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The Most Important Tips to Help You Plunge Your Toilet Correctly


Few things are as frustrating as a clogged toilet. You know the one – you cannot fully flush the toilet and standing water is slowly filling up and rising perilously close to the rim of your toilet bowl, threatening to spill over at any moment.

All homeowners should have a proper toilet plunger on hand in each bathroom for situations with a clog in a toilet drain. It seems like a simple thing, to unclog a toilet with a plunger, but you need to know how to do it the right way. Rather than trying to furiously plunge the toilet and risk making the mess worse, follow these tips on how to plunge a toilet correctly.

The licensed plumbers of Williams Comfort Air share expert tips for plunging the toilet properly. With the right plunger and proper technique, you can clear toilet clogs in no time! As always, if you still have trouble with a clogged toilet drain after you plunge, please call us to set up a service appointment with a professional plumber.

Types of Plungers

There are several different kinds of plungers out there. How do you know which is the right one to use when unclogging a toilet? Before you start plunging the toilet, read on to find out which plunger is the right tool for this task.

Flange Plunger

A toilet plunger is a tool that is used to unclog a toilet. It is cone-shaped with a flat bottom and a long handle. This plunger not only has the cup like that of a sink plunger but also features an extra rubber flap which folds out from inside, giving it the name of flange plunger as well. The extended flange allows for superior suction power when needed and helps to keep your bathroom looking tidy! The flange can be tucked away so you’re able use this as just regular ol’ cup-style plunger without any added hassle or confusion about what is supposed go where.

Toilet plungers are usually made of rubber or plastic. Rubber toilet plungers are more durable and have more suction power than plastic plungers. The soft rubber cup exterior provides enough traction against hard surfaces while still remaining gentle on delicate ones.

The plunger is placed over the toilet drain hole to form a tight seal against the drain opening. The handle is pushed and pulled to create suction. This suction loosens the clog so that it can be flushed away. plungers are also used to unclog sink drains. Toilet plungers should be stored in a dry place out of reach of children.

Accordion Plunger

The accordion plunger is another type of toilet plunger. Some folks may find these plungers easy to use because of their accordion-style design. While this feature makes them ideal for certain jobs such as unclogging toilets, the accordion toilet plunger can be problematic when attempting to form a good seal over your toilet’s drain hole. You’ll likely be battling the plunger’s rigid design in order to accomplish this correctly.

While these plungers are made of hard plastic and are therefore durable, they aren’t as easy to control as other types of plungers with a flange. The flange on these tools is smaller than that on standard toilet plungers, but it’s large enough to accomplish its purpose. In order to make sure your toilet bowl doesn’t get scratched while using one of these plungers, always push it down into the drain slowly and carefully.

Sink Plunger / Cup Plunger

A sink plunger is a tool that is used to unclog drains. It is usually made of rubber or plastic and has a cup-shaped head that is connected to a wooden or metal handle. To use a sink plunger, you first need to fill the sink with enough water to cover the plunger head. Then, place the plunger over the drain and push and pull the handle up and down. The goal is to create suction that will help to break up the clog. If you’re plunging a toilet, you’ll need to put the plunger over the hole at the bottom of the bowl and rock it back and forth until the clog is gone. Sink plungers can be used on most types of drains, including bathtub drains, shower drains, and kitchen sinks. They can also be used on humidifiers in winter.

Select the Right Plunger for Fixing a Clogged Toilet

Some people think that any plunger can be used to unclog a toilet, but that’s not the case. If you use the wrong plunger, you could end up making the problem worse. Toilet plungers come in two different types: flanged and accordion. Each type is designed for a specific type of toilet, so it’s important to choose the right one. A flanged plunger has a wide, flat base that fits snugly over the drain hole in a standard toilet. An accordion plunger has a smaller base with ridges or fins that help to create a seal.

If you’re not sure which type of plunger to use, ask a hardware store employee for help. Don’t try to use a cup plunger – it won’t work and you could end up making a mess. With the right tool, unclogging a toilet is easy. Just remember to use the right plunger for the job.

How to Plunge a Toilet the Right Way

When it comes to plunging a toilet, there is a correct way to do it in order to avoid any messy work and unsanitary mistakes. The following steps will help you properly plunge your toilet.

Tools You’ll Need

If you’ve ever had a clogged toilet, you know the feeling of panic that sets in when you flush and the water starts to rise. But don’t worry, unclogging a toilet is not as difficult as it might seem. In most cases, all you need is a plunger and a little elbow grease. Before you begin, put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands.

Troubleshoot First

Clogged toilets are a frustrating problem, but there’s no need to call a plumber just yet. Before you start trying to unclog the toilet by plunging, there’s a simple trick that may just do the trick. Remove the toilet tank lid and raise the toilet flapper valve slightly to allow a cup or two of water into the toilet bowl.

If the water goes down, great! If not, you may need to put your muscle into it after all. But before you do, make sure you have some towels handy. Flushing a clogged toilet can sometimes cause a bit of a flood! But with this simple tip, you may be able to avoid that mess altogether.

Start Plunging

Most everyone has had the experience of a toilet that won’t flush properly. While it can be tempting to just leave it for someone else to deal with, plunging a toilet is actually really easy – and only takes a few minutes. So, next time you’re faced with a clogged toilet, follow these simple steps:

  1. Start by removing any solid waste from the bowl. This will make it easier to plunge and will help to prevent you from spreading any bacteria.
  2. If there is not enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger cup, add just enough water to the toilet bowl.
  3. Place the plunger over the hole in the bottom of the bowl and push down firmly. Be sure to keep a tight seal so that all of the suction goes into the hole.
  4. Keep plunging up and down until the water starts to drain. If it seems like the clog is not budging, try adding hot water and plunging again.

When you’re faced with a clogged toilet, the first impulse is often to give it a good, hard plunge. However, this can actually do more harm than good. The plunger cup is designed to create suction, and when it’s first placed into the water, it’s still holding air. A vigorous plunge could send water flying up out of the toilet bowl, making a mess and leaving you with an even bigger problem. Instead, start slowly with a gentle push-and-pull plunging force motion to get the suction going. Once the cup has formed a seal, you can then increase the pressure to help break up the clog. With a little patience and care, you’ll have that toilet unclogged in no time.

Maintain a tight seal between the plunger and the toilet drain hole as you plunge. Sometimes it is helpful to alternate the intensity of your plunges, varying between medium to heavy force. Plunge the toilet about 15 to 20 times then reassess the clog.

Help for Tough Toilet Clogs

Plunging a toilet is an essential skill for every homeowner. If you’re not sure how to plunge a toilet correctly, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these tips from our team. Follow these steps and your clogged toilet will be good as new in no time. Need help unclogging a toilet? Call our plumbers today!

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