Using too much toilet paper This is probably the most common reason toilets get clogged — and often the easiest to deal with. If we're honest, most of us are probably guilty of this one. If you're one of the many people who use a lot of toilet paper when you use the bathroom, here are a few tips!
If Your Toilet Keeps Clogging, Here's Why. The Short Answer Is: A toilet can repeatedly clog due to several reasons, including inadequate flushing power, an obstructed trap or drainpipe, or an accumulation of non-flushable materials like toilet paper, hygiene products, or foreign objects.
Unclogging the S-trap may be the answer to why your toilet clogs easily. Plunging should move most clogs along. Again, look for the flanged toilet plunger to increase the water pressure and dislodge any blockages. A toilet auger is also a valuable item to remove the clog.
The most common cause why a toilet flushes but the Poop Stays from my experience is the toilet is clogged. Grab the plunger and give it 10 plunges. Then try to flush again. Just keep repeating that cycle until it unclogs. Sometimes you have to be persistent.
Pour ½ a cup of dish soap into your toilet bowl, if possible add a gallon of hot (but not boiling) water as well to help activate the clog-busting ingredients in the dish soap. Wait 20 minutes and then try out a test flush. You might need to scoop some of the water out with a cup or bowl to accommodate the hot water.
Drano for toilets is a popular choice for many homeowners when dealing with stubborn clogs. This powerful product has been a trusted solution for many years, effectively breaking down and dislodging blockages that can cause significant inconvenience and potential damage in the bathroom.
Understanding Why Toilet Paper Can Cause Clogs
Excessive use: It's easy to go overboard and pull off a hefty chunk of paper, but using too much can cause a real sewer line bottleneck.
A wider trapway can allow for more efficient waste removal, reducing the likelihood of clogs. Look for toilets with larger trapways, preferably 2 inches or larger. Fully glazed trapway: A fully glazed trapway means that the trapway has a smooth, glazed surface.
Make your own drain cleaner by pouring one cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar into the toilet and adding a half gallon of hot water. Dish soap can also help loosen some obstructions. When using either method, allow the solution to sit overnight and then flush the toilet to see if the obstruction has cleared.
Replacing your older low-flow toilet is a sure fire way to eliminate constant clogs caused by lack of flushing pressure. However, if replacement is not an option, reduce the amount of toilet paper you use and materials flushed to help prevent toilet clogs.
Check your water levels
Low water levels in your tank are common causes of toilets filling up with water when flushed. They can also cause slow-draining toilets. You can manually top up your tank with water to help the flush. Then, check the flush tube for cracks and bends that lead to leaks.
Even if you do have an older toilet, a brick still isn't the best of ideas. The brick can break down over time, and particles can end up in your plumbing, causing clogs. Instead, fill a plastic water bottle with sand and put that in the toilet tank.
Dangers of Waiting Too Long
Beyond the risk of overflow and water damage, the clog could also cause toilet water to back up into other parts of your plumbing system, affecting sinks, showers, and even your home's main sewer line. This could lead to an unusable bathroom and potentially costly repairs.
You will know the clog is in the trap when water in the toilet bowl immediately rises upon flushing instead of creating that “vortex-like,” circular motion you're familiar with that carries contents out of the bowl.
An S-trap toilet has a trap that is shaped like an "S". This type of trap commonly used in plumbing systems. S-trap toilets have a straight pipe that connects the toilet bowl to the waste pipe, and the trap is formed by a bend in the pipe just below the toilet bowl.
The chemical reaction that occurs between vinegar and baking soda is a classic solution for unclogging drains. Pour a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl. Follow with two cups of vinegar. Wait for 20 minutes, then flush.
You need water, not air, pressure to loosen the clog. If your toilet lacks water, pour in enough water till the plunger is covered. Use a gentle plunge initially since a hard one will force air back around the seal, blowing water all over you and your bathroom floor.
Drano® Liquid Drain Cleaner, Drano® Dual-Force® Foamer Clog Remover, and Drano® Max Gel Clog Remover do not contain microorganisms. The trap configuration in toilets prevents these products from reaching areas where matter can accumulate and cause plumbing problems—so these products are ineffective in toilets.
Pouring dish soap down a toilet will unclog many obstructions. Pour 1/2- to 1-cup of dish soap directly in the toilet water and wait about 30 minutes before flushing. Follow the dish soap with a gallon of hot water if dish soap alone does not work.
1. Do nothing but wait, then flush. Toilets, like all plumbing drains, work by the force of gravity. A full bowl of water exerts its own pressure on the clog and, over time, often will clear the clog for you.
Toilets suffer from a lack of flushing power because your rim jets, waste pipe, or siphon jet could be clogged. The water levels in your tank or bowl could also be too low. If your toilet has a weak flush, you may need to adjust the system and clear the blockage to fix the water level.
Shut-off Valve Location. If your toilet is produced or manufactured in America, you can usually find your shut-off valve on the back left side of the toilet.