Clogs Blockages Toilet Repair Q&A

Looked under the sink and found an old bottle of Drano sitting there, and I'm wondering if I can just pour it into the toilet bowl to clear the slow drain. My toilet is probably 20+ years old and starting to drain sluggishly after flushing — not completely blocked, but definitely not moving like it should. Would using a chemical drain cleaner like Drano do the trick, or is that going to cause problems with an older toilet?…more

Found myself standing in the hardware store aisle today staring at a wall of toilet augers — manual, drill-powered, 3-foot, 25-foot, coiled cable, four-claw grabber — and I genuinely have no idea which one is right for a basic rental unit toilet clog. I manage a few residential properties and one of my tenants reported a toilet that won't drain at all, not just slow, completely blocked. I want to keep a proper auger on hand for situations like this rather than calling a plumber every time, but the sheer number of options is overwhelming. Is there a standard go-to length and style for a typical toilet clog, and once I've got the right one in hand, what's the actual process for using it without wrecking the porcelain?…more

My neighbor's bathroom never seems to have any drama — she's got kids the same age as mine and somehow her toilet just always works. Meanwhile I'm standing here on a Saturday morning with a backed-up toilet, a sink full of dishes, and zero plungers in the house. I have no idea how we don't own one, but here we are.

The bowl is sitting about three-quarters full and I'm nervous about trying to flush again. I've heard you can use dish soap or baking soda and vinegar, but I'm not sure if those actually work or if I'll just make things worse. Is there a method that's actually reliable without a plunger, or am I going to end up calling someone out on a weekend?…more

Three times in the last month I've had to grab the plunger because my main bathroom toilet keeps clogging up. It's not a new toilet — been in this house for years — but this recurring problem is getting old fast. Planning to tackle this Saturday and figure out what's actually going on before I call anyone in.

The toilet seems to flush okay most of the time, but every now and then it just doesn't clear properly. I'm wondering if it's the toilet itself, something further down the line, or if I've been flushing things I shouldn't. I want to have the right tools and know what I'm looking for before I start poking around.

What should I have ready to diagnose and fix this myself? Is there a logical order to check things so I'm not just guessing?…more