Toilet Won't Unclog? What to Try, and When to Call a Plumber

A toilet that won't clear is stressful, mostly because of the fear that the next flush will overflow. Here's how to keep it under control and what to try, in order.

First: stop it from overflowing

• Don't flush again to "test" it. Each flush adds a full tank of water to a bowl that can't drain.
• If the bowl is rising, lift the tank lid and push the flapper down to stop more water going in.
• Close the water valve behind the toilet (turn it clockwise) so the tank doesn't refill.
• Lay old towels around the base.

Use the right plunger, the right way

A flat cup plunger is for sinks and showers. For a toilet you want a flange plunger, the kind with a soft extra lip that fits into the drain hole.

1. Make sure there's enough water in the bowl to cover the rubber cup. Add some if needed.
2. Fit the flange into the opening and press down gently first to push the air out.
3. Then push and pull firmly, keeping the seal, 15 to 20 times.
4. Lift the plunger. If the water drains, pour in a bucket of water to check before you flush.

It can take a few rounds. Gentle, steady plunging works better than hard slamming, which can break the seal or splash.

Next: a toilet auger

If plunging doesn't work, the clog is probably stuck in the trapway, the curved channel inside the toilet. Kohler's troubleshooting guide for a bowl that won't drain says the same: clear the trapway with an auger.

Use a toilet (closet) auger, not a regular drain snake. It has a short cable and a rubber sleeve that keeps the metal from scratching the porcelain. Feed it in, crank it clockwise until it stops or catches, then pull it back slowly. Often it hooks the clog and pulls it out.

What not to do

• No chemical drain cleaner in a clogged toilet. These products are strong acids or alkalis. Poison Control warns they can burn skin and eyes, some heat up when they react, and splashback is most likely in a drain that's fully blocked. If plunging is still needed afterward, you're plunging a bowl full of chemical.
• No coat hangers. Bare wire scratches the bowl and rarely reaches the clog.
• Don't keep flushing to "push it through."

Signs the clog isn't in the toilet

• Other drains are slow too, or water comes up in the tub or shower when you flush.
• The toilet gurgles when another fixture drains.
• It clogs again and again with normal use. Kohler notes a restricted vent pipe can stop a toilet from flushing properly even when the trapway is clear.
• Something solid went down: a toy, a phone, a bottle cap. An auger can push it further, and the toilet usually has to come off the floor to get it out.

Those point to the main line, the vent, or an object, and they're jobs for a plumber.

Keep it from happening again

• Flush only toilet paper. "Flushable" wipes, paper towels and feminine products don't break down like toilet paper.
• If the flush has gotten weak over the years, mineral buildup under the rim can be part of it, and it's worth a look.

When to call

Call when the plunger and an auger don't clear it, when other drains are involved, when it keeps clogging, or when something went down that shouldn't have.

OX Plumbing clears toilet and drain clogs across the East Valley and answers 24/7. Our $99 service call covers the visit, the diagnosis and an upfront price. For a toilet that leaks rather than clogs, see toilet leaking at the base.

Sources

• Kohler: Toilet water not leaving bowl
• Poison Control (poison.org): What's in drain cleaner?