Over time, toilets can start acting up, showing symptoms like a running bowl, flushing problems, a noisy seat, leaky bits, or, worst of all, a stubborn blockage.
Nobody wants to deal with a blocked toilet. However, maintaining a functional toilet is crucial for running a household smoothly. A clogged toilet can disrupt your day-to-day routine and create an unhygienic atmosphere at home.
Toilets must fully function to work effectively and carry waste to the sewer pipes and drainage system.
Only toilet paper, water, and human waste belong in the toilet bowl. Flushing anything else can lead to blockages. Here are some tell-tale signs of a clogged toilet drain:
- Water draining slowly or needing extra flushing
- Bowl filled to the brim or spilling over
- Mysterious gurgling sounds
- A strong, rotten egg smell wafting from the bowl
If you notice these signs, you may have an issue with your toilet drainage and pipes system. There are a few ways to unclog your toilet.
If the blockage isn’t too severe, a simple plunge might do the trick. If not, you can always rely on salt (Epsom or table salt), baking soda, or both to help you unclog your toilet.
What can you pour down a toilet to unclog it?
Because any liquid that is poured down your sink and drains eventually ends up in our oceans, it is always best to use natural ingredients that you can find in your home to produce a natural cleaning solution.
You probably already have what you need in your pantry! Ingredients like vinegar, salt, and baking soda work wonders for clogged drains. Salt doesn’t just help prevent clogs; it also deodorises and banishes unpleasant smells.
Using harsh chemicals or commercial toilet cleaners can harm the environment, so avoiding anything that can harm our most precious resource is best.
The benefit of using an all-natural solution is that you most likely have these ingredients in your home. There is no need to spend money searching for a drain cleaner, and you will save the environment and your wallet in the long run!
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How do you unclog a toilet with salt?
You can clear your blocked toilet without a plunger by grabbing these key ingredients and following this simple method.
- How much Epsom salt do you need for your mixture? Using your measuring cup, mix half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt into a container that’s easy to pour. (Optional: You can combine salt with tartar cream in the mixture)
- Pour the salt solution directly into your toilet bowl.
- Boil some water and reserve 6 cups.
- Pour hot water (6 cups) into the toilet bowl. (Don’t use boiling water on PVC pipes) Be careful not to burn yourself in the process. Stir the boiling water, baking soda, and salt mixture.
- Let the hot water and salt solution sit overnight or for at least eight hours. You can immediately notice the chemical reaction because water and magnesium sulphate produce a funny bubbling sound.
- Once you have let it sit, pour one cup of hot water down the drain and flush the toilet.
You can repeat these steps several times to ensure the clog has been moved. Another effective method for removing toilet clogs is using rock salt or dish soap to maintain clear drains and pipes for your clogged toilet.
Take a cup of rock salt and add 9 litres of hot water into a bucket. Dissolve the salt entirely and slowly pour it into the toilet. Let it work its magic overnight and flush in the morning.
The rock salt down your toilet drain will break down any material, such as grease and debris.
Will a toilet eventually unclog itself?
Depending on the severity of the blockage and the cause, you can DIY a clogged toilet or use a drain snake through the drain hole. But if your all-natural solutions or homemade drain cleaners do not work, it could be severe toilet clogs, or your drainage issue could be more complex. You could have a tree root growing into your pipeline, or your pipes could have collapsed or cracked. Call your trusted plumber if a more complex issue with drains or your toilet tank requires a professional inspection. This may need more than a plunger or salt and boiling water mixture. It would be best to have the expert advice of a professional drain cleaner—someone who knows the best solution to save your toilet bowl from a clog.
Plumbing problems can arise from various causes, and tackling toilet removal or replacement is no easy feat. It’s not for the faint-hearted. For any bathroom repairs or replacements, reach out to your local licensed plumber. Remember, you can always call on your trusted plumbing team for help with blockages, drain clogs, or overflowing sewers. At Fixed Today, we’ve got the gear to handle any blockage.