Can I use a snake to unclog a toilet?

To clear a clog in your toilet without a plunger, or if plunging hasn't worked, a toilet snake can help you return to a functioning flush (sigh of relief). To get started, put on a pair of rubber gloves and make sure you've located the water supply in case you need to quickly restrict the water flow.
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Can I use a regular snake on a toilet?

Although technically you can use a regular snake (instead of a toilet snake) to unclog a toilet you really should not. The reason being that a regular snake can damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl. A toilet snake (aka toilet auger) is specifically designed to be used on toilets and will not cause any damage.
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How do you unblock a badly clogged toilet?

How Do You Unblock a Badly Clogged Toilet?
  1. Ways to Unclog Your Toilet.
  2. Lubricate the Blockage With Dish Soap.
  3. Make a Coat Hanger Snake.
  4. Break Up the Clog With Hot Water or Drain Cleaner.
  5. Mix Your Own Declogger.
  6. Plunge Using a Plastic Bottle.
  7. Unblock Your Toilet With Vinegar and Baking Soda.
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How do you make a snake for a clogged toilet?

The most common item recommended to create a homemade toilet snake is a wire clothes hanger. Unwind the triangular part of your hanger, but leave the hook on the end in place. Feed this down your toilet and once your hit resistance, pull back. The hook should grab onto your clog and help loosen it.
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Will a toilet eventually unclog itself?

A clogged toilet will typically unclog itself over time. Most things that clog a toilet are water-soluble which means they will eventually dissolve in the toilet water. When the clog is given enough time to break down, the pressure of a flush should be enough to clear the pipes.
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Don't Use Drain Snake in Toilet. Best Way to Unclog Toilet Bowl



What do plumbers use to unblock toilets?

Plungers are the plumber's favourite tool as they can be used to unblock waste pipes of all kinds. Plungers are highly effective provided the blockage is not solid.
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What can naturally unclog a toilet?

How to Unclog a Toilet with Baking Soda and Vinegar
  1. Check and, if necessary, adjust the water level in the bowl. ...
  2. Pour one cup of baking soda into the bowl.
  3. Slowly pour one cup of vinegar into the bowl. ...
  4. Allow the fizz to sit for at least 20 minutes.
  5. See if it worked.
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What is the difference between a toilet auger and a snake?

Drain snakes work for smaller drains like your kitchen or bathroom sink. Drain augers tackle larger pipes like your toilet or shower drain.
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Are toilet augers safe?

In fact, it can cause more harm than good, as it can cause the porcelain in your toilet to crack or chip. It can also cause pipe damage or even full breakage. When using a snake, however, the key is to slowly feed the wire coil into your toilet's pipe.
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How long does it take to snake a toilet?

How Long Does It Take To Snake A Drain? Plumbers take about five minutes to snake a drain for clogs located near the tub, toilet, or sink. Main line sewer clogs can take hours to snake, depending on the length and number of pipes affected.
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How can I unblock my toilet without a plunger?

As an alternative to using dish soap and no plunger, try this all-natural solution. Pour one cup baking soda and two cups vinegar into the toilet. Allow it fizz for a half hour. If clog doesn't dissipate, try the hot water trick.
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Will boiling water unclog a toilet?

Pouring boiling water into your toilet bowl can cause it to crack, which would leave you in an even worse situation. Fill the toilet with the hot water. The heat, combined with the movement of the water, should help to break up and remove the clog.
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Does Coke unclog a toilet?

Coke and Pepsi are loaded with phosphoric acid, which breaks down buildup that can clog your drains! Phosphoric acid can even remove lime scale and other tough buildup that regular cleaners struggle with. This is an effective and refreshing home remedy if we ever saw one!
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Can a drain snake break a pipe?

Drain Snakes Can Damage Pipes

While billed as devices that are easy to use by anyone and everyone, drain snakes can be hard to manage, and if used improperly, can damage pipes. Old pipes in many homes are galvanized, or coated in zinc, which was done to prevent the pipe from rusting or corroding.
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Can I snake my own drain?

For smaller clogs, snaking your own drain is possible. Routine, minor sink clogs from hairballs or food remnants are typically located in the U-shaped trap directly below the sink or only a few feet deeper in the drainpipe. They may be cleared by using a light-gauge, hand-operated auger.
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Why does my toilet keep clogging?

Below are the most common reasons a toilet keeps clogging: Toilet is an older low flow model. Too much toilet tissue is flushed. Non-flushable items are flushed.
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Is a toilet auger better than a plunger?

Although different styles of plunger work on sink drains and toilets, plungers tend to be most effective on toilets. Snakes, or drain augers, are used for stubborn blockages in sink or toilet drain lines. A cable auger is a flexible cable with a cutting head or corkscrew attachment on the end.
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What is the best liquid to unclog toilet?

These are the best drain cleaners, according to testing:
  • Best Overall Drain Cleaner: Drano Max Gel Liquid Clog Remover.
  • Best Drain Cleaner for Hair Clogs: Liquid Plumr Clog Destroyer + Hair Clog Eliminator.
  • Best Single-Use Drain Cleaner: Green Gobbler Drain Opening Pacs.
  • Best Enzymatic Drain Cleaner: Bio Clean.
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Is it worth buying a drain snake?

First of all, a drain snake is a good item to keep handy in a home. A basic hand-crank drain snake (a.k.a. a drain auger) is a much better option for getting rid of a minor clog than resorting to chemical drain cleaners. In fact, you should never use these chemicals on your drains!
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How do you make a makeshift drain snake?

How to Make a Snake for Unclogging a Shower Drain
  1. Unwind a Coat Hanger. Disassemble the coat hanger by unwinding the looped end of the wire from the hook part of the hanger, advises Modern Era Plumbing & Gas Solutions. ...
  2. Create a Nub. ...
  3. Press Sticky Tape Onto the Nub. ...
  4. Place the Snake in the Drain. ...
  5. Run Hot Water. ...
  6. Clean the Shower.
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What is a toilet auger?

What Is a Toilet Auger? A toilet auger is a specialized form of drain snake. Like other types of drain snakes, it has a handle that rotates a flexible metal cable that can bore through drain clogs.
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Can Apple cider vinegar unclog a toilet?

Slowly pour in 1 cup of vinegar (white or apple cider) and the solution will begin to fizz. Let sit for 20 minutes, then flush down the toilet.. Check that the toilet is once again draining normally. If the toilet is still not draining, you can repeat this process a few more times, or let the solution sit overnight.
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