Why won’t my plunger work?
There are very few things in life more demoralizing than discovering you’ve blocked your toilet. While it may be inconvenient, it can also be rather unpleasant. The very last thing you want is to get up close and personal with your toilet. Ideally, a few spins of the plunger will be enough to get everything going again. However, there are situations when the plunger will not suffice. That’s why, in conjunction with using your plunger to clear those tough clogs, we’ve compiled a list of other options you may try.
- Hot water and soap
If the plunger approach doesn’t work, there are a few chemical options that won’t harm your pipes. To begin, we’ll need hot water and common dish soap. Make absolutely sure there isn’t a lot of liquid in the toilet bowl before using this approach. That implies you may have to physically drain some liquid from the bowl. Fill a saucepan with a couple liters of water and place it on the burner. You’ll need hot water — not yet boiling, but warm enough to make a cup of tea, for example. Pour some liquid dish soap into the toilet’s bowl while the water is starting to heat up. Pour the hot water into the bowl when it’s ready. Any accumulation in your pipelines should be broken loose by the force of the hot water mixed with the soap.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar
This approach is similar to the last one, except instead of using hot water and soap, you’ll use vinegar and baking soda to trigger a chemical process that will ideally loosen some of the material. A saucepan of boiling water, a cup of baking soda, and a cup of vinegar are required for this approach. Fill your toilet bowl with baking soda. Then, to avoid overflowing, add the vinegar a little at a time. The liquid should instantly begin to froth and bubble. Allow about twenty-five minutes for the baking soda and vinegar to perform their magic. The water level in the toilet should then start to go down. Finally, pour the hot water in.
- Use a Drain Snake
Using a drain snake to drive the blockage free can sometimes clear a persistent clog. Take advantage of your drain snake if you have one at home. Insert the snake as far as possible inside the pipe, moving it from side to side. It should be able to simply remove the impediment. If you decide to go this route, please be aware of the risk you are taking. Drain snakes can aggravate clogs if used incorrectly. You risk pushing the clog even tighter or, worse, causing damage to your pipes.
If these measures do not work, call a plumber. There’s no reason to be ashamed. Things like this happen. All of these have been seen by your plumber previously. They will pop in and get you fixed up in no time!
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