{"id":1278,"date":"2023-03-13T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/?p=1278"},"modified":"2026-09-28T17:45:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T22:45:36","slug":"tips-to-diy-fix-your-clogged-toilet-without-calling-a-professional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/tips-to-diy-fix-your-clogged-toilet-without-calling-a-professional\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips to DIY Fix Your Clogged Toilet Without Calling a Professional"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Clogged-Drains_128x128.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Clogged-Drains_128x128.png\" alt=\"clogged-drain\" class=\"wp-image-1279\" style=\"width:128px;height:128px\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Dealing with a clogged toilet is never a fun time, especially if a water spill came with it. It happens at one point or another, but not every clogged toilet requires a professional plumber to fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"\/plumbing\/fixtures\/toilets\" target=\"_blank\">clogged toilet fix tips in St. Peters, MO<\/a> for our local customers to try before they call for a plumber. If these work, that\u2019s great, but if not, you might have a larger problem on your hands. If so, you know we&#8217;re here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Does a Clogged Toilet Need Professional Plumbing Repair?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some toilet clogs can be cleared with basic DIY methods, but persistent problems may require professional plumbing repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A plunger does not clear the blockage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The toilet remains clogged after using a toilet snake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water drains slowly or does not flow properly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The blockage appears to be deeper in the plumbing system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/why-does-my-toilet-keep-clogging\/\"> toilet keeps clogging<\/a> after temporary fixes<strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Bathroom plumbing repair can identify the source of the problem and restore proper drainage before the issue gets worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Unclog a Toilet With a Plunger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s best to start with the old reliable tactic: plunging. There\u2019s a trick to using it, in case you didn\u2019t know. You have to create a good seal, which isn\u2019t always as straightforward as you might think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are different toilet bowl shapes that can make it difficult to form a quality seal on the drain. Position the plunger over the drain, then push down in the direct center. If you feel it out, the weak points\/gaps in the seal will become apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reposition the plunger to focus on those areas first and it&#8217;ll be much easier to create a good seal. Push down, pull up, and do your best to dislodge whatever\u2019s clogging the drain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Unclog a Toilet With Baking Soda and Vinegar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One part vinegar, one part baking soda. This concoction helps break up clogs, though it won\u2019t work on solid items such as a child\u2019s toy or a toilet paper roller (you don\u2019t want to send those all the way down the drain).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This should break up organic matter and toilet paper enough to send it down the drain. This mixture is also safe for drains, unlike chemicals that are designed to unclog drains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/store-bought-drain-cleaners-ruin-plumbing\/\">Those drain-cleaning chemicals<\/a> can actually damage your pipes and cause leaks and the risk is even higher if you have old pipes. Baking soda and vinegar is the best option to try here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Unclog a Toilet With a Plumbing Snake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If the plunger can\u2019t do the trick, a snake will. It\u2019s a flexible, wire-like tool that you push down into the toilet drain to clear the clog out. You want to be gentle until you find the clog, then a little harsher to unclog it. If it\u2019s organic matter or toilet paper, it should travel through the pipes and unclog your toilet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toilet snakes aren\u2019t something that everyone has lying around. If you need, you can rent one from a local department store, but for a one-time use like this, it can be expensive. That, and you don\u2019t know if you cleared the clog properly or just pushed it down further. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/slow-flushing-toilet-heres-how-to-fix-it\/\">toilet still flushes slowly<\/a> after clearing the clog, there may be another cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not keen on using a toilet snake, you should hire professionals to handle this for you as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Call a Plumber for a Clogged Toilet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If all is well and good, your toilet water should be flowing again and going straight down the drain with no blockage or issues. If not, the clog could be in the pipes and require a professional touch. That\u2019s what you have us for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/contact\/send-message\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Contact Performance Plumbing today<\/strong><\/a><strong> to set up an appointment with a plumber to fix your toilet as soon as possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Toilet clogs are an inconvenience. Finding the right way to unclog them without calling for repairs shouldn&#8217;t be. Let&#8217;s help by giving you DIY options.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[110,126],"class_list":["post-1278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plumbing-service","tag-st-peters","tag-toilet-repair"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1278"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1955,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1278\/revisions\/1955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.performanceplumbinginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}