A clogged toilet does not necessarily mean you need to phone a plumber to unblock it. You maybe able to fix the toilet yourself by using a few of these simple hints, but if you cannot, then you should call a plumber (υδραυλικός Αθήνα).
First boil a kettle of water then pour it into the toilet bowl, allowing it to sit for a minute before flushing. This can often remove a simple blockage of toilet paper. Repeat this step two or three more times. You should see an improvement each time.
If the toilet is still blocked, time to try step two
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl then add 2/3 cup of vinegar, it will foam, flush toilet then follow with a kettle full of hot water, flushing once again. If this has not improved your toilet blockage it is time to try plunging the toilet.
Tie a plastic bag around the head of the mop creating a water tight
seal. Wear rubber gloves and grab the mop handle, pressing the head of the mop into the toilet bowl, pump the mop in an up and down motion, this creates a vacuum effect which should force any blockage out
of the toilet.
Remove the mop from the toilet and flush to see if the water flow has improved and the blockage has been removed. You may need to repeat plunging a few times to get the free flow of water.
Remove the plastic bag from the mop and discard, if possible wash the mop head in the washing machine for extra confidence that it is now hygienically clean. If these steps fail, it may well be time to consider calling for a handy man to clear the blockage.
How to remove a toilet blockage
- To clean a plugged toilet, first bail out enough water to prevent overflowing.
- Clear and remove any visible blockage by using a toilet plunger.
- Place the plunger over the large opening in the bottom of the bowl and pump about ten times.
- Remove the plunger. If water rushes out, it means that the blockage is cleared.
- If the plunger fails, try an auger.
- Twist the auger into the toilet; try to break through the blockage.
- A bent coat hanger can also do the trick (will remove some objects).
- Remember chemical cleaners at times are not that effective for toilet bowl blockage.
- Cleaners usually can’t reach the blockage, and they complicate the process further.
If your problem still persists, then call for professional help.
The above is an extract from the ebook Handywoman’s Home Repairs.
The author, Gloria Rae, is a woman and she writes this ebook for women. Listen to what else
she has to say about being a handywoman.
Women and home repair can mix!
In fact, if you take away the heavy or super-awkward movements, women can do a whole lot
of fixing.
You can have fun and save money, too.
It feels good and powerful to be able to do things for yourself.
I started learning how to fix things at a very young age. It seemed that, if I ever wanted anything
done when I wanted it done, I had to do it myself. You know how long you can wait, don’t you?
Years ago, I was pregnant. My kitchen sink was broken and my husband kept saying he was
going to fix it. So, I’d haul the dishes to the bathtub with a dishpan. My back ached as you well
can imagine. It was awkward and it made me angry.
But, I had been raised that women were to listen to their husbands.
Times have changed and so have I. After several months and me (with a new born daughter and
a three year old) doing dishes with the dishpan in the bathtub, my husband fixed the sink in
fifteen minutes.
It took him fifteen minutes to fix a sink that I could not use for five months! I was livid.
And so, my journey began. I not only learned the skills that I needed, but I made a small
business out of painting apartment buildings, created an income and became independent.
Toilet Clog Blockage Removal
Professional plumbers are here to meet your residential, municipal, and industrial toilet blockage needs. A plumber would typically use a toilet auger to remove stubborn materials from the drain, or to identify the existence of a foreign object.
Often small children and careless adults drop small objects/toys in the toilet, and then attempt to flush them down, causing them to lodge in the toilet drain.
Typically you can clear a clogged toilet with a good plunger. Don’t buy the cheap orange/red plungers without the flange for doing a toilet. You are better served getting one like shown in the picture below.
If you are unsuccessful in removing the clog with the plunger, you can either try a toilet auger, or removing the toilet, but we highly recommend calling a plumber.
Removing a toilet requires heavy lifting, and knowledge on how to reset the toilet once the blockage is removed. For you at home do-it-yourselfers, you may want to read the following recommendations and tips below.
Toilet Clog Blockage Removal
TIPs
1) CAUTION: Wear proper eye protection before working on any plumbing project! For a plunger to work effectively, there needs to be enough water in the bowl to completely cover the plumber’s bulb. DON’T flush the toilet to provide enough water, as this will typically make the toilet overflow. Instead, get the water from another source and pour just enough in the bowl to cover the cup. Excess water may have to be removed later if you’re unsuccessful in dislodging the clog.
2) Make sure the plunger is firmly seated in the bottom of the toilet, and that the bulb is covering the drain completely, otherwise you’re wasting effort. Using a plunger with a flange at the bottom (like the one in the above picture) is most effective type for removing toilet blockages, as it creates an optimal vacuum.
3) Stroke the plunger repeatedly 10 times up and down without removing it from the drain hole. The idea here is to create a vacuum where the plunger will actually pull the object back towards the toilet bowl, and then forward. The back and forth vacuum is what dislodges the clog.
4) Repeat process a couple of times. If the drain clears, the water in the bowl should run down. If you’re not sure if the drain is completely cleared, pour more water in the bowl by getting the water from another source before flushing the toilet.
5) If you are unsuccessful in removing the blockage, we recommend you call a professional handyman.
Read more in our Blog:
4 Ways To Unclog Your Bathtub Drain With Standing Drinking water
