
Do you have a clogged toilet but no plunger handy?
If you need creative ideas on how to use household items — or just the basics on using plungers or toilet augers — we have you covered.
We’ll go over…
- How to use a standard plunger or auger
- How to use household items like baking soda, wire hangers, or even hot water
- Precautionary tips to avoid damaging your toilet
Let’s get started!
#1: Using A Plunger
Plungers are the go-to tool for toilet clog removal, and if you have one or can easily buy one, you would be crazy not to use it.
There are three basic types of toilet plungers you can use:
- Cup: The simplest plunger is the cup style which has a bowl shape. These plungers are the cheapest to buy but provide the least suction.
- Flange: The flange style plunger has a basic cup but includes a flange along the edge. The flange helps increase the suction through a better seal with the toilet — allowing more force with each push.
- Accordion: The accordion or bellows style of plunger looks like a bees nest and appears as if two cup plungers were glued together. These plungers tend to be the most expensive but are highly effective, capable of generating over 50 pounds of force.
If your toilet makes unusual sounds while plunging, consult our guide to toilet sounds and how to fix them.
7 Steps To Using A Plunger
- Insert the plunger and position it over the drain hole so that it forms a tight seal without any air gaps.
- If the toilet is low on water, you may need to add water with a bucket or pot. It is essential that the water line is above the plunger in order to create a tight seal.
- Push down on the plunger and compress it all the way. Release the push and pull it back to the original position. Make the first few pushes gentle in order to avoid backsplash.
- After the first few plunges, steadily increase the force. Keep plunging for 10-25 seconds until you feel the clog is loosened or water starts to drop.
- Once you notice the water dropped or a loosening of the clog, flush the toilet. If your toilet bubbles or burps during or after a flush, it might indicate an underlying problem. Learn more in our guide on toilet bubbles and burps.
- If the toilet is still clogged, wait until the water has dropped at least halfway, then restart plunging for 10-25 seconds.
- Repeat the process until the clog has been cleared.
#2: Hot Water Method
If you don’t have a plunger, one of the best ways to unclog a toilet is using a bucket or pot of hot water. The hot water can help unblock clogs and loosen things up.
Most toilets are made of porcelain, so it’s crucial to avoid using water that is too hot. If you pour in water that is too hot, the sudden change of temperature can crack the porcelain.
The ideal temperature of hot water is in the 120°F to 150°F range.
Boiling water in a large pot and letting it cool for at least a few minutes should put it in the right temperature range. Pouring in the hot water slowly from waist height can also help prevent cracking.
If you’re dealing with a clogged toilet and don’t have running water, follow our 2 simple steps to flush a toilet without water.
6 Steps To Using Hot Water
- Boil a pot of water. You need to use enough water to create enough force for it to get pushed into the drain hole.
- Let the water cool for a few minutes to reduce cracking risk.
- Pour the water into the toilet from waist height so the downward force pushes the hot water deep into the drain hole.
- Let the hot water soak in the toilet for at least 15-minutes.
- Flush the toilet to see if the clog gets cleared. Don’t flush the toilet if the water level is high near the rim since it may overflow.
- If the clog doesn’t clear, repeat steps but include a little bit of dish soap to help lubricate and dissolve some of the clog.
#3: Baking Soda And Vinegar
If you have a jug of white vinegar and carton of baking soda, these everyday household items can help break up a clog.
The vinegar and baking soda react in the toilet bowl, fizzing up and breaking down organic material. The bubbles and fizz from the solution is mostly carbon dioxide.
Just be careful not to use this method when the water line is near the rim since the fizz may spill over. It’s best to combine this natural chemical reaction with the hot water bucket method.
If you don’t have baking soda, 1-2 cups of Epsom salt or even 1-2 bath bombs can also do the trick. Be careful with older toilets with a heavily dyed bath bomb since it could stain the toilet.
6 Steps To Use Baking Soda And Vinegar
- Make sure the toilet water level isn’t too high. If it’s near the rim, use a bucket to reduce the water level due to risk of spillover or just wait for the water to lower.
- Evenly sprinkle 1-cup of baking soda into the toilet.
- Pour 2-cups of vinegar into the toilet. The reaction of vinegar and baking soda will fizz and bubble up — the main reason not to use this method if the water level is high.
- Wait around 30-minutes for the chemical reaction to develop and break down the toilet paper and waste.
- OPTIONAL: Heat up a gallon of hot water on the stove and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes. Ideally, you don’t want the water temp to exceed 150°F to avoid potential cracking.
- Flush the toilet and see if the clog gets released.
If your toilet is slow-draining rather than fully clogged, you might also want to try these 4 simple methods to improve it’s drainage.
#4: Toilet Auger Or Snake
A toilet auger is a long steel cable with a flexible bulb at the end. These augers are designed for toilets and are protected with plastic sleeves to minimize scratches to the porcelain.
I strongly recommend avoiding using a general purpose auger unless you are extra cautious to avoid scratching and damage.
