Most clogged toilets clear with a flange plunger. If that doesn't work, a plumber uses a closet auger, which reaches through the toilet's trap without scratching the porcelain. If the toilet clogs repeatedly or other drains back up too, the problem may be in the main line.
Call for Same Day Service (833) 763-0420Objects like toys, wipes and hygiene products often lodge in the toilet's built-in trap. A closet auger can usually retrieve or clear them. Sometimes the toilet has to be pulled to remove an object from below.
Recurring clogs with normal use can mean a partially blocked drain line, a problem with the vent, or an older low-flow toilet with weak flushing performance.
Signs of a Toilet Clog a Plunger Won't Fix
A plunger clears most toilet clogs. When it doesn't, or when the toilet clogs again within days, something is stuck in the trap or the problem is further down the drain.
- The water rises high or overflows when flushed
- Slow or weak flushing
- Frequent clogs
- Other drains gurgling when the toilet is flushed
How to Plunge a Toilet Properly
- Use a flange plunger, the kind with a rubber sleeve that fits into the drain opening.
- Make sure there's enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger cup.
- Seal the plunger over the opening and push down gently first to push out air.
- Pump firmly up and down 10 to 15 times, keeping the seal, then pull up sharply.
- If it doesn't clear after a few rounds, stop. Repeated flushing risks an overflow; a plumber's closet auger is the next step.
How a Plumber Clears a Clogged Toilet
The plumber uses a closet auger, designed to pass through the toilet's curved trap without scratching it. If an object is lodged, the toilet may need to come off the floor so it can be removed from below.
- Stop the water and prevent an overflow.
- Clear the trap with a closet auger.
- Pull the toilet if an object is stuck and remove it from below.
- Test several flushes and check other drains.
What Affects the Cost of Clearing a Toilet
Most toilet clogs are quick. The price rises if the toilet has to be pulled or the clog turns out to be in the drain line.
- Whether a closet auger clears it or the toilet has to be pulled.
- An object lodged in the trap.
- A clog further down the drain line rather than in the toilet.
When a Clogged Toilet Is an Emergency
- It's your only toilet.
- Flushing makes water rise in a tub or floor drain.
Clogs in Older Drain Lines
In cities like Detroit and Baltimore, where the median home was built in 1947, cast iron drain lines can corrode and roughen inside, catching paper and causing repeat toilet clogs. If a toilet clogs often with normal use, the problem may be the drain line, which a camera inspection can confirm.
Before the Plumber Arrives
- Close the valve behind the toilet.
- Don't flush again until it's cleared.
Clogged Toilet Repair is one part of toilet repair.
Other Toilet Repair Services
Clogged Toilet Questions
Why does my toilet clog so often?
Common causes are too much paper, wipes, a partially blocked drain line, a blocked vent, or an older toilet with a weak flush.
Is a clogged toilet an emergency?
It is if it's your only toilet, if it's overflowing, or if sewage is backing up elsewhere.