One of the more mortifying moments of my life was being at a friend’s house, clogging the toilet, and not being able to find a plunger.
Which meant I had to go and inform my friend (and her spouse) that I needed their plunger.
And if I thought that couldn’t get any worse, well, then she said she didn’t have one.
First of all, who doesn’t own a toilet plunger? Second…what was I supposed to do now?
If only I would have known that there was not one, but several options!
#5. Dish Soap
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5tkerdgtZz/
Dump half a cup of your least favorite dish soap in and let it sit there for a few minutes. If it sinks down and coats the sides of the pipe and things can slip out easier, well done!
#4. Hot Water
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo from Pexels
A simple bucket of hot water could be enough to force the clogged mass through the pipe.
You could combine it with the dish soap method if you think you’ve got a big clump in there (but don’t boil the water; too hot and it could crack the porcelain).
#3. A Wire Hanger
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBJoCjJqG3/
Untwist a wire hanger from your closet and use it like you would a drain snake – twist and shove until you’ve pushed the mass through or broken it up enough to go down.
#2. Baking Soda and Vinegar
Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels
One cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar go into the bowl, then let it sit for 30 minutes.
You can try flushing it with that bucket of hot water for extra oomph.
#1. A Plastic Bottle
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AIs-pgTJP/
Remove as much water from your toilet bowl as possible, then fill up a plastic bottle with warm water. Grab a pair of rubber gloves (if you haven’t already), plug the top of the bottle with your thumb, and place it at the mouth of the pipe. Remove your thumb and squeeze, hopefully propelling the clogged mass through.
If you felt like the wire hanger method was a little too hands-on for your comfort, you might not be keen on the plastic bottle trick—but it could be your ticket to a clog-free toilet. First, take as much water out of your toilet bowl as possible, and fill up a plastic bottle with warm water. After donning a pair of rubber gloves (or large plastic bags, in a pinch), plug the top of the bottle with your thumb, and place the bottle and your thumb at the mouth of the pipe. Then, remove your thumb and squeeze the bottle to propel the water, and hopefully the clogged mass, through the pipe.
Well, there you have it – we actually made the wire hanger work just using our own feeble brains – imagine what we could have done with the internet!
Thanks to the web, at least you have options. Go forth and unclog – but also, maybe just keep a plunger in the house like an adult, hmm?
