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.
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.
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.
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.