No, this is not yet another one of those articles about how
to toilet train your kid. This is the nitty-gritty on what to do when your
toilet acts, well, let’s say, crappy.
Clogs aren’t just shoes:
It was a UFO – you know, an Unidentified Floating Object.
Now it is morphed into a different kind of UFO – an Unidentified Flushed Object.
And it has clogged up the toilet. Water, and unmentionable stuff, everywhere,
except where it’s supposed to go – down the toilet drain. What to do, what to
do?
After mopping up, the first thing to try is the suction cup
plunger. No home is complete without one. Push the plunger into the bottom of
the bowl and stand directly over the handle so that you can exert maximum force.
With hard, quick strokes work the plunger up and down. Do not lift the plunger
off the bottom of the bowl as you plunge. Give the thing about fifty good
shots. I like to call this plungy-jumping. Try flushing again. If it’s clean up
time again you’ll have to resort to more drastic measures.
Coming out with the closet:
Ok, so the plunger thing didn’t work. Now its time to try
what is called a closet auger. Not only is it good for unclogging closets, you
can use it for the toilet! No, it doesn’t really work on closets, but it does
on toilets. If you don’t have one you can rent them at some rental stores. If
you have lots of problems with your toilet, it might be worth buying your own. A
bent-out section of coat hanger, with a hook on the end, may do the same trick
if you can’t get your hands on a closet auger. Regardless, here’s what you do:
You’ll
need a large wastebasket that doesn’t leak, or a 5 gallon pail, a large plastic
garbage bag, something to bail the water out of the toilet with, a plunger and
a piece of string about two feet long. Of course, you also need the closet
auger.
Put
the bucket, or wastebasket, and your bailing can close to the bowl. Use the
garbage bag to cover your arm and tie it, with the string, just above your elbow.
Now, the phone will ring! If not you can be sure it will before you’re done
with this mess. Post a look-out, or turn the answering machine.
Bail
water and stuff from the bowl into the garbage can, or pail.
Push
the closet auger down through the bottom of the bowl and into the toilet trap.
Then, crank the auger until it catches the gunk that is causing the blockage.
When you have snagged something, pull it out. Do not try to force the clog down
into the pipe, pull it out.
Flush.
If the toilet still doesn’t seem to flow at the usual rate, use the plunger as
directed earlier. If it still doesn’t work right, repeat the closet auger
procedure.
Do
not pour chemical drain cleaner into the toilet bowl!