HOW TO UNCLOG A TOILET WITH POOP IN IT?

Toilets are one of the most used items each day on a modern household. The
average person flushes their toilet around 5 times per day. However, if it finds itself
clogged, it can lead to both a lot of frustration and an undesired cleanup. Clogs can
be caused by many factors, but the most common one is poop being stuck on the
drain due to its size. This prevents water from flowing through the toilet and may
cause it to overflow if the situation is not handled correctly.

Learning to unclog a toilet with poop in it is an important skill to avoid regular visits
from your plumber. Poop is an organic matter; and because of this there are many
simple ways you can get rid of it yourself. The following tips will allow you to unclog
your toilet in all kinds of situations and help it work properly.

How do you unclog a toilet when the bowl is full?

Unclogging a full bowl toilet does not differ from dealing with most clogs if you get
rid of the excess water first. Here are some tips on how you can get rid of water in
no time and clean up all that mess:

Lowering the water level

To ensure this, close the water valve at the back of the toilet and wait some time
until the water drops. Now that some space has been made you can try out one of
the following methods:

Siphoning the water

It is recommended to get some gloves for this one. Be sure to have a short hose
and a small bucket nearby.
Fill the hose with water from the sink and plug both ends with your thumbs to
create a vacuum and prevent water from flowing. Insert one end into the toilet bowl
and the other into the bucket, making sure that the bucket is at a lower level than
the toilet bowl.
Release both thumbs from the hose and water shall begin to drain from the bowl
into the bucket.
After the water reaches an appropriate level, use one of the methods described on
the sections below to unclog the toilet.

Use a sponge
Using a sponge is another efficient method to get water out of the way. Submerge
an absorbent sponge into the bowl until it accumulates enough water to swell up.
Get the sponge out of the toilet and squeeze it on the drain or a small bucket.
Repeat until enough water has been removed in order to try one of the methods
described below.

Use containers
The use of gloves is recommended to avoid touching the organic material directly.
Using a small cup or container start to bail out the water from the toilet bowl into a
bucket. Once the water reaches an acceptable level, unclog the toilet as described
in the sections below. This is not be the most efficient way, but it is both the easiest
and the one that requires less equipment.

Unclogging the pipe: The never disappointing plunger

Plungers are one of the most versatile household items and it can help you get rid
of the poop that is clogging your toilet. If you know how to correctly use one, this
process is easy and quick. However, for this situation you need to follow the
following steps in order to prevent water from spilling all over the floor if the bowl is
full (in case it is not go directly to step number 3):
1. Turn off the water valve of the toilet so no more water is sent to the bowl.
2. Wait for a few minutes until the water level starts dropping.
3. Insert slowly the toilet plunger into the water without spilling the liquid on the
floor.
4. Plunge the drain at the bottom of the toilet and begin moving it up and down
to let the water flow from it. The water level should begin to drop.
5. Continue plunging until the water is at a normal level and flush the toilet. If
the water does not flow, continue plunging until it moves smoothly.
6. Open the water valve and let it flow into the bowl.
7. Flush the toilet to verify that it is working properly

If you don’t have a plunger

Even though plungers are the most efficient way of getting rid of the debris, there
are still ways to unclog the blockage on your toilet if you do not own a one.

The first step is to get the water to drop a bit in order to have some room to
maneuver so make sure you follow one of the tips described above. If your toilet is
has poop in it then you can try one of the following methods:

Soap and water

1. Get rid of at least half the water in the bowl to accommodate the extra
volume that will be poured.
2. Use some dish soap to lubricate the surface of the toilet bowl.
3. Heat a gallon of water to a warm temperature (not boiling) and pour it into
the bowl.
4. Let the mixture rest for around half an hour.
5. Flush the toilet. If water does not flush properly, turn off the water valve and
try another method.

Baking soda and vinegar

After removing most of the water of the bowl, pour 1 cup of baking soda and 2 cups
of vinegar into it. This mixture will cause a reaction where bubbles will appear on
the toilet. Do not worry and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. After the period has
passed, the clog must have dissolved and the toilet must work properly.
Using a wire hanger
Unravel a hanger and protect it using a small cloth and a rubber band to prevent
scratches on the walls of the toilet. While using gloves, insert the protected end of
the hanger into the hole at the bottom of the toilet. Try to push the material that is
clogging up the pipe. Twisting and pushing the wire my help as long as you feel
that the debris is being touched. If you don’t feel anything, this method won’t help
you to unplug your toilet.

Why does my poop clog the toilet?

Now that you have solved the issue, it is important to ask ourselves: “Why did this
happened in the first place?” There may be a series of factors that may cause your
toilet to clog, for example:

Dieting and pooping habits

This is a bit of a toss-up. Fiber rich diets causes poop to bulk up and absorb more
water, making it bigger than it should be. Eating a balanced diet is vital to take care
of our health. However, we need to be conscious that what we ingest is going to
end up on our stool. Therefore, it is important to not eat fiber rich foods like broccoli
and whole grains in excess so that our poop has an optimal consistency to prevent
problems in the toilet.

On the other hand, if you do not eat enough fiber your stool may accumulate and
when you go, you will do it in greater amounts than you usually do. Due to this, it is
important to keep a balance of fiber levels. Another way to get things moving is by
physical activity. Exercise moves the muscles on the stomach and stimulates the
gastrointestinal system. Listening to our bodies and go when it is time is crucial to
avoid all kinds of problems. Accumulating more poop may not only clog up our
toilets but also harm our health. The balance between dieting and our daily habits
is one of the main factors that affects our poop.

The toilet drain is blocked

The toilet trap is the curved segment at the bottom of the toilet which helps to
prevent water to flow back. This trap may be blocked by bigger stools or other
materials that are flushed. If this happens, any of the methods described above
may help remove the blockage and allow the poop to flow again.

Will a toilet eventually unclog itself?

Maybe. Your toilet will unclog itself only if the material that is causing the blockage
is organic. This means that if your poop is the sole element that is preventing water
to be flushed, it will eventually disintegrate and let it all go back to its normal flow.
However, to answer how long it may take it depends on how severe is the
clogging. If the pathway is only partially blocked, it may take around an hour to
dissolve. Nevertheless, it is advisable that you wait a bit longer in order to have the
material disintegrate completely and prevent further clogs.

If the clogging is more severe, it is better to take action and use one of the previous
methods to get rid of the debris before it can cause any more problems.

Toilets clogging is nothing out of this world. Even though its causes may be
various, so are the ways one can get rid of it. Knowing what to do if your toilet has
poop in it will allow you to act quickly before it gets worse and you cannot solve it
on you own.

Sources:

Little Upgrades. (n.d.). https://littleupgrades.com/will-a-toilet-unclog-itself/

Live Strong. (2020). https://www.livestrong.com/article/13730214-why-is-my-poop-

so-big-it-clogs-the-toilet/

Mr.Rooter. (2018). https://www.mrrooter.com/about/blog/2018/november/4-ways-

to-unclog-a-toilet-that-wont-drain/

Removeandreplace. (2015). https://removeandreplace.com/2015/10/20/toilet-is-

clogged-and-filled-to-top-with-water-how-to-flush-without-flooding/

The Spruce. (2020). https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-drain-a-toilet-2719044

The Spruce. (2020). https://www.thespruce.com/reasons-why-toilets-clog-4145061