Dealing with a toilet clog is one of the most frustrating endeavors in a home. Fortunately, there are many inexpensive tools that you can use to remove toilet clogs easily. Many agree that the plunger is not always effective and does not work perfectly to remove deeper clogs in the toilet drain. You can instead use bleach, baking soda, and vinegar. Read on to learn how to unclog a toilet with bleach.
How Can Bleach Unclog a Toilet?
Bleach is a household chemical that removes stubborn stains from various household items. It’s an all-purpose, potent chemical and can remove difficult and stubborn stains. It is used to clean clothes, carpets, and even the toilet. Bleach can also clean toilets and eliminate a clog that may be causing problems in your home.
One of the reasons toilets become clogged is that a lot of waste simply sticks together, making it hard to move down the drain. It is necessary to break down the waste into smaller pieces and turn it into a smooth slurry. Bleach has the ability to break down the chemical bonds in human waste and helps get rid of the waste.
Commercial bleach also has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties that are useful for disinfecting and removing clogs in your toilet. It will kill all the bacteria and viruses in the toilet bowl and other bathroom surfaces. It not only cleans the toilet bowl but also disinfects it.
DIY Steps to Unclog Your Toilet with Bleach and Hot Water
In this section, we share a step-by-step approach to unclogging toilets with bleach.
What you’ll need:
- At least two gallons of boiling water
- Bleach liquid (1-2 cups)
- Goggles
- Fan
- Rubber gloves (A Pair)
Method 1: Using Bleach Alone
- Step 1: Wear protective gear to avoid toilet water splashes on your body. Wear gloves that protect you from irritating things like sticky fingers and goggles that protect your eyes from potentially irritating things like toilet water splashing in your eyes.
- Step 2: Open the bathroom window or door to allow air to flow. Turn on the air vent in your bathroom to let the air out. Unpleasant fumes may build up in your bathroom, so it is vital to take precautions.
- Step 3: Pour bleach (1-2 cups) into your toilet. More water will cause the bleach to react better with clogs.
- Step 4: Allow the bleach to sit for a while to absorb into the clog.
- Step 5: Turn on your water supply and flush your toilet.
Method 2: Use Hot Water & Bleach to Unclog Your Toilet
- Step 1: Put on your protective gear. Wearing a mask and gloves helps protect you from any harm or infection. Also, ensure your bathroom is well-ventilated.
- Step 2: Add 2 cups of bleach to your bowl and allow it to do its job for around 10 minutes.
- Step 3: After about 10 minutes of waiting, add hot water to fill the edge of your toilet bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for another 5-10 minutes.
- Step 4: Flush your toilet at least thrice to eliminate the odor and to ensure that it is clogged-free.
5 Top Bleaches You Can Use To Unclog Your Toilet
Here are great bleaching products you can use to unclog your toilet:
1. Clorox Bleach
Clorox bleach is mainly utilized as a cleaning agent and an excellent deodorant. Add about a half- to a three-quarter cup of Clorox bleach to your toilet tank when you need to use bleach. After a few minutes, you can flush your toilet with hot water. Clorox bleach is effective for removing clogs and killing germs. It makes your toilet area clean and hygienic. You can also place some Clorox tablets in your toilet tank to clean it. It makes the toilet look nice and gives your toilet a good scent.
2. Green Works Toilet Bleach
This is another excellent toilet cleaner that is made from Clorox. It is gentle on the environment but hard on clogs caused by hard water stains and mineral deposits. Its material makes it safe to use. When you use this product, squirt some bleach into the toilet and leave it for a few minutes (about 10 minutes). Later on, you can flush your toilet and see if the problem is fixed. Many housekeepers praise the pleasant scent that the bleach leaves after they flush the toilet. You’ll like it too!
3. Lysol No Mess Automatic Bleach
You can also use this bleach because the suds in the bleach clean your toilet and remove stains. Clip one of these on the rims of the toilets so that it can easily remove clogs. The soapy bleach has a pleasant fragrance. Most housekeepers have praised the product because of its low price, ease of use, and the lovely scent it leaves behind.
4. Kaboom Scrub Free Bleach
This is yet another effective detergent that does not require scrubbing. You need to pop the bleach in a pouch and let it work. Customers love bleach because it’s easy to utilize, and it only takes a few minutes to unclog a toilet. However, some people have complained about the strong smell it leaves behind.
5. Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Bleach
This bleach sticks to the surface of your toilet bowl and kills all the bacteria that are in your toilet bowl before flushing them away. It is packed in small leaning discs that clean the toilet with a single flush. Using the dispenser is easy; place the white plastic discs in the toilet bowl and allow them to work.
The bleach prevents the formation of any hard stains in the toilets and repels lime deposits that tend to form in the toilets. It is easy to use and leaves a pleasant scent when flushing the toilet.
Safety Precautions When Using Bleach to Unclog a Toilet
If you are planning to clean your toilet with bleach, remember only to use the recommended options. Check the instructions and contents of the commercial bleach products before using them on your toilet.
Some bleach products have abrasive and harsh chemicals that might react with the fabric of your toilet seat. Shun away from using bleach that contains strong chemicals which may irritate the skin.
Also, avoid mixing bleach with any other cleaning agents. Mixing bleach with alcohol, vinegar, ammonia, or other harsh chemicals will release toxic gases (chlorine gas) from the chemical reaction that will take place. It’s hazardous!
FAQs
Can you unclog a toilet naturally?
Yes, you can mix baking soda and water in the toilet bowl to dissolve a clog. But it will not dislodge the clog without a plunger. Put 2 cups baking soda in the toilet and 2 cups vinegar in the bowl and allow it to fizz for about half an hour. Then, flush your toilet. If nothing works, you can use hot water to flush away the clog in your toilet.
Will dish soap unblock a toilet?
If you want to take the unclogging process a notch up, take some dish soap from your kitchen and put a generous amount in the toilet bowl. Let the soap sit for 5 to 10 minutes. That allows it to move down the drain to the clog. After a few minutes, flush your toilet to remove the clog.
Wrapping Up
It is tough to unclog your toilet using a plunger, but it is possible to do it using bleach. We understand that the lousy condition brought by a clogged toilet is undesirable. It will cause you much embarrassment when you have guests. Fortunately, there are many home remedies that you can use to help you unclog your toilet.
It is easy to do at home and costs you very little. There’s no guarantee that your toilet plunger will always do the work, so trying out some bleach could be the ideal solution. Bleach will eliminate the obstructions that may be in your toilet drain. Not to mention, it possesses a strong cleaning effect that will leave your toilet as clean and shiny as new.
