I can't call a plumber but my toilet won't unclog. What can I do?
I’m in a rough spot. I have a seriously clogged toilet and I really don’t want my landlord to know. I can't afford a plumber either, so I’m sort of stuck here. I tried a plunger and it didn't work. What can I use to unclog the toilet? I’ve heard that baking soda and vinegar works but I’m worried about the pipes. I can’t afford a service call, let alone serious plumbing work if I make the problem worse. Does anyone have any solutions? I’m seriously freaking out.
Vinegar and baking soda shouldn’t harm the pipes, but that’s also probably not the best option here. Let’s start with the simplest solutions first. So, try filling a bucket of water and pouring it quickly into the bowl. If you’re lucky, the force from the water will push through whatever blockage you have. Wait until the water drains a little bit if that doesn’t work (or empty the water out with the bucket or a wet vac). Also, try plunging the toilet again and make sure you have a really good seal with the plunger on the bowl. If you don’t have a plunger, ask a friend or neighbor if you can borrow theirs. After plunging, I’d recommend trying the vinegar and baking soda thing. It’ll only work if your water is slowly draining though, so don’t bother if you’ve got zero drainage. Your next best bet is to snake the drain with a drain auger. If you don’t have one of those, again, ask a neighbor or friend to borrow theirs. Run the snake down the drain CAREFULLY until you feel resistance—then, keep going slowly until you break up the clog. Good luck!
Dish soap and hot water worked for me! Pour dish soap (or shampoo if you don't have dish soap) down the toilet and then pour hot water down the toilet. Let that sit for a few minutes (maybe 5-20) and see if that fixes your problem! Just be careful not to use water that's too hot, because that might crack your porcelain.
PSA: don't use Drano to try and unclog your toilet! I thought that I could pour it down my toilet because I could pour it down my sinks and stuff, but boy was I wrong. It damaged my toilet and didn't even unclog it.
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