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How to unclog a toilet fast in under 5 minutes

Having an emergency as we speak? Had too much spicy food to impress your date and now are facing the consequences? Say no more:

The fastest way to unclog a toilet is to use a plunger to fix the blockage. If you don’t have access to a plunger, pour a mixture of hot water and soap in your toilet and let it sit for a while. This should unclog your toilet in under a few minutes.

Keep reading to find out the fastest ways to unclog your toilet!

The fastest way to unclog a toilet

To unblock a toilet ASAP you need something slippery to put in your toilet, like soap. You can either use dish soap or hand soap and pour that into your toilet. Next, you’re going to get hot water and pour that into the toilet as well. The combination of hot water and soap should unclog your toilet fast.

The longer you let the soap and water combination sit, the better it will work. 15 minutes should do the trick. Make sure the water is not boiling as toilets are not meant to handle boiling water!

To create extra force you can pour the water in from a height. But be very careful as the water will be hot!

how to unclog a toilet fast

How to unclog a toilet without a plunger

Obviously, if you have tools like a plunger or a toilet snake it’s easy to unclog a toilet. But what if you don’t have any, or if you can’t run to the store?

You can use the following things to unclog a toilet without a plunger:

  • Hot water
  • Baking soda plus white vinegar
  • A toilet brush
  • A modified wired coat hanger

How to use hot water to unclog a toilet

An easy way to unclog your toilet is to pour hot water into it. Simply heat up a big amount of water (like half a gallon or so), and pour it down your toilet. The water should be very hot, but not boiling.

The material of your toilet wasn’t made to withstand boiling temperatures so don’t make your water too hot.

Pouring in the water from a height may also unclog your toilet faster, as the pressure may loosen anything that’s stuck. However, be very careful doing this as the hot water may splash onto you.

How to use baking soda and white vinegar to unclog a toilet

Put one cup of baking soda into your toilet and let it sit for a few minutes. Next, add one cup of white vinegar to the toilet. Let this also sit for a few minutes. Then flush your toilet to see if it is unclogged.

If there’s already a lot of water in your toilet scoop some of it out. The combination of baking soda and white vinegar will make your toilet water fizzle which may cause the toilet to overflow.

After waiting an hour or so you can repeat the process if this didn’t work.

How to unclog a toilet using a toilet brush

To unclog a toilet using a toilet brush simply push the toilet brush as far into your toilet as possible and make the same motion as you would do if you were to use a toilet plunger. It’s really worth a try.

This technique may be insufficient as a toilet brush doesn’t bend and might be too short, but when you’re in a rush this is an extra option to consider.

how to unclog a toilet fast

How to use a coat hanger to unclog a toilet

Grab a wired coat hanger and cut it so that you can bend it into a straight wire. Then you’re going to put a rag on the end of it so that the surface of the toilet won’t get scratched. Make sure the rag is secured to the hanger (with tape or a string). Then go into the toilet and try to poke around to see if you can dislodge anything.

Use an old thin sock if you don’t have any rags.

Work in a hygienic way when unclogging a toilet

Even though you are in a rush, try to work in a hygienic way. Use gloves to avoid getting in touch with bacteria. Try to cover up your nose and mouth if you can. Pull up your shirt to your nose if that’s all that you have. You want to avoid breathing in farticles (poop particles) as much as you can.

When unclogging a toilet always use:

  • Gloves
  • A mask if the toilet is extremely dirty

Again, be reminded to never use boiling water. Water used to unclog a toilet should be hot, but never boiling as it can cause your toilet to break!

It’s better to use a plunger than acid vinegar

Although many people recommend using vinegar to clean and unclog your toilet don’t do this regularly. The glaze on the toilet will be affected if you use acidic vinegar too often. Once the glaze on your toilet is damaged the color of your toilet will look dirty and bacteria will stick more easily.

Although it takes a while before this happens, it will shorten the life expectancy of your toilet.

A plunger, when used correctly, will simply unclog your toilet by forcefully pulling out any obstructions. No need for any acidic solutions!

What if any of these fast methods didn’t work?

If any of the earlier mentioned methods didn’t work you must handle the situation more aggressively. An option would be to buy an unclogging solution.

Something like Green Gobler main line opener & Toilet clog remover. They claim to be an environmentally friendly product which is great! Out of 28K reviews they score 4/5 stars on Amazon.

If an unclogging solution doesn’t work all you can do is check your pipers yourself or contact a local plumber.


Disclaimer: TheToiletSpecialist.com is not responsible for any damage caused to your toilet by (wrongly) interpreting information found on this site. Please seek custom advice from a professional to evaluate your current situation.