Do toilet drains have traps? A toilet trap (second name trapway) is a curved tunnel inside the toilet base. Usually, your flush connects the drain pipe with the bottom of the flush bowl. Under such an emergency, the blockage source is typically the trap that causes a toilet backup.
But it would be best to examine for any source of blockage in the drainpipe. Carefully examining the sink or tub drains will help you identify whether the blockage is in the toilet trap or farther down the drain. If your bathroom sinks, tubs, and toilets are emptying smoothly into the main drain pipe, the fault or blockage is in the toilet trap.
A toilet plunger (don’t use old model cup-shaped plunger) can clear most toilet obstructions. If that doesn’t work, you could try a toilet auger, a plumbing drain snake made just for toilets.
How to Unclog a Toilet Trap: Project Details
Working Time: 15 to 30 mins
Total Time: 15 to 30 mins
Skill Level: Beginner or New worker
Expenses: Approximately 10 to 20 dollars
Many toiletries can clog your toilet trap, for example:
- Tissues
- Paper towels
- Baby wipes
- Toys
- Sanitary Pads
- Other hygiene items
Waste trap manufacturers never recommend you dump these things down the toilet trap. Even baby wipes labeled as disposable can also be a significant cause of clogging your toilet trap.
Though wet toilet paper decomposes when you flush, wholesale toilet trap dealers and manufacturers mentioned disposing of them separately at the packaging. Furthermore, as a parent of toddlers, you know kids’ obsession with the toilet. Under excitement, kids throw their toys in toilets stuck in traps that are difficult to flush off.
We recommend you not be afraid to touch toilet water and try to retrieve accidentally dropped items from your toilet trap or drain.
What You’ll Need to Unclog a Tub Drain Trap by Home Remedies?
- Toilet or flange plunger
- Toilet auger
- Water (if needed)
- Cleaning solutions
Unclog a Toilet Trap Steps by a Plunger
Did you observe any blockage in your toilet drain trap? Don’t hurry; there is no need to call the plumber. You can unclog a toilet plunger not working by yourself. Mainly, toilet paper roll leprechaun causes clogged traps, so the plunger works well for most paper-related blockages, even stubborn ones. If plunging doesn’t work, you should switch to a toilet auger as it is helpful for complex objects causing blockage.
Drain manufacturers and suppliers use a flange plunger (a toilet plunger) for optimal results. A toilet plunger’s bell-shaped cup with an extending flange fits into the bowl’s opening to unclog a toilet p trap. Also, it provides a tight seal to unclog a toilet drain pipe. Let’s start the process.
Observe Water Levels
Firstly, check the water levels in the toilet bowl. It should be high. Ensure sufficient water is in the toilet bowl. When you place the plunger over the bowl, its cup fills with water immediately. It creates a suction pressure between the plunger and the toilet bowl. A lower water level than the plunger cup restricts the plunger’s seal and reduces the push and pull motion of the plunger.
Position the Plunger
Place the plunger in the water bowl so the plunger cup is at a right angle or 90 degrees. Choose the plunger size according to the toilet trapway size. Conversely, it enhances the plunging force by filling the cup with water. Press the cup over the opening of the bowl to create pressure.
Push and Pull the Plunger
After creating a tight cup seal over the hole, gently pump the plunger in and out with a firm but uniform motion. The force should be in a downward direction to unclog the toilet trapway or unclog the toilet drain pipe. The plunging movement pushes water down the drain in both directions, creating a push-and-pull action. After taking five or six plunges, raise the plunger to determine whether the clog is removed.
Repeat to Unclog the Toilet Trap
If necessary, repeat the previous step eight to ten times. Indeed, it will clear your toilet trap blockage. But in case of failure, you should switch to a toilet auger to get the blockage removed.
Unclog a Toilet Trap Steps with a Toilet Auger
A J-shaped tube and a handle-operated cable combine to make up a toilet auger. You can also call it a closet auger. Although It functions similarly to a drain snake, the tube keeps the toilet bowl safe from harm while allowing you to insert the cable into the trap. And it’s not expensive; you can purchase it for as low as $15 from your nearby hardware store. Here is how you can use it by yourself.
Set up the Auger
Remove the auger handle completely. You will get a visible cable tip at the tube’s bottom end of the drill. Get ready for action; your drill is ready to use.
Place the Auger Tube
Put the sugar tube naked into the toilet bowl hole until it fits inside. Move it inside the toilet s vs. p trap as far as possible.
Push the Cable Inside the Hole
When the tube handle gets fixed inside the bowl hole, rotate the cable clockwise with continuous push toward the tube. The rotational force supports the cable in passing through the toilet trap bend. Keep pulling the tube inside the hole with rotational motion force until it removes the blockage of the toilet trap. Afterward, pull the cable out through the bowl hole.
Repeat Until Done
Repeat the procedure thrice or more by pushing the cable and tube to the left and right. Finally, you will get a completely functional toilet trap unclogged from garbage.
Unclog a Toilet Trap with Hot Water
Below are some home remedies recommended by floor drain suppliers to unclog your toilet trap. Follow the steps below to learn how to unclog a tub drain with home remedies. Both soap solution and Baking soda mixture are best for this purpose. Baking soda with vinegar dissolves the stuck garbage, while dish soap lubricates the drain and passes out the clog freely.
Soap and Water
- Break a half-cup of dishwashing soap into small pieces and place them in your toilet bowl.
- Rest your toilet bowl for ten minutes.
- Press the flush tank button to check if the soap removed the clog.
- If the dish soap didn’t work, add hot water to unclog the toilet trap.
- Pour the water in with tremendous pressure and a sufficient quantity to combine it with the dish soap and remove the clog.
- Do not use boiling water to unclog the toilet water because it may destroy the porcelain of your toilet seat.
- Flush again to check the results.
Baking Soda Mixture
- Firstly, fill your clogged toilet bowl with water.
- You can use a flush tank to add or remove water when needed.
- To avoid overflow, adjust the water level according to need, as the solution fizzes up when you add baking soda.
- Add 1 cup baking soda.
- Then, slowly pour 1 cup of vinegar (white or apple cider) until the solution bubbles.
- After 20 minutes, flush the toilet.
- Check that the toilet is draining again or not.
- If the toilet still does not drain, repeat the method many times or let the solution sit overnight.
Summing Up
We hope after reading this blog, you will unclog a toilet trap without the help of a plumber. But if you fail, you can contact Hofen Sanitary for further assistance. Ask the hiring plumber to demonstrate simple techniques for unclogging a toilet trap.
It would be best to learn the basics of switching off the water supply, correctly using an auger and plunger, making cleaning solutions, and using hot water as much as needed. If you get these points, you may attempt these techniques again the next time you get a blockage or trap in the toilet.