Clearing the Way to Unclog Drains, Toilets

Toilets and drains can be a mess when they’re clogged.

If a sink, tub or toilet doesn’t drain properly, first try using a plunger. Place the plunger’s cup securely over the drain hole and vigorously pump the plunger handle up and down about a dozen times to force the trapped water through the system.

On a bathroom sink or tub, plug the overflow outlet with a wet cloth before using a plunger.

Smear a little petroleum jelly around the edge of the cup to create a better seal.

Toilets

With a clogged toilet, the blockage is most likely in the toilet itself. Usually an object gets stuck in the bend of the trap.

If you can see part of it, you can retrieve an item that your toddler dropped into the toilet, for example, without too much fuss. Slip your hand into a plastic bag, grasp the item and pull it out. Then turn the bag inside out. The item will be in the bag, and your hand will remain dry and clean.

If plunging fails, try using a water closet (toilet) auger.

The auger, available at hardware stores, has a flexible cable running through a shaft, with a spring-like tip. The end of the cable is inserted into the drain hole, and the handle is cranked until the tip bites into the clog. Crank the auger’s handle a bit more, then slowly pull out the clog or break it up by moving the handle back and forth.

Opening Drains

If a plunger doesn’t work, place a bucket under the P-trap, the looped part of the drain pipe below the sink. Put on rubber gloves.

If the trap has a drainage plug, open it with a pipe wrench and fish out debris. Or, loosen the slip nuts on the trap with a pipe wrench and remove it. (Wrap the wrench jaws in electrical tape to avoid scratching chrome fixtures.) Check the trap for obstructions by inserting a straightened hanger wire.

If the problem isn’t in the trap, insert a flexible wire-snake into the drain pipe in the wall at the point where the trap joins it and work the snake in as far as it will go. The snake is longer and more flexible than the closet auger.

When you feel the snake encounter the obstruction, crank its handle to force the tip into the clog. Cranking will either break down the clog or let you pull it out with the snake. Connect the P-trap and run water through the drain to be sure it’s open and that there’s no leak.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

You can use chemicals to open drains, but they usually have limited effect. Because they must be heavier than water to reach obstructions, they tend to settle in the bottom of the trap.

Drain-cleaning chemicals are extremely dangerous if ingested or splashed onto the eyes or skin. Read the directions carefully. Never use a plunger after pouring a chemical in a drain. Tell a plumber if you’ve put chemicals into a drain.