Some toilet augers also allow homeowners to attach a cordless drill to the end to help power through tough clogs.
Toilet snakes are a great option if the clog is caused by wipes, paper towels, or small toys since it may be resistant to plungers or the hot water method.
7 Steps To Using A Toilet Auger
- Stick the curved end of the toilet auger into the drain hole.
- Rotate the handle clockwise and guide the cable into the drain hole. The cable will twist and turn as it goes deeper into the toilet.
- Keep rotating the handle and pushing the cable in until you feel resistance.
- When you reach the clog, keep pushing into it until the clog clears or pull out the cable with any caught debris.
- To retract the cable, rotate the handle counterclockwise.
- Flush the toilet to check if the clog is cleared.
- Repeat steps if the toilet doesn’t freely flush.
#5: Squeezing A Plastic Bottle
The plastic bottle method is a simple way to unclog a toilet that uses water pressure.
This strategy is great for small clogs and most people have a plastic bottle laying around.
Ideally, a 1-liter sized plastic bottle will work the best but anywhere from 500-ml to 2-liter sized bottle should work. It is mostly related to the size of your toilet drain hole.
A larger (2-liter) bottle will give more water pressure but is also bulkier and may not fit your drain hole. A smaller bottle will provide less water pressure but less issues with maneuverability.
The biggest risk with this method is backsplash onto your face or bathroom floor. Please use gloves, protective eyewear (even just sunglasses), and ideally a face mask or covering.
Allow the water to recede in the toilet to just above the drain hole or by using a bucket to take out water.
Avoid squeezing too hard, or you might get an unpleasant surprise. It is essential to form a good seal on the drain hole when you squeeze the bottle.
5 Steps To Using A Plastic Bottle
- Find a medium-sized plastic bottle that can form a seal with the drain hole.
- Make sure the water level in the toilet is just above the drain hole. If the toilet is full, use a bucket to remove water.
- Stick the open end of the toilet into the drain hole. Cover the top of the bottle with your fingers to avoid water spilling out until the last second.
- When the bottle forms a tight seal with the drain hole, squeeze the bottle. Don’t squeeze it violently but also don’t be too weak. A nice moderate level squeeze will work the best without too much backsplash.
- Flush the toilet to see if the clog gets dislodged. Repeat the steps if it doesn’t loosen up.
#6: Clothes Wire Hanger
The wire hanger strategy can be an effective way to dislodge toilet clogs if you have an old-school wire hanger in your home.
You will need to straighten out the wire hanger and form a small hook at the end.
A major risk with this method is scratching the porcelain with the metal wire. I recommend using duct tape or even a thin cloth to cover at least the hook end or the entire wire hanger if possible.
7 Steps To Use A Wire Hanger
- Take your wire hanger and bend it into a straight piece of wire. Keep the hook at the end but squeeze it to make it smaller and easier to fit through the toilet.
- Use duct tape or cloth to wrap the hook or even the entire wire to help avoid scratching the porcelain.
- Wearing gloves and protective eyewear, push the wire with hook end first into the toilet drain hole until you feel resistance.
- When you reach the clog, push back and forth or twist until you feel it may have dislodged.
- Carefully remove the wire hanger from the toilet. Some of the clog material may get pulled out when you remove the wire.
- Flush the toilet to see if the clog gets flushed.
- Repeat the steps if needed.
#7. Wet And Dry Vacuum
If you have a shop vacuum in your possession, these machines can easily remove stubborn clogs especially if it is composed of hard objects like toys.
Verify that the vacuum can be used for wet & dry conditions, and you will need to remove the internal filter to avoid damage.
I highly recommend using protective eyewear like sunglasses and to use gloves since the force of the vacuum may cause some splatter. Also, if the water level in the toilet is high, use a bucket to pull out some of the water since it may spillover.
7 Steps To Using A Wet/Dry Shop Vac
- Prepare the shop vac by first removing the cover and taking out the filter.
- Use a small vacuum attachment in order to fit into the drain hole and to form a tight seal.
- Remove the toilet water if the level is high to avoid backsplash and putting your hands into toilet water.
- Stick the vacuum hose into the drain hole and push it in until it forms a seal.
- Turn on the vacuum and wait anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
- If you hear or feel a possible dislodgement, turn off the vacuum and carefully remove the hose.
- Flush the toilet to see if the clog is cleared. Repeat the steps if needed.
#8: Use An Enzyme Based Clog Cleaner
If you have an enzyme-based clog cleaner or live near a hardware store, these products can be highly effective against toilet clogs.
The enzymes in the solution help break down organic material or even hair without the use of harsh chemicals, foul smells, and are safe for the environment.
These clog removers are safe for old plumbing pipes like cast iron and won’t harm septic systems. These cleaners typically contain enzymes like…
- Proteases which breaks down proteins.
- Lipases that target fats and oils.
- Amylases that decompose starches.
