Is it OK to put boiling water down a toilet? – The answer depends on the type of pipes that are connected to your toilet. If your pipes are PVC or some form of plastic then the answer is NO – it’s not safe to pour boiling water down the toilet. Reason being that if there is a clog in that drain pipe, the hot water will just stay in the pipe and it could cause some of the pipe seals to melt.

And truthfully, even if your pipes were made of galvanized steel – you would have to use gallons of boiling water to try to unclog whatever is in that drain pipe.

Does Hot Water Help To Unclog A Toilet?

Hot water (not boiling water) when combined with some detergent does sometimes help to unclog a toilet. This is a Life Hack that many homeowners use.

It’s not always successful since it depends on the severity of the clog and where along the drain pipe the clog sits – but it’s certainly worth a try.

Will A Toilet Eventually Unclog Itself?

Toilets use gravity to work. And gravity can be relentless.

So, if the clog in your toilet’s drain pipe is not too severe and if there’s enough water in the toilet bowl and if you give it enough time (overnight or longer) then perhaps the toilet might eventually unclog itself.

This strategy may work if you have another toilet in the home that you can use.

Here Are 4 Ways You Can Try To Unclog Your Toilet

  • Plunger. Keep a plunger in every bathroom. The best types of plungers are the ones with a flange (they honestly work the best). Some people use the plunger and the clog is released, some people flush the toilet and immediately (I mean immediately!) begin plunging and this removes the obstruction.
  • Baking Soda + Vinegar. If it happens that you do not have a plunger. Just drop one cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl. Wait a few minutes and then slowly pour two cups of vinegar into the toilet bowl. The combination will cause bubbles to erupt (hence the reason to pour “slowly”). Once you’ve finished pouring the vinegar, wait another few minutes and then flush. Hopefully this trick worked.
  • Toilet Auger. As we said earlier – be very careful when using a drain snake in your toilet. You could end up causing more damage. If you’re not sure of yourself using this tool or you think the clog may actually be too far down the drain pipe – give us a call.
  • Soapy Hot Water. Another little hack you can use if you don’t have a plunger is to pour hot water (not boiling water) in a toilet bowl that has liquid soap in it. You want to put about a teaspoon of either dish soap or shampoo into the toilet bowl and then heat the water on the stove (but do not let it get to boiling) – pour it carefully into the toilet bowl. Wait a few minutes and then flush.

Why Should You Not Use Drano In A Toilet?

Chemical drain cleaners like Drano or Liquid Plumbr tend to be harsh and abrasive on your drain pipes so if you do use a commercial product we suggest you look for a bio-enzyme drain cleaner or try one of the homemade recipes that we review in our article on Homemade Drain Cleaners That Work.

We go over some DIY cleaners that include a variety of combinations of baking soda, salt, vinegar, cream of tartar, detergent.


If you have any questions about your toilet or are having some problems with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.