How to Unclog a Toilet with a Plunger

When your toilet is flushing poorly or not flushing at all, you could be dealing with a stubborn clog. Don’t worry—it can be quickly eliminated with the right tools, provided that you know the right technique to handle the clog situation. Clogged toilet solutions from TruFusion can certainly come handy when you are faced with a clog that needs some softening or dissolving before it completely dislodges from your toilet pipes. With the right toilet drain cleaner and the proper plunging techniques, you’ll be able to free your drain in no time. Here are steps to help you power through a stubborn toilet clog with a plunger:

1. Choose the right plunger for your toilet.

Did you know that there are different types of plungers for different plumbing fixtures? The most basic kind of plunger is the cup plunger, which has a dome-shape rubber cup and a flat bottom. Cup plungers are great for sinks and tubs because the flat bottom creates an effective seal around the tub or sink basin. The best plunger to use on a toilet is a flange plunger, which as a taller cup and a sleeve-like the extension (a flange) on the cup bottom. This fits right into the toilet bowl hole, which gives the pump a good seal. The first step to clearing a toilet drain with a plunger is to buy the proper tool for the job.

2. Fill the toilet bowl to the ideal plunging level. 

There must be enough standing water in the toilet bowl—just the right amount so that the head of the plunger is submerged.

3. Position the plunger correctly. 

It is important to make sure that the plunger’s flange is completely out of the cup. Pull the rest of the flange from inside the cup if it isn’t all the way out before you lower it into the bowl. Do this at an angle that allows as much water to fill the cup as possible. Going straight down will trap a lot of air inside the cup—this reduces your plunging force. Once filled, fit the cup over the drain hole, the flange forming a complete seal around the drain.

4. Once in position, work the plunger. 

Gripping the handle with both hands, push down forcefully on the cup and pull back up, careful not to break the plunger’s seal around the drain hole. Repeat this back and forth motion several times before pulling the cup off after your final thrust. Your goal is to introduce rapidly alternating forces of suction and compression in the drain to loosen the clog. Repeat the plunging motion until the bowl empties.

5. Finally, flush the toilet.

See if the toilet flushes normally once done with the plunging. You’ll know the clog is over and done with if the toilet flushes smoothly without overflowing.

If this doesn’t work, try a toilet auger to snake the toilet drain before repeating your plunging motions. If the clog is too stubborn for these DIY hacks and clogged toilet solutions, seek the help of a professional.

The Chemical Used in Drain Cleaner

Chemical drain cleaner solutions are products that are typically poured into clogged or sluggish drains, effectively clearing them from obstructions that are causing the slow flow of liquid from your sinks, toilets, tubs, and drains. These formulations are devised to help dissolve or at the very least soften or break down human hair, waste, grease build up, and/or food particles, that usually back up sinks and drains. Drain cleaner chemical products come in a variety of shapes and forms. Most cleaners are liquid formulations that can easily be poured down directly into your drain pipes. Others come in powder form, designed to be used with warm water or poured directly into drains to cause a reaction and soften clogs. Drain cleaner formulations available these days either use conventional chemical formulations or more environmentally friendly, biodegradable forms.

Chemical drain cleaners are by far the most commonly sold and used types of cleaners the world over. Most formulations consist of sodium hydroxide in the form of lye or caustic soda and/or sulfuric acid.

These are extremely corrosive chemicals that break down organic materials along with many types of metals. Chemical cleaners help clear clogs quickly, but they can also be damaging to different materials and can burn through skin and clothes. This is why utmost care must be taken when using these types of cleaners. More environmentally friendly cleaners come in the form of enzymatic formulations, which may not work as quickly as chemical based cleaners but don’t pose the same risks as corrosive chemicals.

Caustic soda or sodium hydroxide in its pure form comes as a solid, waxy, white substance that readily absorbs water. Sodium hydroxide is a caustic base that decomposes proteins. This highly soluble compound absorbs carbon dioxide and moisture from the air. It is most commonly used as an ingredient for many types of cleaning agents, including industrial cleaners. A powerful compound, sodium hydroxide in cleaning solutions is able to dissolve oil, grease, fats, and other protein-based deposits. This is what makes sodium hydroxide an effective chemical for cleaning and unclogging waste discharge pipes. In many cases, surfactants are added to sodium hydroxide solutions to help stabilize the dissolved substances and prevent redeposition.

TruFusion has the best range of drain cleaner chemical products and chemical drain cleaner formulations designed to help dissolve clogs and prevent further build-up. TruFusion’s series of drain cleaners feature concentrated formulations that ensure rapid action against stubborn drain obstructions, opening up your pipelines for a continuous, smooth flow of fluids.

Best Drain Cleaners for Toilets Bathroom and Kitchen

Does your sink take too long to drain? Do faint, strange, and unpleasant odors permeate drain sites? Do water pools form around your feet when using the shower? It’s possible that your drains are clogged and in need of a good cleaning. Failing to address a drain clog can lead to even more disastrous outcomes when your pipes become completely blocked and you’ve got standing water everywhere. Pouring down the right liquid drain cleaner down your pipes is your best defense against clogs and build-up.

A powerful liquid drain cleaner can help you clear clogs fast without damaging your pipes. When manual methods do not work, it helps using cleaning products that are strong enough to de-gunk without causing damage to your pipes. There are three main types of liquid drain cleaners (enzymatic, caustic, and acidic cleaners) designed for various clog types, drain locations, and pipe configurations, age, and kind. Home plans and inspection reports should list the age and type of your pipes.

Determining the type of clog that’s impeding your water flow can sometimes be as simple as shining a torch light on the drain opening. Deeper clogs may require a lot more involved inspection, but you can always make an educated assumption based on the location of the clog. For instance, kitchen sinks are prone to grease and morsels of food, whereas tubs and bathroom sinks tend to collect soap scum, hair, and paper products.  Dealing with different kinds of clogs require the proper kind of clog buster:

1. Enyzymatic cleaners contain bacteria that feed on clogs and produce enzymes that help clean tough gunk and prevent them from re-occurring. Enzymatic drain cleaners are soft and gentle formulations and are non-corrosive, making them ideal for metal as well as plastic drain pipes.

2. Caustic drain cleaners, on the other hand, are made using alkaline chemicals which convert clogs into a substance with soap-like consistency, enabling dissolution with plain water. These types of cleaners are great at removing soap scum, food, and grease build-up in sink, shower, and tub drains.

3.  Acidic cleaners are more industrial in nature because of their corrosive and toxic properties. While they are generally safe to use with newer pipe installations, older pipes and those made out of stainless steel, aluminum chrome, and galvanized steel are better off cleaned with less powerful formulations.

Experience the power of the best liquid drain cleaner systems with TruFusion products. These specially formulated drain cleaners and clog and build-up removers offer superior strength against all kinds of gunk and organic materials that compromise bathroom and kitchen drain systems.