Unblock a toilet

Summary: Learn how to fix a blocked toilet, remove a blockage and unblock a blocked toilet ‘U’ bend.

Unblocking a blocked toilet

There are a few places that blockages can occur within the toilet system, though they usually occur in the toilet pan, by the ‘U’ bend.

  • To remove the blockage, remove as much of the water in the pan as possible and use a plunger or wire to shift the clogged dirt. You can hire or purchase pump action plungers that are much better at removing blockages.
  • Alternatively, for compact blockages you can use a toilet auger. Feed the wire into the pan and twist the handle when it meets the obstruction. The blockage can then be pulled out. Flush the toilet several times following this procedure.
  • For softer obstructions, chemical cleaners can be used to dissolve the waste that has collected in the piping that leads from the toilet pan. Be careful when using chemicals. Make sure you wear the correct protective clothing and that you wash away all residues once you have finished applying the chemical.
  • If the problem is not located in the pan, then check the closest drain chamber or interceptor chamber to the toilet and see what the situation is inside it. If the chamber is full of water, then there is a blocked pipe beyond the drain chamber. This will require drain rods or a professional to remove the blockage. See how to unblock a blocked drain.
  • If the drain chamber is empty, then the blockage is somewhere between the toilet pan and the drain you are looking in. To remove this blockage you may require a plumber or a professional drain cleaning company.

Prevent future blockages

  • Never use a toilet to dispose of waste other than human body waste and toilet paper.
  • Avoid flushing nappies, cotton buds, cotton wool and any other waste that could easily cause a blockage.

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