Plunging 101: How to Plunge Your Toilet Before It Overflows

07/19/23

When you flush a toilet, hear that distinctive gurgle, and see the bowl’s water fill up without draining, nothing feels quite so scary. Whether it’s your own toilet or someone else’s, this can be a gross and embarrassing situation.

Every toilet clogs once in a while, but if you know how to handle an overflowing toilet, you’re in a better position to fix it quickly – and without the mess.

Stop the Water Flow

The first step when the bowl is overflowing is to stop more water from going into it.

Most importantly, don’t flush it again! This is a completely natural reaction, but it’ll only add more water to the bowl and increase the chances of it flooding the bathroom. There’s likely a stubborn clog preventing the water from going down, so one more flush isn’t going to dislodge it.

The best thing to do is to close the flapper in the tank. You can access this contraption by lifting the lid of the tank and looking for a round rubber piece that’s attached to a metal chain or lever. This controls the release of the water from the tank to the bowl.

If you’re concerned that the toilet may not drain before you flush, open the tank in advance and prepare to stop the water flow, then try to flush.

Some toilets have a water shut-off valve to turn off the water supply to the toilet. If your toilet has one, it will be close to the space where the toilet meets the wall. Once you find it, turn it clockwise to shut off the water and give yourself time to plunge.

It’s Time to Plunge!

Once the water situation is handled, you can get to work to remove the clog that’s causing the backup.

If there’s a lot of water in the bowl, scoop some of it out with a bucket or bowl. If the water level is too high, it will completely overflow when you submerge the plunger. You only need to take out a little bit to make space.

Most homes have a standard plunger in the bathroom. This is okay in a pinch, but it’s not the best plunger to use for a toilet. Flange plungers have a special design to fit into the drain hole of your toilet, giving you a tight seal to create suction and loosen the clog.

You may want to warm up the plunger before you start. The rubber may become stiff when it’s cold, so running it under hot water can make it pliable and help you get a better seal.

It’s important to know how to use the plunger correctly. It seems like a no-brainer, but many people focus more on the downward push and you need a back and forth motion to loosen a clog.

Once you have a tight seal over the drain hole, use strong strokes up and down, rather than plunging furiously. You have to keep the seal tight the whole time to move the clog. In some cases, the clog may move and allow the water to flow down, and you can flush and be on your way.

If that doesn’t happen, you can test if the clog is loose by flushing the toilet again. Just make sure you’re prepared to stop the water flow. If it empties, great! If not, try plunging again to dislodge a stubborn clog. You may need to repeat the process a few times.

Try a Plumber’s Secret Weapon

Plumbers have a lot of know-how when it comes to unclogging toilets, including a few industry tricks like using hot water and dish detergent to loosen the clog. The hot water helps to break it up and the dish detergent helps it move through. Both are safe for your toilet.

If you have time, you can try a gentle solution of baking soda and vinegar to loosen the clog. Simply mix about a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar, then pour it into the toilet. The chemical reaction can loosen the clog, but you have to let the solution sit for about eight hours before you try again.

No matter what, don’t use a chemical drain solution to unclog the toilet. These solutions are not designed for toilets and can damage the porcelain.

Do You Need a Plumber?

A simple clog may be fine for a DIYer, but if there’s a foreign object in your toilet that’s clogging it, such as makeup cases, a child’s toy, or a lot of non-flushable materials, you can’t just flush it all down. In this case, it’s important to try to bring up the object and remove it, or call a plumber to snake the drain.

If your toilet clogs often, fixing one overflow isn’t enough. Contact us at HELP to schedule an appointment and see what’s causing your toilet clogs!

Posted in: Plumbing