How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger

Having a clogged toilet is a major headache. Lacking the tools to unclog it only compounds the pain.

Luckily, there are various approaches you can employ to restore your toilet’s normal function.

You can unclog a toilet using dish soap (or shampoo), hot water, cloth wire hanger, bleach, toilet auger, a hot water bottle, a toilet brush, and a solution of baking soda and white vinegar. The assumption for these methods is that the clog is within the p-trap of the bowl.

The effectiveness of these methods relies on the nature of the blockage. These approaches work best for blockages by soft materials such as toilet paper (when too much of it is used).

They can also work for toys fit here made of clothing materials such as cotton.

How To Unclog/Unblock Your Toilet With No Plunger

While the plunger is the go-to tool for all clogs in the toilet, bathroom, and sinks, its absence doesn’t mean you can’t have a functioning toilet again.

The methods below can help do away with the clogs in a few minutes.

If none of them works, call in a plumber as the problem could be more than a simple clog. As a word of caution, avoid flushing the toilet repeatedly once clogged since it could lead to flooding.

1. DISH SOAP (OR SHAMPOO)

For this remedy, you can use dish soap, shampoo or small pieces of bar soap. The aim is to use the soap as a lubricant to the blockage to allow it to be flushed down the drain.

Follow the steps below:

1. Pour 2 to 3 cups of dish soap into the toilet soap then wait for half an hour.
2. Flush the toilet and take note of how it behaves.

If the clog hasn’t gone away. Wait for the current water in the bowl to be emptied before flushing again.

If the toilet isn’t unclogged with the second flush, go to the next method below.

2. HOT WATER

With the hot water, the aim is to soften the clogging item to make it possible to flush it down the drain. You have the option of emptying out some of the water in the toilet bowl before this method.

The water should only be hot but not boiling hot. Water that’s too hot can crack the porcelain or ceramic toilet which will only lead to further problems.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Pour a gallon of hot water into the toilet bowl and wait for 20 minutes.
2. Flush the toilet and make the observation as in the first method.
3. If the clog isn’t gone yet, you can try the method again. You can also combine the hot water with the dish soap and some salt for better results.

3. CLOTH WIRE HANGER

The wire hanger method is meant to poke the blockage down the drain. Follow these prompts to achieve that:

1. Untwist a wire hanger till you get a straight wire with a hook on one side.
2. Tie a piece of sponge or cloth on the end without a hook to form a little knob with it. This knob increases the surface area of the wire and prevents it from scratching the toilet bowl.
3. Stick that end with the knob down the drain as far as possible or until you feel the blockage.
4. Poke the blockage down in repeated motions.

When you feel the blockage has been satisfactorily broken down, flush the toilet. Adding hot water to the mix can help make it easier to clear the clog.

4. BLEACH

Bleach can be combined with powdered dish detergent to ease the clog and make it possible to flush it away. The procedure is as follows:

1. Pour 3 cups of bleach into the toilet bowl.
2. Add 1 cup of the dish detergent into the bowl then wait for 30 minutes before flushing.

The process can be repeated if not effective on the first trial. Hot water can be added to help in breaking down the clog.

5. BAKING SODA AND WHITE VINEGAR

The reaction between baking soda and white vinegar is both explosive and effective at clearing sediments and other unwanted blocks. They can be used in the following way:

1. Pour a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl.
2. Add 2 cups of white vinegar then wait for an hour.
3. After that, flush the mix and take note of whether the clog is gone or not.

You can also add hot water at the end of the waiting hour for better results.

6. HOT WATER BOTTLE

The hot water bottle method is aimed at creating enough pressure to flush down the clog. For this method, you’ll need a plastic bottle with hot water, face mask and gloves then follow the steps below.

1. Empty as much water from the toilet bowl as possible. You can use a small container and a bucket or a squirt gun drainer.
2. Cover the top of the bottle with your thumb then put the bottle right at the opening of the toilet drain.
3. Remove your thumb then squeeze the bottle to create flushing pressure to clear the clog.

This method is a bit messy and requires gloves (and guts) to do it.

7. EPSOM SALTS

Epsom salts have a softening effect (that’s why they’re added to soaps and bath bombs). With Epsom salts, you can soften the clog by adding them in the toilet bowl then waiting for an hour before flushing.

These can be found in bath bombs and some soaps and you simply need to add them to the bowl, wait for them to dissolve then flush the toilet.

Adding hot water can help attain better results.

8. TOILET BRUSH

A solid toilet brush can come in handy and used as a plunger (without the sucking mechanism). Simply push the brush repeatedly into the bowl while forcing the water towards the drain and at the clog.

Done enough times, it can push the clog down the drain.

9. TOILET AUGER

Few homes have toilet augers yet it’s an important tool when it comes to unclogging toilets and other drainages. With an auger, you only need to insert it into the toilet until you feel resistance. You can then work it to break down the clog.

Some augers work by rotating the end in your hand. Others are electric and power up a motor at the end inserted into the toilet to break down the clog.

These are easy-to-do solutions to a clogged toilet in the absence of a plunger. If none of them works for your toilet, then it could be a more serious issue that requires an expert to examine and resolve.