If you have a blocked toilet to deal with, then a plunger is the ideal tool. Plungers are great for creating a vacuum-like seal around a toilet or a drain and forcing the material that is preventing the water from flowing to unclog using a back and forth suction motion. With sufficient effort, it becomes possible to unblock toilets and drains with a plunger even if the blockage is quite severe. What should you do if you don't have a plunger available?
Use a Mop
If your shove a mop into a blocked toilet bowl, then it can often have a similar effect to that of a plunger. However, your mop can soon become dirty if it is placed into the foul water beyond the seal of a blocked up U-bend. In order to protect the fibres of your mop and to create a better seal on the sides of the toilet bowl, place the head of your mop in a strong plastic band. Fix this in place with an elastic band. Ideally, the covered head of the mop will create a vacuum at the sides of the bowl and you can use the same up and down motion you would have done with a plunger to shift the blockage.
Unclog with a Coat Hanger
Wire coat hangers are flexible enough to reach around a U-bend and these are quite useful makeshift tools for clearing local blockages, for example from too much toilet paper having been placed in the pan. A good tip is to use a plastic coated wire coat hanger which won't scrape your toilet. You should bend it over onto itself to form a vee-shape. Wear a pair of rubber gloves and shove the folded-over end into the blocked area. Holding on to the other end, gently work the coat hanger from side to side and back and forth. If you feel resistance, then it usually means you have reach the problem area. Once the toilet has been unclogged dispose of the coat hanger.
Get Professional Help
Most people agree that unblocking a toilet is not exactly an enjoyable job and it is even harder to do without the right tools. By calling a plumber to do the work for you, you can save yourself from considerable physical effort — not to mention being splashed by potentially foul water. Of course, even with a plunger, some blockages are too far down the system to be able to clear using one. If so, you are likely to need a plumber to work on your drains anyway.
