Clogged toilet
- What to do?

If the toilet is clogged, there is no need to panic. With this simple and effective tricks you can easily unclog your toilet yourself.

The most common causes of a clogged toilet

The most common cause of a clogged toilet is an accumulation of paper in the drain. This often happens when too much toilet paper is disposed of at once or when it is particularly thick paper, such as wet wipes.
Another common reason for a clogged toilet is clogging of the drain pipe itself. This often happens when food scraps or other objects (these include food scraps, hair, and hygiene items such as tampons or pads.) fall down the drain and block the pipe.
If your toilet is regularly clogged, it could be due to a problematic water drain. In this case, you should contact a plumber who can diagnose and fix the problem for you.

What to do when the toilet is clogged?

Plunger

The plunger is the solution for 90% of all clogged toilets. The application is very simple. When the toilet is clogged, place the plunger on the drain with the opening facing down and cover it completely. By forcefully pushing down and then pulling up, you create alternating negative and positive pressure. This way you get the source of the blockage moving and your toilet will be unclogged again.

Alternative to the plunger- the PET bottle

No plunger in the house? No problem. You can also use an empty, large PET bottle. 2 liter bottles made of a thin and flexible material are best. It is important that the bottle diameter is at least as large as the drain, so that sufficient pressure can build up. Here’s how it works: First of all, screw the lid tightly onto the bottle and cut off the bottom of the bottle. Then press the open end onto or into the drain hole and pump like a suction cup to loosen the blockage and unblock the drain.

Pipe cleaning spiral

The pipe cleaning spiral is the perfect solution when the suction cup did not help. It is long enough to reach into the pipe system and clear the blockages. The spirals are available in different sizes at hardware stores.

Although the pipe spiral is mainly used by professionals, the way it works is very simple! Carefully insert the pipe spiral into the drain and push it until you feel significant resistance. Gently turn the crank to unclog through the tip of the spiral. When the water flows out normally again, you can pull out the pipe spiral again.

Hot water

You can use hot water to loosen lighter blockages in the siphon. Boil several liters of water and then let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Pour it directly into the drain and after a short waiting time (about 10 minutes) the blockage should be loosened.

Baking powder and vinegar

If hot water doesn’t do the trick, you have a more powerful alternative with baking soda and vinegar.

Follow these simple steps to fix your clogged drain. To do this, first fill the drain with two packets of baking soda and top it up with a bottle of vinegar. Then add 2-3 liters of hot (not boiling) water and let it soak for several hours (preferably overnight).