A blocked toilet can be unpleasant and inconvenient, especially when you’re expecting visitors. Whether it’s an unexpected overflow or a stubborn clog that just won’t budge, the situation can be quite stressful. In this article, we’ll walk you through a variety of practical and effective techniques explaining how to unblock a toilet without a plunger.
There are many different ways that you can attempt to fix the problem. From household items to clever tricks, you’ll learn how to tackle the blockage swiftly and efficiently. At TWC, we always recommend calling the experts, but you might be needing a quick fix to tide you over until you can get it looked at properly. Read on to discover these DIY solutions and get your toilet back in working order!
Key Takeaways
- Preparation Is Key: Safeguard against mess by removing excess water and turning off the supply before attempting any fixes.
- Hot Water & Dish Soap: A simple yet effective method that uses hot water and washing-up liquid to tackle minor clogs.
- Alternative Tools: Discover how everyday items like a toilet brush, a plastic bottle, or even cling film can serve as makeshift unblockers.
- Baking Soda & Vinegar: Learn how this classic combination can help dislodge mild blockages with a fizzing reaction.
- Emergency Measures: For severe blockages, understand why certain methods, like using a wire hanger or drain rods, can be problematic and why a wet/dry vacuum could be your last resort.
Before You Begin
There are several preparations that you should make before attempting to unclog your toilet:
- Remove as much water as possible from the toilet bowl, to avoid flooding. You can do this by simply scooping out any excess water into a bucket — please avoid pouring it down the sink to avoid a second blockage!
- Turn off the water supply to your toilet by locating your shut-off valve and turning it clockwise until it is tight. This is normally located behind the toilet itself, where the pipe attaches to the wall.
- Ventilate the bathroom by opening windows and doors and turning on an extractor fan if one is available. This is particularly important if you are working with chemicals like drain unblocker.
- Have buckets and towels ready, just in case!
- Wear protective gear, including gloves and some eye protection if possible.
How To Unblock a Toilet Without a Plunger
Now you’ve got your preparation done, let’s start looking at how to unblock a toilet without a plunger. Here are our top methods you can try for yourself.
Method 1: Hot Water & Washing Up Liquid
Some people swear by using hot water and dish soap to unclog a toilet — you are unlikely to damage your toilet by trying this, but please be careful when handling boiling water, and beware of overflowing bubbles!
Items needed:
- Washing up liquid
- Water
- Kettle
Step by Step Guide
- Pour a generous amount of washing up liquid directly into the toilet bowl and leave it for 30 minutes.
- Fill the kettle with water, boil it, and return to the toilet.
- Pour a small amount of boiling water into the bowl — be careful not to overfill it.
- The washing up liquid may have lubricated the clog, and the hot water may help to dissolve it and flush it away.
Method 2: Toilet Brush
If you’re wondering How to Unblock a Toilet Without a Plunger, it’s obviously because you don’t own one. But, everyone owns a toilet brush. This method is an old classic for that exact reason. In a pinch, you can transform it into a makeshift plunger using common household items.
Items needed:
- Toilet brush
- Plastic bag
Step by Step Guide
- Tie a plastic bag over the end of your toilet brush.
- Plunge the toilet brush in and out of the toilet, just like a regular plunger.
- This is less effective than a regular plunger, so it may take longer to see results.
Method 3: Forced Flush
Forcing a toilet to flush has varying degrees of success, depending on the severity of the clog.
Items needed:
- Bucket
- Water
- Towels
Step by Step Guide
- Lay towels around the base of the toilet to minimise the impact of any overflow.
- Fill the bucket with water.
- Pour the water into the toilet bowl, beginning slowly before dumping the remainder of the bucket into the toilet.
- The force of the water may push the blockage through the pipes and flush the toilet.
Method 4: Baking Soda & Vinegar
This method is often recommended but is unlikely to resolve a real draincare emergency. The reaction between vinegar and baking soda creates a minor fizzing action that can help to dislodge mild clogs.
Items needed:
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Hot water
Step by Step Guide
- Pour approximately 150g of baking soda into the toilet bowl and top up the bowl with hot water until it is half full.
- Slowly pour the vinegar into the toilet bowl, being careful that the fizzing reaction will not overflow.
- Leave the reaction to work for 30 minutes.
- If the water level in the bowl has lowered after 30 minutes, attempt to flush the toilet.
Method 5: Drain Rod/Wire Hanger
This method makes every experienced drain professional wince — the drain rods available on the internet are typically easy to accidentally break apart and generally unfit for purpose, and a wire hanger can cause serious damage to your cistern. Read on to find out why we would never recommend this.
Items needed:
- Drain rods
- A wire coat hanger
Step by Step Guide
- Unravel the wire hanger / clip together cheap drain rods.
- Push the rod into the first few inches of pipework and attempt to dislodge the blockage.
This can go wrong in so many ways. You can damage your pipes, force the blockage further without actually clearing it, or even lose a portion of drain rod inside your toilet. Professional drain rods screw together to avoid this, and we promise that none of our state-of-the-art equipment can be found in a wardrobe!
It’s like if you’re wondering how to unblock a toilet without a plunger, you’re not going to have drain rods lying round. If you’re in this position, do yourself a favour. don’t try this one yourself. Call the expects to unclog your toilet.
Method 6: Wet/Dry Vacuum
A wet/dry vacuum cleaner can be expensive, but if you can get your hands on one, it can be used to potentially pull a blockage free.
Items needed:
- Wet/dry vacuum cleaner
- Towel
Step by Step Guide
- Drain the water from the toilet bowl using the vacuum and discard the water.
- Push the hose of the vacuum into the u-bend of the toilet.
- Use the towel to create a seal around the vacuum tube and turn on the vacuum. It may be able to pull out the blockage.
Method 7: Plastic Bottle
This method uses materials that most people will have laying around the house, making it cheap and accessible. Depending on the size of the bottle, it may be ineffective against severe clogs, but is unlikely to cause damage to your toilet.
Items needed:
- Empty plastic water bottle
- Scissors
Step by Step Guide
- If the toilet bowl is full, remove some of the water to avoid overflowing.
- Ensure that the cap of the bottle is on tightly.
- Cut the base off the bottle and insert this open end into the toilet.
- Squeeze the bottle rapidly — compressing it will force air flow down the toilet and may help to dislodge the blockage.
Method 8: Cling Film Clearance
This method works best for high-pressure toilet systems.
Items needed:
- Cling film
- An old towel
Step by Step Guide
- Dry the edge of the toilet bowl with an old towel.
- Place a layer of cling film over the toilet bowl and ensure that this is airtight.
- Add two more airtight layers of cling film.
- Flush the toilet.
- The cling film should bulge upwards due to the pressure caused by the flush.
- Gently push down on the bulging cling film, which will reverse the suction and hopefully clear the blockage
