How to Unclog a Toilet: 7 Methods That Work

Title: How to Use a Toilet Snake Correctly | Fix Clogged Toilet with Auger Upload Date: Aug 8, 2023 Description: Learn how to correctly use a toilet snake (auger) to clear a stubborn blocked toilet, covering technique, safety and when to escalate — ideal for Australian DIY readers. Video Credit: BStride DIY

How Do You Know Your Toilet Is Clogged?

The first sign is that the water rises up towards the rim when you flush instead of draining away. If the water drains slowly but eventually clears away, you have a partial clog. If the water is sitting at the rim and is not dropping away, then you have a full blockage, so do not flush again or you will flood your bathroom.
Gurgling from the toilet after you flush can indicate air being displaced in the drain line — this can mean a partial clog at the toilet trap or an issue at the vent point further along the system.
If multiple fixtures in your house are draining slowly at the same time — the basin, the shower, or another toilet — then there is a clog further down the waste line and the methods below will not solve it.
Now that you know whether you have a clog, you need to have the correct tools available prior to tackling the methods.

Toilet plunger, drain snake, yellow rubber gloves, bucket, safety goggles and cleaning liquid laid flat

What You'll Need Before You Begin

Rubber gloves are non-negotiable — waste is involved, full stop. Once real force goes behind the plunger, eye protection isn't optional.
Forget the flat cup plunger — a flange plunger is the one you want. The flat cup plunger belongs on a basin or sink, not a toilet. That extended rubber collar drops right into the outlet — that's how the flange plunger locks in a solid seal on a toilet. Head to your local hardware store or plumbing supplier — you'll find a decent one for $15 to $35.
Frequent clogs? The toilet auger (closet auger, if you prefer) sits somewhere between $30 and $80 — money well spent.
A bucket, dish soap, and baking soda round out the rest of your kit.
Sort your tools and safety gear, then tackle the seven methods below in order — easiest first, hardest last.

plumber using drain auger to unclog toilet in tiled bathroom

7 Toilet Unblocking Methods — Easiest to Hardest

Each method below is ranked by how much effort and gear it takes — start at the top. Knowing how to unblock a toilet is straightforward once you work through these in order.

Hot water and dish soap. Squirt dish soap into the bowl, then — from waist height and nice and slow — pour in roughly two litres of hot (not boiling) water. Stick to hot tap water — boiling water can crack the ceramic pan. Ten minutes is all it needs — then give it a flush.
The plunger method. Centre the flange plunger over the outlet and press down hard — you want a complete seal. One slow push first to clear the air, then go firm and rhythmic. Here's the thing — it's the pull stroke doing the heavy lifting, not the push. That seal has to hold the entire time — don't let it break.
Baking soda and vinegar. Tip one cup of baking soda straight into the bowl, then pour two cups of white vinegar over the top. Softer blockages often give way to that fizzing reaction alone. Fifteen minutes later, flush it through with hot water.
The toilet auger. Feed the auger cable into the outlet — clockwise on the handle as you push it in. Solid blockages lodged in the trap? This is the tool. The auger is built to reach inside the fixture itself — which is precisely where most household clogs hide.
Wet/dry vac. Got a wet/dry vacuum on hand? It can pull material straight out of the trap. Leave the regular household vacuum well out of it.
Enzyme-based drain cleaner. Slower to work, yes — but far gentler on waste pipes than any caustic alternative. Read the product instructions, follow them to the letter, and give it proper dwell time — overnight in most cases.
Manual removal. Gloves on, last resort declared — sometimes you just have to reach in and pull the obstruction out. Children's toys and other foreign objects laugh in the face of every method listed above. If you need to know how to unblock a toilet without a plunger, this manual approach is your final option before calling one in.

The first method clears plenty of blockages — but if you've chewed through several with nothing to show for it, a plumber is the call to make.

plumber using red plunger to unclog toilet in white tiled bathroom

When DIY Doesn't Cut It: Signs You Need a Plumber

Contact a licensed plumber if two or more fixtures in your home are backing up, if you detect odours from a floor outlet, or if a toilet blockage continues to recur despite clearing. This indicates a problem in the drain line or waste system, not within the fixture itself.
All work on the waste or drainage system beyond the toilet trap must be performed by a licensed plumber under state plumbing licensing laws. This is not optional. Unlicensed plumbing work on drains beyond the fixture can result in fines in most states. Any replacement toilet parts connected to the toilet must be WaterMark certified — unlicensed products may be rejected.
Plumber callouts cost $150 to $400 in Australia, depending on location, time of day, and blockage complexity. After-hours rates will sit at the higher end of that range.

drain pipe diagram showing clogged and clear P-trap with water flow inside

How to Prevent a Clogged Toilet in the First Place

Flushable wipes are not actually flushable. Unlike toilet paper, they do not break down within the waste system and are a significant cause of blocked drains in Australian homes. Bin them.
Toilet paper overload in a single flush is another common problem, particularly with low-flow cisterns. A WELS 4-star rated toilet uses 4.5 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush. Your household's habits may not suit the volume your cistern can handle, leading to partial blockages and frequent clogging. Check your cistern's WELS label as a starting point. If you find yourself regularly inspecting the toilet bowl parts for wear or damage, it may be worth upgrading to a higher-rated model.
For monthly maintenance, pour dish soap and two litres of hot water into the bowl and let it soak for ten minutes. Some households also find that fitting a sprayer for the toilet helps reduce reliance on excessive toilet paper, which in turn lowers the risk of blockages. Place a small bin in the bathroom for anything other than toilet paper. Knowing how to unclog a toilet is useful, but understanding what causes blockages in the first place means you will need to do it far less often.

References

AS/NZS 3500.2 Plumbing and Drainage — Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage, Standards Australia
State plumbing licensing legislation (VBA Victoria; Fair Trading NSW; QBCC Queensland; Building Practitioners Board WA; CBOS Tasmania; ACTPLA ACT; Building & Energy SA; ABPB NT)
WaterMark Certification Scheme, Australian Building Codes Board

FAQs

Older vitreous china toilet — will a toilet auger scratch the bowl?

Before you feed it in, check the auger — a rubber sleeve or protective boot over the cable is standard on most modern ones. Bare metal cable? A cloth wrapped around it adds another layer of protection. Go slow, and never force the cable around sharp angles — older suites have trap geometry that's nowhere near as forgiving as contemporary pans.

Septic system — are enzyme-based drain cleaners actually safe to use?

On a septic system? Enzyme-based products are genuinely the only drain cleaner worth your time. Those beneficial bacteria your tank relies on to break down waste? Caustic or acid-based cleaners wipe them out — a repair bill that'll dwarf any blocked toilet.

How do I stop the bowl overflowing while I sort out the blockage?

Lift the cistern lid and push the flapper valve down by hand — water to the bowl stops immediately. Prop the float arm up and the cistern won't refill — handy when you're not ready to test a flush yet.