It’s always a sensitive subject when people want the reasons behind their toilet clogging over-and-over. Most plumbers cringe when we are asked ‘why does my toilet keep clogging’. Mainly it’s because most homeowners don’t want to change their toilet habits. We are who we are, and listen, we wipe how we wipe.
We always hate breaking the news to people that the biggest clogged toilet culprit is their use of far too much toilet paper. Don’t get us wrong, there’s a few more reasons why toilets regularly clog. We’re exploring those, too.
Why does my toilet clog?
There’s plenty of reasons a toilet will clog, it isn’t always just the sheer amount of toilet paper people use each time they use the toilet. Unfortunately, there are various scenarios causing clogged toilets:
- Flushing thicker toilet paper down the toilet.
- Disposing of anything other than toilet paper down your toilet – such as feminine products, or facial tissue and those wipes deemed flushable by those companies manufacturing “flushable” wipes.
- Low Flow Toilets from the 90s – sure they save on water, but they also don’t have the water pressure to flush all your toilet paper.
- Clogged Toilet S-Traps – if your trap is clogged, no matter how much you hit the toilet handle to flush, the toilet will inevitably back-up onto your bathroom floor.
- Clogged or Damaged Sewer Line Pipes – you could have a tree’s root growing through your pipes, or there’s a clog somewhere caused by all that toilet paper you’ve been using.
How can I avoid a clogging toilet?
Simple adjustments can often go a long way when it comes to avoiding a clogging toilet. Obviously, you can’t help it if tree roots grow inside your pipes, but you can definitely handle many small changes to help your recurring clogging toilet problems.
Stop Using So Much Toilet Paper
A couple of sheets of toilet paper are sufficient. Drill this into the minds of all those using the toilets in your home. Remind them it isn’t necessary to wrap their hand in half a roll to wipe.
Start Buying 1-ply Toilet Paper
We know, we know. The 2-ply feels so much nicer. However, it doesn’t break down as quickly as 1-ply toilet paper. Especially if people insist on wrapping their entire hand in toilet paper every time they use the toilet.
Do Not Flush “flushable” Wipes
If you have been convinced by brands selling flushable wipes that they can be flushed, we’re here to tell you they’re wrong. If you insist on using these wet wipes, throw them in the garbage after using them. Do NOT flush anything other than regular 1-ply toilet paper down your toilets, we beg you.
Replace Low Flow Toilets
If you updated your bathroom in the 90s with low flow toilets, it’s time to update those toilets. You can replace them with another low flow toilet model, but you need to continue to flush only toilet paper even with the updated low flow toilet. Don’t continue the same toilet flushing habits with your new toilets.
Buy a Flanged Toilet Plunger
Toilet bowls have S-traps that stop items from flowing further down and clogging a sewer line. If the toilet trap clogs, you’ll have to push the clogged material through the trap and that often requires a flanged toilet plunger.
However, having a flanged toilet plunger does NOT guarantee you’ll be able to clear the clog yourself. There will be times when you’ll need to call a plumber to eliminate a clog in your toilet trap.
Call a Professional Plumber
All homeowners know: sometimes you just need to call a master plumber to handle habitual clogs in your toilet. Especially if you have curbed your toilet paper use, and switched to the less desired thinner toilet tissue – and the toilet is still clogging!
When a Clogged Toilet Requires a Professional Plumber
If you’ve switched to the less comfy toilet paper, you’re using less toilet paper, are no longer flushing the “flushable” wipes down your toilet, and still have toilets clogging – it’s time to call in the professionals. Give the Motor City Plumbing & Drain Master Plumbers a call today to get your flow flowing again!