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Imagine: you’re out with your friends in the summer barbecue and the call of nature. You run to bathroom and get to work. But you have blocked toilet, and no piston is visible. Don’t panic. And don’t you dare leave that bathroom the way it is. It’s time to scan your surroundings for some easy household items that could help.
Here’s what you do. Grab some dish soap, hot water and a bucket – then let chemistry take it from there. Yes, the pistonless approach really is that easy. Here’s how to make it happen.
For more housekeeping tips, here’s how to slay mold in your washing machineand 12 easy ways to make your mattress last longer.
Everything you need to unclog the toilet is probably already in the bathroom
Most clogged toilets can be unclogged with soap, warm water and time.
Again, you’ll only need three supplies that can be found in almost any bathroom: soap, warm water, and a bowl to overflow the toilet bowl. Dish soap, hot bath water, and a 5-gallon bucket work best, but if secrecy is paramount and leaving the toilet will distract you, a few pumps of the hand soap dispenser and some hot water from the sink in a small plastic a wastebasket will do fine.
First, get the water in the sink or tub running hot—as hot as it can get. Don’t overdo it – no need to boil water. At these temperatures, you can crack porcelain or worse, injure yourself. Just let the tap water get as hot as possible and you’ll be within range.
While you wait for hot water, clear everything off the floor – scales, bath mats… pets. You’ll be very careful to avoid any spills, of course, but better safe than wet.
Pop this inexpensive little spray bottle in your pocket or purse to keep every toilet you use smelling fresh.
Details
Let the chemistry do the work, but be careful
Your goal is to make the liquid in the toilet bowl as hot and soapy as possible, as quickly as possible without letting it overflow. This is the step that requires the most finesse.
If you’ve already tried to flush the clog a second time and the toilet is overflowing, add the soap directly to the toilet and then flush with as much hot water as you can – if you can.
However, if you have enough space, go ahead and mix the soap and water first, then pour the soapy drink into the bowl as quickly as possible. In a perfect storm, the heat and soap will melt the clog while the force of the water will push it through. However, hopefully your reflexes are quick because you may have to stop pouring suddenly if the clog doesn’t clear immediately.
A note about the soap: You really can’t overdo the soap at this stage. You won’t be stirring the solution as much, so the bowl probably won’t erupt into a foam volcano if you overdo it. I’m not saying you should pour the whole bottle of soap in there, but I’m also not saying you shouldn’t. Do you catch my drift?
Dish soap works best, but as a last resort, hand soap will do a good job. Then you just need hot water and something to put it in the toilet with, like a small waste bin.
Whatever happens, don’t stir the toilet bowl
Whatever you do, you don’t need to stir it to get the hot, soapy water to mix with the cold, dirty water that was there first. Science will take care of that for you through a process called osmosis. If the clog doesn’t budge after a tsunami of soapy water, your next move is to simply be patient.
Most backup toilets aren’t 100% blocked, so there’s a good chance yours will drain slowly at first. Keep an eye on the water level and as it drops, keep adding more hot water to keep it full. If the clog isn’t too stubborn, the added pressure of a full toilet bowl plus the lubricating quality of the soap should help move the backup through fairly quickly.
Many bathroom trash cans are small enough to fit under the sink, but if yours isn’t, you can use the tub or shower faucet.
If all else fails, give it more time
The worst case scenario is that the plug is jammed too tightly in place and the above steps don’t push it down right away. If this happens, you don’t need to call a plumber or go to a hardware store just yet.
Try giving it some time to let the hot soapy water work on breaking up the clog. Walk away, close the bathroom door, and wait 30 to 60 minutes before checking on her again. When you do, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that your problem has disappeared into the gutter.
This could mean blowing your cover if you’ve been trying to unclog the toilet incognito. In that case, the best you can hope for is not to become the target of future pranks.
Good luck with that too.
For more cleaning hacks, see 14 of our favorite cleaning tools and how to quickly clean your kitchen in 15 minutes or less.
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