Dealing with a clogged toilet is never a fun time, especially if a water spill came with it. It happens at one point or another, but not every clogged toilet requires a professional plumber to fix.
Here are some clogged toilet fix tips in St. Peters, MO for our local customers to try before they call for a plumber. If these work, that’s great, but if not, you might have a larger problem on your hands. If so, you know we’re here to help.
Start With a Plunger
It’s best to start with the old reliable tactic: plunging. There’s a trick to using it, in case you didn’t know. You have to create a good seal, which isn’t always as straightforward as you might think.
There are different toilet bowl shapes that can make it difficult to form a quality seal on the drain. Position the plunger over the drain, then push down in the direct center. If you feel it out, the weak points/gaps in the seal will become apparent.
Reposition the plunger to focus on those areas first and it’ll be much easier to create a good seal. Push down, pull up, and do your best to dislodge whatever’s clogging the drain.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Trick
One part vinegar, one part baking soda. This concoction helps break up clogs, though it won’t work on solid items such as a child’s toy or a toilet paper roller (you don’t want to send those all the way down the drain).
This should break up organic matter and toilet paper enough to send it down the drain. This mixture is also safe for drains, unlike chemicals that are designed to unclog drains.
Those drain-cleaning chemicals can actually damage your pipes and cause leaks and the risk is even higher if you have old pipes. Baking soda and vinegar is the best option to try here.
Snake the Toilet
If the plunger can’t do the trick, a snake will. It’s a flexible, wire-like tool that you push down into the toilet drain to clear the clog out. You want to be gentle until you find the clog, then a little harsher to unclog it. If it’s organic matter or toilet paper, it should travel through the pipes and unclog your toilet.
Toilet snakes aren’t something that everyone has lying around. If you need, you can rent one from a local department store, but for a one-time use like this, it can be expensive. That, and you don’t know if you cleared the clog properly or just pushed it down further.
If you’re not keen on using a toilet snake, you should hire professionals to handle this for you as soon as possible.
Flowing Again
If all is well and good, your toilet water should be flowing again and going straight down the drain with no blockage or issues. If not, the clog could be in the pipes and require a professional touch. That’s what you have us for.
Contact Performance Plumbing today to set up an appointment with a plumber to fix your toilet as soon as possible.