Nothing elicits panic like the sight of water slowly creeping up the bowl of your toilet with nowhere else for it to go.

A blocked or slow toilet isn’t a terribly uncommon issue and most homeowners will deal with it at least once in their lives, but a blocked toilet is always a symptom of something else. Sometimes, it can be as simple as too much toilet paper or a child’s toy wedged in the trap, however, a blocked or slow draining toilet can also me a sign of a more serious issue.

Most common ways to unclog a blockage

There are a few common (and not so common) ways that you can unclog a minor clog. Use of a plunger, a toilet snake, or chemical compounds can usually clear small blockages, and there are even ways to unclog a toilet without a plunger by using a generous amount of dish soap and boiling water.

Cheap and effective, a plunger can be a real lifesaver to have around the house in a pinch. Using a plunger may seem self-explanatory, but there are many people who fail to use a plunger correctly and fail to remove a clog because of it. Plungers work based on suction and pressure, so you’ll need water in the basin to create a vacuum seal. Make sure there’s at least 3 to 4 inches of water in the toilet bowl before attempting to use a plunger. You can add a bit of water if need be, though in most toilet clog situations the issue will be more water, not less. To deal with this, remove some of the water from the full toilet bowl with a bucket so that you have enough water to create a seal without it splashing on you.

Plunge in a vertical motion so that the plunger is covering the drainage hole entirely and creating a good seal. Plunge up and down in a steady motion. You don’t need to be especially violent about this, since it’s all about maintaining the seal. After 20 seconds, lift the plunger. You may see some debris come up into the bowl. It’s important to remove this before it goes back down the drain and adds to the blockage.

Plunge again for another 20 seconds. It’s important to plunge twice to make sure the clog has been entirely removed.

How to use a toilet snake

A toilet drain snake is a long coil of wire with a corkscrew tip that you feed into the pipe until you encounter the offending clog. Once you find the clog, turn the snake clockwise to “screw” into the clog and break it up. If it’s a firmer clog (like a toy), the clog may wind itself around the snake and draw it back up.

A simple, cheap snake can do the trick for easy clogs, but when things more complicated you’ll want to call a professional. This is especially true if your toilets keep clogging, which is a sign of a larger problem. If you can’t break up a clog on your own or the plunger or snake encounters no blockages, you’ll want to call a plumber in Toronto to help diagnose the issue and correct the problem before it gets worse.

Pro tip

Think you may have a clog but don’t want to risk flushing the toilet and finding out? Take off the toilet tank lid and reach in until you find the flapper. Lift it manually and see if the water starts to drain or back up. This will prevent you from flooding your bathroom!