Enzyme clog removers won’t be effective against hard objects like toys or very stubborn clogs. In addition, you will have to wait a while for the cleaner to break down the clog.
The upside is that you can use this safe clog remover for sinks and shower drains at the same time and are great at breaking up hair.
4 Steps To Using An Enzyme Clog Remover
- Read the instructions on the bottle.
- Pour the recommended amount into the toilet, typically half or the entire bottle.
- You will need to wait at least 1-3 hours or overnight for the enzymes to break down the clog.
- Flush the toilet after the elapsed time to see if the clog is cleared. Use the rest of the bottle if the first time didn’t work.
#9. Use Plastic Wrap
Many people don’t know that common plastic wrap in your kitchen can help unclog your toilet. The basic idea is to cover your toilet bowl tightly with plastic wrap to increase the water pressure when you flush the toilet.
A downside with this strategy is that if the plastic isn’t tight or if it’s poor quality may cause toilet water to splash out onto the floor.
This method is also not likely to work with heavy clogs but can be effective against soft and small clogs from only toilet paper. It’s not likely to work with small toys or other inorganic objects.
8 Steps To Using Plastic Wrap
- Lift up the toilet seat.
- Using large sheets of plastic wrap, cover the toilet bowl tightly.
- If you have duct tape or blue painter’s tape, seal the edge of the plastic wrap to help with the seal.
- Flush the toilet.
- As the toilet flushes, push down on the plastic wrap to increase the water pressure of the flush. Be careful to avoid pushing down too hard since the plastic may tear.
- If you think the clog hasn’t been cleared, wait for the toilet water to rise again, and repeat the flush.
- If you hear or feel the clog is loosened, remove the plastic wrap and flush the toilet.
- Repeat the steps if the clog hasn’t been cleared.
#10. Flexible Metal Or Plastic Mesh
If you have a fine metal or plastic mesh hanging around in your garage, it can be used to mimic a plunger to dislodge toilet clogs.
The idea is to form the mesh into the drain hole to create a suction force when you pull it out. The holes in the screen allow water and particles to come out but still forms enough resistance for the suction effect when pulled out.
A risk with this strategy is scratching the porcelain so it is best to cover the edges of at least 1-2 inches with duct tape.
Since you will be using your hands, use long rubber gloves and to lower the water level of the toilet to just above the toilet drain.
6 Steps To Using Wire Mesh
- Cut the wire mesh into a circle if possible of around 6-9 inches in diameter which should be a few inches wider than most toilet drains.
- Cover the edges of the wire screen with duct tape to avoid scratch damage.
- With long rubber gloves or a wooden handle, gently push the center of the wire mesh into the drain hole.
- Mimic a standard plunger and gently push in and pull out several times. Try to maintain the seal as you do it for maximum suction.
- Remove the wire mesh and flush the toilet to see if it worked.
- Repeat the cycle another time if the clog isn’t cleared.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this article informative. There are numerous strategies to unclog a toilet without a standard plunger.
Whether you decide to use a wire hanger, mesh screen, baking soda, or just a bucket of hot water — you likely have one of these tools to dislodge stubborn clogs.
For future clogs, I recommend investing in a bellows style plunger for maximum pressure or a specialized toilet auger that can be used with a cordless drill.
Always wear gloves and protective eyewear or a mask to avoid unhygienic backsplash. Covering the floor around your toilet may also help with unintended spillovers.
Did you find any of these strategies useful? Please share your experience below or ask me a question on clearing toilet clogs.
8 thoughts on “10 Ways To Unclog A Toilet With Or Without A Plunger (How To Unblock?)”
Does the toilet water need to be turned on alot in order to flush the toilet? Our landlord has the water on but barely any pressure for the toilet, the sink, and the shower. He says he is trying to save water.
If the water pressure is lower, it just means that the water in the tank will fill up slower, so it will take longer between flushes.
I’m at work and the plunger is not working. I tried to pour water down the toilet but now the water is full to the rim. I put Dawn dishwashing liquid in there also tried a wire hanger but the hanger broke. I don’t know what to do here
I’d probably wait at least 15-30 minutes for the water to drop before trying anything else. You can try the hot water method or go to store and get a toilet auger.
My toilet is clogged and I have tried baking soda and vinegar, hot water and plunger the water level doesn’t seem to be going down
Hey Jaydin… I would probably try plunging at least a couple cycles. Plunge for 30-seconds, flush. Wait for a bit, and then repeat. You may also want to buy a cheap toilet auger online since it can get to deep clogs.
I have a toilet plugged. The plunger isn’t working. I purchased an auger but it will not go down far enough to catch the plug. My wife tells me it is burping and gurgling. Do I need to get a plumber?
Thanks. JOHN
Hey John… the clog may be really deep down the drain and it’s possible that the vent pipe could be clogged. I would probably try the plunger and auger a couple more times, waiting for the water level to drop before each attempt, before calling a plumber.