How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger

No matter how hard you try, sometimes a toilet clog is unavoidable. Whatever the reason for a clog, you need to clear it. A plunger is the first thing that comes to mind for a fix. But what if that doesn’t work, or you don’t even own one to begin with?

Here are some of the best tips and advice that we can give you to try and unclog your toilet jam without a plunger. These are efficient, effective, and even a little bit creative!

Use Dish Soap and Hot Water

More often than not, a backed up toilet is because something is stuck and clogging the drain. When you don’t have a plunger on hand, don’t stick anything else down there that could make things worse. Instead, try a few things you have on hand, like dish soap and hot water.

Start by removing as much water from the bowl as you can, then dump a decent amount of soap down the toilet drain. The soap will help break down the residue and act as a lubricant to help push anything that’s stuck.

Next, let the soap sit for about 15-20 minutes and dump a pot of hot water down the bowl. This will flush out the bad stuff that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Remember to get hot water from the tap, and not the stove. Putting water that’s too hot into your toilet bowl could crack the porcelain.

Try Baking Soda and Vinegar

This method will work similar to the hot water and soap method, but with the bonus of bubbles that will help clear the excess mess. Water temperature is still important in this step: make sure that the water you mix the soda and vinegar with is still hot.

Begin by using a bowl or pot to remove as much water from the toilet as possible. Then put about ¼ cup of baking soda down the toilet drain. Chase that with 2 cups of vinegar. Let the whole thing sit for 30 to 40 minutes and then flush with a pot of hot water.

Use a Brush if you Don’t Have a Plunger

Plungers are still one of the best avenues to success when trying to unclog your toilet, but some people just don’t have them. This means if you have already exhausted the soap, hot water, and vinegar strategies, you can try to use the toilet brush. Yes, the one you use to scrub the toilet.

When it comes time to try the toilet brush, don’t be afraid, just angle it down into the toilet drain. Then pump it the same way you would a plunger. Sometimes the force of the pressure can dislodge what is backing you up.

Prevention is Always the Best Fix

We’ve been into too many homes where people treat the toilet like a trash can. The best way to stop a backed up toilet is to prevent a clog from happening in the first place. Start by not putting paper towels, “flushable” wipes, menstrual products, and diapers down the toilet.