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Let’s be honest here and all agree that a clogged toilet is the absolute worst.
A clogged toilet is the absolute worst because we use the commode multiple times a day and when it doesn’t want to work, we have to deal with the messy consequences.
If you are a homeowner, you understand that trying to fix a clogged toilet can be a huge hassle. Especially if it is something you have to do multiple times.
It’s embarrassing, trying to explain to house guests why they can’t use the bathroom. Or having that uncomfortable feeling after doing your business and then watching the water praying, hoping that everything goes down.
Your heart begins to beat faster, and you may even hold your breath.
We’ve all been there. We finish our business and turn around to flush, and we see it. The water rushing up to the edge of the toilet and you standing completely frozen hoping you can will the water to go down.
Usually, it doesn’t go down so you now you have to deal with this watery, nasty mess ruining your bathroom floor.
You’ve probably tried different methods keeping your toilet unclogged. You have a trusty plunger by the commode just in case, but in reality, you are tired of relying on it to keep your pipes free from blockage.
And plungers are a breeding ground for unwanted bacteria in your bathroom, especially if you don’t clean it after every use.
You’ve also probably tried using Drano or other products out there that promise an unclogged pipe. But unfortunately, a lot of cleaning products contain harsh chemicals.
Those harsh chemicals can not only wreak havoc on your pipes but do some serious damage to your health as well
Chemicals: The Danger Of Drano
Drano is an excellent product for heavy duty clogs, but what it does to your pipes and your health is not worth Drano’s power. The harsh chemicals in Drano cause a lot of unwanted stresses to your home.
Drano can hurt old or plastic pipes, especially after frequent uses. The toxic ingredients causes wear and tear to your pipes. If your toilet continually clogs and you always use Drano to clear it out, you may be doing some severe damage to your piping.
Not only will you have to deal with a clogged toilet, you’ll have to deal with a burst pipe.
If you own a home, you don’t want to deal with that. A burst pipe can be costly and extremely damaging to your property.
Not only is Drano a danger to your pipes, but it is also a danger to your health. The ingredients found in Drano cause some very undesirable results to your body.
Drano contains lye, bleach, and other highly toxic materials. The active ingredients found in Drano can cause severe, life-threatening symptoms as well as rashes and chemical burns.
When unclogging a toilet, you shouldn’t have to worry about your safety or the safety of your family.
Drano is also a terror to septic tanks. Drano strips away any bacteria from your septic system. Meaning that even the good bacteria will be destroyed by Drano. Not having good bacteria to break down organic matter causes a large build up and a severely clogged septic system.
Drano is a bad choice to clean out a clogged toilet. You don’t want any harsh, toxic chemicals in your home. Especially chemicals that can cause even greater property damage to your house. So, you may be wondering, “What can you do to clean out your clogged toilet?”
Simple. Use eco-friendly safe alternatives to the harsher chemicals on the market today. Thankfully there are a lot of great options out there for you to keep your toilet unclogged and your pipes healthy.
How To Unclog Your Toilet The Natural Way
First things first, you need to figure out what type of clog you are facing. Is it a hard obstruction or an organic obstruction?
A hard obstruction is usually a toy lovingly placed in there by a child or a chew toy from a pet. Often, it is something put in the toilet by accident.
An organic obstruction is, well, I think you can figure that one out.
Before you face the clog, you need to protect your bathroom floor from any unwanted splashes of water or any residue. Find old newspapers and place them around the foot of the commode.
If you don’t have any old newspaper hanging around your home, use some old towels. Pick the ones you don’t mind getting toilet water on.
If the clog is a hard obstruction, reach into the toilet (wearing gloves of course) to pull out or loosen whatever it may be. If that does not work, fashion a wire hanger into a long piece and place a rag over the hook.
Put the wire hanger down the drain and try to shimmy out the hard obstruction. If that does not work, go to a local hardware store and either buy or rent a toilet snake. Hopefully, it won’t come to this, but if it is a problematic obstruction, this might be your best bet.
Now, if it is an organic obstruction, you can efficiently deal with the problem by using some simple household ingredients.
DIY Toilet Cleaner
To start, grab 1-cup of baking soda. Then pour the baking soda into the toilet bowl and let it sink to the bottom. After that, pour 1 gallon of boiling water into the commode, if there is not a lot of water already in the bowl.
If there is a lot of water in the bowl, pour enough water into the toilet, so the water does not overflow onto your floor.
After that, pour 2-cups of vinegar down the toilet.
If you remember your old elementary school science fair project, you know what is going to happen next. The vinegar and baking soda will react and create cleaning, foaming bubbles.
The foaming of the mixture causes the breakdown of any organic blockage. Don’t worry if there is a lot of foam. When baking soda and vinegar are mixed, it can produce a lot of foam.
If the solution may bubble up over the lip of the toilet, don’t worry. As long as you put down either newspaper or towels, your floors will be protected from the solution.
Let the baking soda-vinegar mixture sit for about twenty or thirty minutes to work on the obstruction. If it is a more substantial obstruction, it will take a little longer. If you have not seen any changes in thirty to forty minutes, let the solution sit overnight.
Depending on the size of the obstruction affect how long you have to wait.
Once you notice the water level dropping, flush your toilet. If the baking soda-vinegar solution did its job, then the water in the toilet will quickly be flushed down.
If you do not have any baking soda or vinegar, you can do the same with liquid dish soap or shampoo and very hot (not boiling) water. Pour a generous amount of dish soap or shampoo into your toilet bowl.
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Let it sink down to the bottom and sit for a moment. After that, pour very hot water into the bowl and let it sit for fifteen to twenty minutes.
The soap will lubricate the obstruction so it can easily slide down the drain.
Like the baking soda-vinegar solution, you should notice the water level receding. Once the water recedes, flush the toilet to get rid of the rest of the water.
If these options do not work for your obstruction, try an eco-friendly clog remover. One company on the market today, Green Gobbler, provides safe, effective, eco-friendly alternatives to Drano.
The product does not contain lye, bleach, or any of the harsh ingredients found in most clog removers on the market today. EcoSolutions, the company responsible for Green Gobbler, promises a safe and effective clean for any clogged toilet and drain in your home.
The product is safe for septic tanks as well as older pipes and plastic pipes. Unlike Drano, the product does not cause pipe erosion, so you can use it multiple times if you need.
Customer reviews share how this product was able to blast away even the toughest of clogs.
Unclogging Your Toilet The Natural Way
Next time you are faced with the dreaded clogged toilet, try one of the options listed above. You will be surprised at how effective, comfortable and safe each one is.
If you have been relying heavily on harsh, toxic clog removers, you may want to try another option. Using those harsh chemicals over and over can lead to burst pipes and a flooded home. You don’t want that, and we don’t want that for you.
So if you are looking for a safe, eco-friendly way to unclog your pipes, or if you are looking for an alternative to the harsh chemicals you’ve been using, try one of the options above. They will not only be saving your pipes, but they will also be protecting your health.