Clogged toilets happen to everyone. Whether it’s caused by you, your children or guests, it happens. It is one of the most common problems that emergency plumbers get called out for.

Now let’s be honest, there are certainly many times when using a simple toilet plunger can do the work to clear out a clogged toilet. But, then there are those times when no matter what you do – the clog simply won’t go down.

Those are the times you want to call a plumber. Here in Atlanta, Ga. we have taken care of hundreds if not thousands of clogged toilets. We can certainly help you with yours.

Now, before we get to some helpful tips for you – if you find yourself with a clogged toilet we recommend that you do the following to prevent any overflow from the toilet tank:

  • Remove the tank lid – reach in and close the flapper. That is the round, rubber trap door at the bottom of the tank.
  • Close the shut off valve to the water supply to the home.

The Top 4 Reasons To Call A Plumber For A Toilet Clog

  • If you find that your plunger won’t do the trick and you want to try your hand at using a drain snake or various mixtures – think twice. You could damage your toilet with either or both of these methods and then you’d have to spring for a new toilet!
  • Trying to fix a clog yourself could also lead to making the backup even worse. Believe me, you DO NOT want wastewater backing up into your bathroom, down your hallway and who knows where else?
  • The problem may be in your sewer line and if that is the case, it’s only a trained plumber that can do the job for you.
  • If the plunger works but the toilet keeps getting clogged time and time again – the problem is clearly not just in or near the toilet. A sewer camera inspection would be the best method to find out where the source of the problem is.

So now that you know WHEN to call a plumber for a clogged toilet – let’s go over some methods that you can use at home to unclog your own toilets.

The Best 4 Ways To Unclog Your Toilets Yourself

  • 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 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.

If you have any questions about your clogged toilet – call the experts at Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570.