If you haven’t done so, read How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1, How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 2 and How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 3. You might find the answers you’re looking for.

PROBLEM: My toilet plunging efforts aren’t working.

Solution: Keep trying. If you’re using a good toilet plunger and have a good seal between the plunger and the toilet bowl, it’s usually just a matter of time before the clog either breaks up or is pushed through the toilet’s drainage system. Sometimes clogs break up after one or two solid plunges, but sometimes it takes considerable effort. How considerable? You might measure your plunging time by minutes rather than plunges.

PROBLEM: It’s still not working.

Solution: Go back through the basics. Make sure you’re using a good quality plunger with a toilet bowl flange, and go evaluate your technique. Reread How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1, How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 2 and How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 3.

Give yourself a rest if you need it, then try again.

STILL NOT WORKING? Perhaps it’s time to take more drastic measures, such as chemicals, a pipe snake tool or even a professional plumbing service.

If you haven’t read How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1 or How to Plunge a Toilet, Part 2, you should. Following those tips will make your plunging experience that much better. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

PROBLEM: The water is about to overflow!

Solution: Push the flapper valve down. The flapper valve is located at the very bottom of the toilet tank, and stops the water flow when it is lying flat against the tank. When this valve is open, or standing up, it sends water into the bowl. 

You’re going to get your hands wet, so be prepared – but it’s better to deal with the relatively clean water in the tank than the filthy water in the bowl.

Your other option is to manually raise the float assembly. It’s easy to spot, it’s just a rod joining the float (which, as its name implies, floats along the surface of the tank water) to the rest of the toilet’s mechanical parts. This assembly usually runs long-wise across the tank. Just grab it and lift. Doing this makes the toilet think its tank is full, and stops filling with water. Be warned, though, that if the valve is still open, water will continue running into the bowl.

This is why it’s a good idea to follow all the preparation steps outlined in How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1. Otherwise you’ll be scrambling to get a heavy porcelain tank lid off while dirty water spills over the toilet bowl rim.

PROBLEM: Water is sloshing everywhere!

Solution: Slow down. Sloshing water is often the result of plunging too fast. Think of plunging a toilet like playing golf, whereas technique is more important that speed. Solid, forceful plunges from a good plunger create a powerful clog-busting force, more so than rapid plunges.

Even so, you’re bound to get a little bit of slosh. But if you’ve slowed your pace and the water is still sloshing excessively, there’s a good chance you don’t have a good seal created between the plunger and the bowl. Instead of blasting the clog with a dynamic hydraulic force, the water is leaking past the plunger and creating tidal waves at the surface.

Make sure you’re using a good toilet plunger with an extended flange, and double check that you’ve created a good seal between the plunger and the mouth of the bowl. For more information, refer to How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1.

STILL NOT WORKING? More problems addressed in Part 4.

If you haven’t read How To Plunge a Toilet, Part 1 yet, you should. It could save you lots of frustration throughout the plunging process. Read Part 1 here.

STEP FOUR: Proper plunger placement.

Creating a good seal along the toilet bowl is key to a successful plunge. Make sure you’ve got the plunger’s flange inserted all the way into the toilet bowl’s flushway and maintain solid contact between the bottom of the plunger and the bowl. 

Depending on the toilet bowl’s contents, it’s not always possible to see what you’re doing. In such case you’ll have to work by feel. The good news is that it’s extremely easy to find the sweet spot with the toilet plunger flange, even in the worst visibility conditions.

Also worth noting: This may seem obvious, but take care when first inserting the plunger into the toilet bowl, especially one that’s over full. Toilets have a tendency to splash easily, and the goal is to keep the dirty toilet water in the toilet, not on the floor (or worse, on you!).

STEP FIVE: Power plunging.

Now that you’ve got a solid seal established between the plunger and the toilet bowl, it’s time to start having some toilet plunging fun. For the first plunge, slowly shove the plunger handle down towards the mouth of the toilet. This gets the air out of the plunger, as evident by the rising bubbles – and by doing this slowly, the contents of the toilet are less likely to bubble over the rim.

Now you’re ready to attack the clog. Using a forceful motion, drive the handle of the plunger towards the mouth of the toilet. Allow the plunger to regain its original shape, then repeat.

Try to use controlled motions. The goal is to avoid splashing dirty toilet water everywhere.

You’ll probably do this several times before the clog breaks up. You might even feel a slight suction. This is a good sign, it means the clog is moving through the toilet’s drain system (and creating a vacuum force along the way).

You might also notice a change in sounds. When shallow-sounding “Swishes” turn into deeper “Swooshes,” it’s a sign that the clog is moving through.

STEP SIX: Flushing through.

If the water level in the toilet bowl was abnormally high (and not draining at all), you probably won’t need to flush until the clog passes through. But in the event that the water level drops below the normal water mark, you’ll need to flush.

Why? Because toilet plungers work by either forcing water towards the clog (down stroke) or by pulling the clog back towards the bowl via a water vacuum (up stroke). Since water doesn’t compress like air does, the plunger actually creates very powerful dynamic forces… but only when completely submerged. If the water level is insufficient, the plunger will push air instead, which produces a much weaker force.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED: Dealing with Plunging Problems, continue to Part 3.

Let’s get straight to the point. You’re probably only reading this page for one reason: you’ve got a plugged up toilet in need of a good plunging. So let’s get right to it.

Step One: Access the situation.

How full is the toilet bowl? If the water is near the top, you’re likely going to end up with a mess on the floor. Though we’ll do our best to avoid this as we go along, it’s best to be prepared now. Grab what you can to soak up any accidental spillage, such as a mop or some old towels. Keep in mind the kind of water that you’ll likely be dealing with, and choose your materials accordingly.

Step Two: Take the top off the tank.

Removing the tank lid grants you access to the toilet’s mechanical parts, which will prove invaluable if/when you need to shut the water supply off in a hurry (i.e. when the bowl is about to over flow). This step isn’t always necessary, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. It’s a lot easier to do this now than later, especially when you’re racing against a rising tide.

Step Three: Get your plunger ready.

If you have one, go get it. If you don’t have one, now is the time to buy one. For the greatest plunging power, choose one specifically designed for toilets. Look for a plunger with a flange designed to fit into the bottom of the bowl.

Generally speaking, it’s best to stay away from the ‘traditional’ bell-shaped plungers without a flange. Those work best for sinks and other flat surface drains; but offer minimal plunging power in a toilet.

Now You’re Ready to Plunge, continue to Part 2.