Do you find yourself reaching for the plunger when the toilet clogs? What happens when you suddenly find yourself without one or – heaven forbid – you really don’t have one? Luckily, there are ways to clear a clogged toilet without using a plunger.

However, it’s not in all cases where you can go sans plunger. For instance, when the toilet is overflowing, it’s best to manually remove the water (it’s going to be gross for sure, but it has to be done) before trying out different solutions.

But if you have the regular clogged toilet case, then the guide presented here will try and help you fix the issue. Before knowing how to solve your toilet clog, it’s best to know what caused it in the first place.

Toilet Clog Causes

There are many reasons a toilet may clog, some of them not entirely your fault (you may have just moved in) and some are most likely your fault. Knowing the reasons for getting a clogged toilet will help you avoid them in the future or at least lessen the occurrence. Or, knowing which causes issues helps you quickly decide whether to call a professional plumber or try some remedies yourself.

That said, here are the most common reasons for toilets getting clogged:

A malfunction of the septic system.
If this is the root cause, then you have to call a licensed plumber to deal with it. Doing so allows them to verify that the issue isn’t caused by a much larger issue.

A collapse of the pipe.
Decay and collapse is very likely to happen when pipes are old. When this happens, the system starts to clog. The problem is so much larger when your toilet starts to clog.

A pipe blockage.
This occurs when the pipe clogs, and the most common culprit for this happening are tree roots that have breached the pipe.

An issue with water pressure.
When water pressure is low, the system cannot clear fully. As a result, a bottleneck occurs and then a clog follows.

A reservoir malfunction.
A toilet system needs a certain amount of water in order to perform a flush successfully. In the instance that the reservoir doesn’t fill properly, a clog will occur.

A malfunction of an interior apparatus.
All of these parts need to function in order for a successful flush to happen. The good news is that you don’t have to replace your entire toilet when it does – just the parts that are broken.

A toilet that is unleveled.
There are several reasons why this could happen and this includes subfloor decay. However, this usually happens when the toilet wasn’t properly installed.

It was overused.
Yes, it is understandable that we need to go to the bathroom more than once in a single day. However, most of those who call for plumbing services to deal with clogged toilets usually do so after events like parties have taken place. The number of people who had to use the bathroom overwhelmed the toilet system or a large number of people flushed toilet paper rather than dumped it in the bin.

It was stuffed with toilet paper.
Chucking toilet paper into the bowl does not help your toilet at all. Toilet paper is best thrown into the waste bin as too much of them can overwhelm the system. Also related to stuffing is losing children’s toys in the bowl. Whether toys were accidentally flushed or it wasn’t done on purpose, this is enough to cause a drain in the system.

Clearing Toilet Clog Without The Aid Of a Plunger

There are a couple of ways to clear a toilet without a plunger, two of which will be outlined here.

Method #1: Using liquid dishwashing soap
Dishwashing soap dissolves grease in the kitchen sink. It can be used in this sense because it will break up fat in the clog. In case you don’t have dishwashing soap, shampoo or bits of bar soap will work as well.

Pour a generous amount of dishwashing soap into the bowl.
Pour four cups of hot water into the toilet. Keep in mind that hot water hear means water from the tap and not one you boiled. The hot water will be used to activate the soap.
Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
Flush the toilet.

Method #2: Using bleach
When you fear a much more serious clog, using this method works best.

Pour two to three cups of household bleach into the bowl.
Add about one cup of powdered soap (conventional dishwasher soap works fine).
Let it sit for about 10 minutes to ensure the chemicals start doing their work.
Flush the toilet.

Additional Notes
Just in case you’re at a friends house when a clog occurs and you’re too ashamed to tell them about it, try searching the bathroom for items you can use. Bath bombs and epsom salts can help get things flowing again.

In case none of the ideas here worked, you can use a toilet brush like you would a plunger. Make sure to push the bristles into the hole then give it a few strong pumps then move away. Doing this sounds gross but something needs to be done.

Avoiding Toilet Clogs

Knowing the causes of toilet clogs gives you an idea on how to fix the issue. And having experienced a clog gives you insight on what you shouldn’t do. Here’s some ideas on how to avoid toilet clogs in the future:

Don’t dump toilet paper into the bowl.
Yes, toilet paper will vanish from sight along with whatever was excreted when you flush the toilet. However, too much of it will most definitely clog the system up. Other than toilet paper, facial tissues, wipes, napkins, paper towels, floss, feminine hygiene products, grease, medication, plastic and diapers should never be thrown into the bowl.

Keep a close eye on the children.
Little ones love playing around and sometimes they end up in the bathroom. Keeping a close eye on them helps prevent them from bringing small toys into the bathroom and mischievously flushing them down the toilet.