Big bowel movements can clog a toilet. At home it's annoying. At a friend's house it can become incredibly embarrassing.
Once treated, fecal impaction goes away quickly. Over-the-counter stool softeners, enemas, rectal suppositories, and oral laxatives can help you soften and eliminate the stool.
Poop that's sticky, greasy, and difficult to flush can indicate a problem with digesting dietary fats. Many health conditions can cause poor fat digestion, including celiac disease, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, lactose intolerance, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Before you try plunging, make sure your first plunge is soft. The plunger is full of air and a hard push will release a massive air bubble in the clogged toilet bowl, causing a large amount of water to splash back at you. Wait 10-15 minutes, as some water might drain on its own.
Is it okay to leave a clogged toilet overnight? In most cases, you can leave a clogged toilet overnight. However, calling an emergency plumber near you might be warranted if water starts leaking from the pipes. A simple clog likely won't cause this, but an inexperienced homeowner messing with the plumbing could.
Stop Flushing!
This can create a much bigger (and must smellier) mess. You should never flush a clogged toilet more than once. Instead, take the lid off the back of the toilet and close the flapper. This will prevent any more water from running into the toilet bowl while you're working.
Clear a Clogged Toilet
A clog is the most common reason for a toilet that doesn't flush. Clogs can range in severity, from a complete blockage to a partial obstruction. Wipes, toilet paper and other items can build up in sewer lines, which could result in slow flushing that doesn't completely clear the bowl.
If you have a toilet that doesn't fully flush, common causes include a clog in the trap, a worn-out flapper, blocked rim jets, a faulty float, or an issue with the handle and chain.
The most common treatment for a fecal impaction is an enema, which is a special fluid that your doctor inserts into your rectum to soften your stool. An enema often makes you have bowel movements, so it's possible that you'll be able to push out the mass of stool on your own once it's been softened by the enema.
So, clogs that are primarily made of toilet paper can clear themselves. So can clogs made of feces, which is mainly composed of water and will, on a long enough timeline, dissolve.
A lubricated, gloved index finger is inserted into the rectum and the hardened stool is gently broken up using a scissoring motion. The finger is then moved in a circular manner, bent slightly and removed, extracting stool with it. This maneuver is repeated until the rectum is cleared of hardened stool.
Caustic Soda
Caustic soda is a nasty chemical that can burn, but it's very effective for unclogging toilets. To use this chemical, you need to get some rubber gloves and eye protection. You can pick the chemical from the local hardware or grocery stores.
Use Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Hot Water
Just like with clogged kitchen sinks, these three products can work wonders when dealing with clogged toilets. All you need to do is pour a cup of baking soda, 4 cups of boiling water, and a cup of vinegar into the toilet.
Experts agree: Drano Max Gel is the best overall drain cleaner because it works quickly to get rid of tough clogs.
If a plunger or plumbing snake doesn't work, water and soap might do the trick. Boil a gallon of water and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. As you wait, pour a cup of liquid dish soap into the toilet bowl. You can then pour the water slowly into the bowl — leave it for about 20 minutes before flushing.
While it is okay to pour boiling water down sink drains, you should never use boiling water in your toilet, as the heat can cause the porcelain to crack. Instead, run your tub until the water is hot and fill a good-sized stockpot or bucket with it.
Check water level in toilet bowl
Listen for a gurgling sound from the drain (a good sign) and check the water level in the toilet bowl. If nearly all the water drained from the bowl, then you've probably cleared the clog.
The simple fact behind the constant clogging may be that your toilet bowl is old. You may have a first-generation, low flow design. The low flow design was created to help homeowners save on water, but the earliest models ended up lacking the necessary pressure to properly clear the internal trap and drain.
The longer you leave a clog, the more opportunities there are for the clog to get worse. The most water-soluble parts of the clog will dissolve, and the rest will fill in the gaps, making the clog worse. There is also the possibility that human error could come into play.
Firstly, pour half a cup of baking soda into your toilet bowl and then pour half a cup of white vinegar on top of it. Though this could work on its own, pour between two and three litres of warm water to help with the reaction.
Coke and Pepsi are loaded with phosphoric acid, which breaks down the buildup that can clog your drains! Phosphoric acid can even remove lime scale and another tough buildup that regular cleaners struggle with. This is an effective and refreshing home remedy if we ever saw one!
Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a strong acid that is commonly used to dissolve clogs in drains. This acid works by breaking down organic materials such as hair, grease, and soap scum that can accumulate in pipes and cause blockages.
“It would be an emergency if you hadn't had a bowel movement for a prolonged time, and you're also experiencing major bloating or severe abdominal pain,” notes Dr. Zutshi. Slight symptoms will not take you to the emergency room. You should go to the emergency room if your symptoms are severe.