Unclogging a toilet that will not clear

At a glance

First tool

Flange plunger

Next tool

Closet auger with a protected bend

When we pull the toilet

Solid objects, repeated clogs

Main line clue

Other drains gurgle or back up too

Why toilets clog

Too much paper at once, wipes labelled flushable that are not, cotton swabs, dental floss, and the occasional small toy. Low-flow toilets from the late 1990s also struggle, since early designs saved water without the bowl engineering to match.

• A clog that clears and returns in days is a sign of an obstruction stuck in the trap, or a partial blockage further down.

Using the auger properly

A closet auger has a rubber sleeve on the bend so it does not scratch the porcelain. We feed it into the trap, rotate through the obstruction and pull back whatever it hooks. Most clogs end here.

• If something hard like a toy or a toothbrush is wedged inside, the auger may push it further.
• Then we pull the toilet and remove it from below.

When it is not the toilet

If the basement floor drain bubbles or the tub water rises when you flush, the toilet is just the first fixture to complain about a blocked main. In that case we clear the main line from the cleanout.

• We also look at the wax seal any time a toilet is pulled and replace it before resetting.

Signs to watch for

• Water rises close to the rim on flushing
• Plunger clears it only briefly
• Tub gurgles when the toilet flushes
• Something was dropped in the bowl
• Several toilets slow at once

How the job runs

1. Protect the floor

   Towels and pads go down around the base.

2. Auger the trap

   A closet auger clears most clogs.

3. Pull if needed

   The toilet is removed for solid objects.

4. Check downstream

   We test other drains for main line trouble.