Clearing a Clogged Toilet

Step 1

You can usually clear a clog with a toilet plunger. Insert the plunger flange into the hole at the bottom of the bowl until it seals. Push and pull vigorously several times. Repeat the process as many times as needed.

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What If... The Clog is Severe?

Occasionally a clog is too stubborn to be cleared by a plunger or an auger. If you are unable to clear a clog, turn off the water, drain the tank, and remove the toilet. Turn the toilet upside down and chip away any caked-on debris. Then run an auger through it backward. Replace the toilet.

Step 2

For tenacious clogs, a pressure plunger exerts even greater force. Set it firmly in the hole and pump it until you feel the pressure build. You will feel a sudden loss of pressure once the clog clears.

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Water-Saving Toilets

Building codes require that new toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush; older toilets use from 3 to 5 gallons.

Many early 1.6-gallon models, made in the mid-1990s, do not flush well. If you have one of these models, consider replacing it with a newer one that flushes more completely.

Newer gravity-flush models increase pressure by maximizing water flow through more efficient hole designs.

Consider spending more for a pressure-assisted toilet, which uses pressurized air to make the water flow faster, if more flushing power is needed. This kind of toilet is noisy.

A pump-assisted toilet creates a lot of pressure with less noise, but it is expensive and has an electric pump that must be connected to a power source.

Step 3

Use a toilet auger if plunging doesn't clear the clog. Pull the auger's handle up, insert the auger, then crank while pushing down. The auger may push an obstruction through, or it may grab the obstruction so you can then pull it out.

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