bits.
5. If your bathroom is seriously clogged, you can repeat this process after a 1 hour gap.
6. If your toilet remains clogged, call a plumber before trying anything else.

Use Baking Soda and Vinegar

Another concoction trusted by many households is baking soda and vinegar. This a more concentrated mix that is used for severe clogs. The natural chemical reaction helps unclog the toilet.You have to make sure that both the ingredients are poured one after the other and in equal proportions.

How to Unclog Your Toilet with Baking Soda and Vinegar

1. If your toilet is full to the brim, remove some water before you pour this mixture.
2. Pour 1 cup of baking soda and then 1 cup of vinegar into the toilet.
3. You will see the mixture bubbling up. This reaction will loosen up the clog.
4. Do not flush yet. Check if the water level went down considerably after using this mixture. If not, call the plumber.

Use a Drain Snake

Out of all the plumbing tools and mixes, a drain snake may look the least effective. But actually, it is quite effective. You can also make a drain snake using a coat hanger.

How to Unclog Your Toilet with a Drain Snake/ Coat hanger

• Place an empty bucket on the side of the toilet bowl.
• Locate the handle of the drain snake and aim the opposite end towards the drain hole.
• Rotate the handle clockwise to push the drain snake further down the drain hole. If it doesn’t go any further, you have reached the clog.
• Now rotate the handle anti-clockwise and you will see that the clog is coming back to the surface.
• Empty the hooked clog into the bucket and check if the water goes down automatically.
• If not, call a plumber to check the drain.

Every homeowner should know how to unclog a drain but it is also important to get your toilet checked by a professional plumber.