Before trying to unclog the toilet with brute force, remove the cistern lid, lift up the throttle valve slightly to pour a cup or two of water into the cup, and see if the water comes out. If after doing “Pump” you have drawn a lot of water through the cup, but still cannot get a good suction, you can check the amount of water in the cup by lifting the toilet flush valve from inside the tank. Turn on the water supply, let the tank fill, then flush the toilet to see if the blockage is cleared.
If you think the blockage has been cleared, flush it, but be prepared to close the flush valve with your hand in case of a water leak. With enough force, the hot water will likely clear the clog, while a quick flush will clear the toilet.
If the toilet is already full of water and you don’t know how to flush the blockage, empty the toilet before using dish soap to remove and flush the blockage. When the water is ready and at least 30 minutes since you poured the dish soap down the toilet, slowly pour hot water down the toilet. Pour a large amount of liquid dish soap into the toilet, then pour in a pot of hot (but not boiling) water, and leave it in the toilet for about 10 minutes. Start by removing as much water as you can from the bowl, then flush the appropriate amount of soap down the toilet.
Take a bucket or bowl to gently remove excess water from the toilet so you can use the plunger without splashing water around. Use the plunger the same way you would normally use a plunger by placing it in the toilet and then pushing and pulling until the plunger pops out. If using a quality plunger, place the plunger into the toilet, making sure it completely covers the toilet siphon opening, and begin to slowly sink it.
The flanged plunger has an additional rubber lip at the bottom of the plunger bowl that fits into the toilet and drains the toilet. Believe it or not, there are many different types of plungers. While flat plungers are suitable for flat surfaces around shower drains or sinks, a flanged plunger is best for unclogging toilets. The toilet plunger will also detach the sink and tub drain if you simply fold the extension flange into the bowl.
Now insert the closed end of the string into the bowl, then push it down the toilet drain, twisting it to remove any blockages that are preventing water from draining freely down the drain. Turn on the water supply (handle) to fill the toilet. Bend over and reach for the toilet near the floor and turn off the water supply by turning the knob clockwise.
This extra pressure will allow your toilet to stay open and cause the contents of the toilet to slide off properly. Pour about half a cup of liquid dish soap, such as Blue Dawn, into the toilet bowl to coat the hooves and get them moving. Together, hot water and dish soap can dissolve the clog and remove stubborn debris. Like this method, a mixture of baking soda and vinegar can restore the functionality of your toilet.
Baking soda and vinegar are great cleaners, and if poured into a clogged toilet, they will often break through the blockage without having to pull out the plunger (or rush to buy one if you don’t already have one). Then pour a glass of baking soda into the clogged toilet, then pour three glasses of boiling water over it. You put a glass of baking soda in a bowl and add vinegar in small portions so that it does not overflow when the mixture begins to sizzle and boil.
You can do other kitchen chores while you wait for the white vinegar to sink deep into the toilet. Pour a cup of baking soda down the toilet, followed by two cups of vinegar (now don’t use your fancy apple cider vinegar here…plain old white vinegar will do, and it’s cheap!).
This means that if you’re out of soap, hot water, and vinegar, you can try using a toilet brush. You can also use an all-natural cleaner, including a vinegar and baking soda mixture, or even lemon juice, to remove hard water stains from your toilet. Homemade options like baking soda and vinegar or hot water dish soap will help dissolve any blockages, but you’ll want to avoid anything with toxic chemicals that can damage the toilet.
When the water is hot, not boiling (since water can potentially damage porcelain), carefully pour it down the toilet so it doesn’t splash all over the bathroom and land on you. Use hot water, but make sure it doesn’t boil, as boiling water can break a porcelain toilet bowl. While he sits and works on softening the hoof (give him a few minutes), heat a gallon of water (16 cups) on the stove. If you notice that your toilet is filling up quickly with water, stop using this method halfway through.