You probably know this scene: you walk into the bathroom, only to find the previous occupant left a problem for you to deal with. Gross.

4 Steps to Plunge Your Toilet With Ease

Plunging the toilet is a chore everyone has to do at one point or another. Below, our plumbers share their professional tips to help you plunge your toilet with ease:

Which Plunger is Best?

No two plungers are alike — especially the cup and flange plungers. A cup plunger looks like a stick with half a rubber coconut shell stuck to the end. This plunger is typically better for clearing clogs in bathtubs and sinks. The flange plunger looks like it has a round ball that has accordion-style flanges in its center. This design is intended for use on the curved basin of the toilet bowl and will help get the best suction possible.

Turn Off your Water

Turn the water supply to the toilet off at the local shut-off valve. This is typically located behind and under the toilet and can be rotated by hand — no tools necessary!

Flush the Toilet With Hot Water

Place some rags and old towels around the toilet to catch any accidental overflow. Then, add about half a gallon of extremely hot water into the toilet bowl to help loosen the clog. Let this sit for approximately five minutes. For minor clogs, this may actually fix the problem for you. For more serious clogs, move on to the last step.

Plunging the Toilet

Using your recommended tool from the first step, insert the plunger and forcefully push it up and down until the drain is clear. Your toilet should be clear in as little as thirty seconds. If not, give our team a call!