How to Unclog a Toilet in 5 Steps (Without Making It Worse)
By Mike Holt, NJ Master Plumber · October 31, 2026 · 3 min read
Quick answer
Stop the water first by closing the valve behind the toilet. Then use a flange plunger: seal it over the drain hole and push and pull firmly 15 to 20 times. If that doesn't clear it, let warm water and dish soap soak for 15 minutes and plunge again, then try a toilet auger. Don't use chemical drain cleaner.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 10 to 30 minutes
- You need
- Flange plunger, rubber gloves, old towels, toilet auger
Rather not risk it? A licensed plumber can handle this for you, with written upfront flat-rate pricing options before any work starts.
Toilet overflowing? Turn the valve behind the toilet clockwise, or lift the tank lid and push the flapper down. Don't flush again. 908-873-6686
Most toilet clogs are toilet paper and waste stuck in the curved trap built into the bowl, and a good plunger clears them in a few minutes. Start by stopping the water so it can't overflow, then work through these steps in order.
How to unclog a toilet
Step 1: Stop the water and protect the floor
If the bowl is close to the rim, don't flush again. Turn the valve on the wall behind the toilet clockwise until it stops. If it won't turn, lift the tank lid and push the rubber flapper down to stop more water from going in. Put old towels around the base and put on rubber gloves.
Step 2: Use a flange plunger the right way
Use a flange plunger, the kind with an extra rubber sleeve on the bottom. Fit the sleeve into the drain hole at the bottom of the bowl so the cup seals. There should be enough water to cover the cup; add some from a bucket if needed. Push down gently first to push the air out, then push and pull firmly 15 to 20 times, keeping the seal. Pull the plunger off on the last stroke. If the water drops, it's clear.
Step 3: Try warm water and dish soap
If plunging didn't do it, squirt a good amount of dish soap into the bowl and pour in a bucket of hot tap water from waist height. Never use boiling water, which can crack the porcelain. Wait 15 minutes so the soap can loosen the clog, then plunge again.
Step 4: Use a toilet auger
A toilet auger (closet auger) is a short drain snake with a rubber-covered tube that won't scratch the bowl. Put the curved end into the drain hole, crank the handle slowly to feed the cable in, and keep cranking as you pull back. It breaks up a clog or hooks things like wipes. Don't use a wire hanger; it scratches the porcelain and rarely reaches the clog.
Step 5: Test with a normal flush
Turn the water back on and let the tank fill. Flush once and watch the bowl. If the water drains with a strong swirl, you're done. If it rises again, stop, close the valve and call us. Something is stuck too deep for a plunger, or the problem is past the toilet.
Is it the toilet or the main sewer line?
A clog in the toilet only affects that toilet. A clog in the main line affects the whole house. It's probably the main line if:
- The tub or shower fills with dirty water when you flush
- Sinks or the shower gurgle when the toilet drains
- The toilet in the lowest bathroom backs up first
- Several drains are slow at the same time
No plunger will clear a main line. Stop using water and call us. We clear the line and can run a camera to show you why it clogged. See drain cleaning and sewer and water lines.
What not to do
- Don't keep flushing to "push it through." Each flush adds water to a bowl that can't drain.
- Don't pour chemical drain cleaner into a toilet. It damages pipes and seals, and it makes the water dangerous for whoever plunges next.
- Don't use boiling water or a wire hanger on the porcelain.
How to keep it from clogging again
- Flush only toilet paper and waste. Wipes, even ones sold as flushable, paper towels, cotton swabs and floss belong in the trash.
- Flush twice for large loads instead of using a lot of paper at once.
- Keep a flange plunger next to every toilet so nobody has to go looking during an emergency.
- If one toilet clogs every week, the trap may have something stuck in it, or the line may have roots. Our guide to clogged drains covers the rest of the house.
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Stop and call us if
- Other drains back up or gurgle when you flush, or water comes up in the tub.
- The toilet clogs again within a few days of clearing it.
- Something hard went down, like a toy, a phone or a toothbrush.
- Water is leaking around the base of the toilet.
- A plunger and an auger both failed.
Call 908-873-6686.
Michael Holt
Owner and operator of Plumbing Doctor, NJ Master Plumber (Lic. #36BI01345600) and U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
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