Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger

A clogged toilet should be handled immediately to reduce the risk of flooding. The task may seem daunting if you don't have a plunger on hand, but treating the clog with methods that are used for grease and food removal can often clear it quickly. To unclog a toilet without a plunger, you can try using liquid dish soap, hot water, bleach, or a wire clothes hanger.

Steps

Soap Clog Removal

  1. Squeeze several squirts of liquid dish washing soap into the toilet bowl. The soap can break up fat inside the clog, much the same way it dissolves grease in the kitchen sink.
    • If you cannot find dish washing soap, you can try shampoo or bits of bar soap. It will not be as effective as dish washing soap, but it may work.
  2. Pour 4 more cups (0.9l) of hot water into the toilet bowl to activate the soap.
  3. Wait 20 minutes.
  4. Turn the water valve on and flush the toilet. This method is best if the bowl is not too full to begin with, since the soap will be more effective.

Stop Flooding

  1. Remove the lid from the back of the toilet. Pull the float up, if it looks like the toilet is going to overflow. This will stop the flow and avoid a large mess.
  2. If you are unsure whether the toilet is going to overflow or not, but you know that the toilet is clogged, take off the lid and keep your hand near the float. If it starts to overflow, you can be ready to catch it.
  3. Turn off your water valve, to stop more water from entering the toilet. This valve is a metal oval near the back base of your toilet. Turn it to stop more water from filling the tank.

Water Clog Removal

  1. Run hot water from your bathtub or bathroom sink.
  2. Fill the bucket with 2 to 4 cups (0.5 to 0.9l) of hot water.
  3. Pour the hot water into the toilet. Wait 5 minutes. The water can loosen fat and break up the clog.
    • If you do not think that the toilet clog is very bad, you can try turning the water valve back on and flushing after this step. Keep your hand near the float, in case the clog remains and your toilet tries to overflow.

Bleach Clog Removal

  1. Pour 2 to 3 cups (0.5 to 0.7l) of household bleach into the toilet bowl.
    • Use this method in place of the dish soap method, if your toilet is very full or you fear a serious clog.
  2. Add 1 cup of powdered soap. This can be conventional dishwasher soap.
  3. Wait 10 minutes while the chemicals react.
  4. Turn on the water valve. Flush the toilet.

Hanger Clog Removal

  1. Cut a wire hanger with wire cutters. Straighten the wire hanger as much as possible.
    • If possible, use a plastic coated wire hanger, since wire can easily mar the porcelain toilet bowl.
  2. Put on rubber gloves.
  3. Stick the end of the straightened hanger into the bottom of the toilet bowl.
  4. Work at the clog by moving the hanger around to various places. This should break it up, so that it flushes more easily.
  5. Pull out the hanger. Turn on the water valve. Flush the toilet.



Things You'll Need

  • Hot water
  • Bucket
  • Dish soap
  • Bleach
  • Powdered soap
  • Plastic-coated wire hanger
  • Wire cutters
  • Rubber gloves

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Sources and Citations

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