How do I stop my toilet from clogging?

Most toilet clogs are caused by what goes into the bowl, so most of the prevention is a habit: flush only toilet paper and human waste, and not too much paper at once. Add clean rim holes, a proper plunger kept within reach, and no chemical drain cleaners, and a household toilet should rarely need more. When clogs keep coming back anyway, the cause is usually the toilet's design or the drain line beyond it.

Flush only what breaks apart

The City of Salem puts the rule plainly: "The only items that should ever be washed down the sink or flushed down the toilet are natural, organic materials that would break apart easily in one's hands."^[1] Toilet paper does that. Almost nothing else sold for the bathroom does.

Salem and Alexandria give much the same advice about what to keep out, and Fairfax County adds a list for homes on grinder pumps:

• Wipes, including "flushable" ones. Salem lists wet wipes, diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, paper towels, cardboard and cloth as things never to flush, and warns that even wipes labeled "flushable" build up in pipes and cause blockages.^[1]
• Personal care items. Alexandria tells residents not to flush so-called "flushable" wipes, paper towels, condoms, tissues, feminine care products or cotton swabs, and to put them in the trash instead.^[2]
• Medications. Alexandria also asks residents not to flush medications, and to mix them with kitty litter or used coffee grounds in a sealed bag in the trash instead.^[2]
• Cloth, toys and grease, on a grinder pump. For homes on a low-pressure sewer that uses a grinder pump, Fairfax County's list of things never to put in sinks, toilets or drains includes diapers, socks, rags or cloth of any kind, plastic objects such as toys, and cooking grease, which the county says can damage the pump or cause blockages.^[3]

The easiest way to make this stick is a lidded trash can in every bathroom. In a house with toddlers, a toilet lid lock keeps toys out of the bowl.

Use less paper per flush

Large wads of paper often cause clogs on their own. When a lot of paper is needed, flushing partway through is easier on the toilet than sending it all at once. Oatey also suggests a bidet as a way to limit toilet paper use.^[4]

Keep the flush strong

A toilet clears waste with a rush of water from the tank through the holes under the rim and the jet at the bottom of the bowl. Oatey notes that mineral buildup in the rim holes reduces flush efficiency,^[5] and Oatey's maintenance advice is to clean the water jets around the rim weekly.^[4] A toilet brush with a narrow head, or a bent wire, clears the holes.

Make sure the tank fills to its marked water line and the flapper chain has a little slack. A tank that fills short, or a flapper that drops before the tank empties, can give a weak flush that leaves waste in the trap.

Plunge early, and properly

A slow-draining bowl is a warning. Deal with it then, before it becomes a full clog.

A flange plunger is the right tool for a toilet because it creates a better seal.^[4] If the water is rising toward the rim, turn off the supply valve behind the toilet first so it does not overflow.^[4] Seat the plunger in the outlet. Push down gently to create a seal, then pull up sharply, repeating quickly, and keep some water in the bowl, because it helps push the blockage through.^[4] Once it drains, flush a second time so the waste does not stop farther down the pipe.^[4]

If plunging does not work, a toilet auger (a short snake with a bend and a guard that protects the porcelain) is the next step.

Skip the chemicals

Oatey's technical team does not recommend drain cleaners for toilets, because the harsh chemicals can damage the toilet's finish,^[4] and it advises against improvised tools that can melt the wax seal or scratch the porcelain.^[4]

When the toilet itself is the problem

Some toilets clog because of how they were made. EPA notes that the early low-flow toilets of the 1990s were sometimes associated with performance issues such as needing a double flush.^[7] WaterSense labeled toilets sold today are certified for clearing waste from the bowl and carrying it through the drain line,^[7] so replacing an early low-flow model often ends the habit. See whether to repair or replace an old toilet.

When it is the drain line

A toilet that clogs while you are flushing only paper, especially if a tub or floor drain gurgles or backs up at the same time, points past the toilet. Fairfax County's sewer guidance draws the line this way: if the backup occurs only when facilities such as a toilet, tub, washer or sinks are used, you may need a plumber; if sewage backs up when nothing is being used, there may be a problem in the county main line.^[3] Fairfax County asks residents to call the county before calling a plumber when they think a sewer backup is in the county main line.^[3] Other Virginia localities run their own sewer lines and have their own numbers, so check your utility's.

Stop and call a pro if

• A chemical drain cleaner is already in the bowl. Do not plunge or auger it. Clorox, the maker of Liquid-Plumr, does not recommend using a plunger when a clog remover is in the drain, because plunging can splash the product back onto you or your clothing.^[6] Tell the plumber what you poured and when.
• Plunging and a toilet auger do not clear it, or the clog comes back within days.
• Other drains gurgle, bubble or back up when the toilet is flushed.
• Sewage comes up in a tub, shower or floor drain. Stop using water and call your sewer utility or a plumber. Protect yourself, other people and pets from contact with the wastewater, which the City of Salem warns can contain harmful bacteria and chemicals.^[1] See when to call a plumber for a clogged drain.
• Something solid is stuck in the trap, such as a toy or a phone, and an auger will not bring it back. The toilet may need to come off the floor.

For the rest of the house, read how to keep drains from clogging.

Getting help on Loclis

Licensed plumbers on Loclis clear toilet clogs and drain lines. Browse toilet repair and installation, find plumbers in Blacksburg, or see every plumbing answer.

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