A toilet can get clogged at any time, even when it seems to be working perfectly. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll always have a plunger at hand. Maybe you just moved, maybe you are staying somewhere as a guest, the bottom line here is that you don’t have the right tools at hand.

Regardless of the cause don’t panic. There are countless ways to unclog a toilet without a plunger, and today we’ll be taking a look at them. So grab your gloves and let’s go over various solutions that might just get you out of this inconvenience.

Hot Water

This is one of the simplest solutions available and as such it’s our first pick when it comes to unclogging a toilet. All you need is hot water and some patience, but more often than not it’ll work like a charm. So let’s go over the basic steps you need to follow to solve your toilet problem:

  • The first thing you need to do is to lower the water level in the toilet as much as possible. We want the water as low as possible so the hot water can work its magic.
  • Heat 1-2 litres of water, but make sure not to pour it at boiling temperature as this can affect the seals in the toilet.
  • Pour the water on the toilet, the pressure and temperature should start breaking down the clogging culprit.
  • If the water is starting to drain normally you can repeat the process a few more times to ensure better results.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Another simple solution with tools most of us have at hand. The idea is simple, the acidic nature of the combination should help break down anything clogging the toilet. However, do keep in mind that this works best when it’s clogged by small items. Let’s go over the steps you should follow, by BDS Drainage

  • Drain as much water from the toilet as possible.
  • Pour a cup of vinegar and another cup of baking soda to the bowl, then let this mix rest for 5 minutes on average.
  • You can pour hot water as in the previous method to improve the results.
  • Try to flush the toilet, if it’s still not working perfectly but has shown some improvement you can repeat the process.

Wire Hanger

While the above solutions were meant for cases where the regular use of a bathroom clogs it that’s not always the case. Sometimes unexpected stuff falls on a toilet bowl, and this is particularly likely when you have kids. Toys, napkins or other assorted items can fall into the bowl and clog it immediately. And when it comes to solid items hot water won’t exactly dissolve them. So if this happens to you a wire hanger might be your best pick.

  • Take a wire hanger and start undoing it. Basically, we want to keep the hook but have a longer reach. If you have tools at hand you can cut on the body of the hanger to get a longer reach without the need to undo it.
  • Take the hanger and start guiding the hook around the toilet bowl. More often than not items clogging your toilet will be at a superficial level, so twist and turn around the entrance and you’ll find the culprit.
  • Once you feel you have a good grip pull on the hanger. It might take a few tries but you should be able to recover the item and your toilet should return to normal.