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YahooClogged toilets are a perennial problem in some households. A simple clog may take a few minutes with a plunger to clear it away, or it may take several tries using different methods before success is reached. The substance clogging the toilet affects the way that the clog is tackled. A solid substance, like a toy or a piece of jewelry, should be pulled out while less-solid organic materials can be dissolved or pushed through.
Try a toilet plunger as a first resort. The plunger will apply suction to the clog and pull it out of the area that is blocked. This can only work, however, if there is enough water above the clog. If there is little or no water in the bowl, pour about two gallons of water into the toilet. In some cases, this alone will move the clog through. If not, place the plunger over the hole, push down and then pull up quickly to pull out the clog. Repeat the action of the plunger if necessary.
Use an enzyme toilet cleaner if you don't need the clog cleared right away and you know that the clog is made up of organic material. If there's a toy clogging the toilet, that enzyme cleaner won't help. An enzyme cleaner will slowly eat away at the clog over several hours, clearing away the clog without harming the toilet or the plumbing.
Boil water and pour it through a clog if it is still not responding. This will work for organic materials that aren't responding to a plunger, and it's much faster than using an enzyme cleaner.
Get a toilet auger. This is like a small version of a plumber's toilet snake. It can reach about three feet deep into the plumbing and help you to either push the clog through or pull out the obstruction. A crank extends the auger through the plumbing and can be used to grab something solid so that it can be removed. This is far safer for the fixtures and plumbing than using a coat hanger.
