To use a plumbing snake on a toilet, feed a closet auger into the bowl until it meets the clog, crank the handle to break it up or hook it, then pull it back and flush. A closet auger is a short, hand-cranked snake with a rubber sleeve that protects the porcelain. In Morton Grove, IL homes, this fixes most single-toilet clogs, as long as the blockage is in the toilet and not the main line.
The steps below take you through the job and tell you when to stop. If the toilet keeps backing up after you snake it, call (847) 281-8626. A licensed plumber can be sent out overnight or on a weekend, and the dispatcher will say whether the same day works.
Closet auger or drum auger
Two kinds of snakes get sold for home use, and picking the right one saves your toilet. The closet auger (also called a toilet auger) is the right tool for a clogged toilet. The drum auger, a coiled cable inside a drum, is meant for sinks, tubs and floor drains.
| Tool | Best for | Risk on a toilet |
|---|---|---|
| Closet auger | Toilet clogs near the bowl | Low, because the sleeve protects the porcelain |
| Drum auger | Sink, tub and shower drains | Can scratch the bowl and kink in the trap |
| Plunger (flange type) | First try on most toilets | None |
| Power drain machine | Main lines and long runs | Requires training |
Start with the plunger. A flange plunger forms a seal in the toilet outlet and moves a lot of water. If three or four firm plunges do not clear it, move to the closet auger.
Before you start
Get ready before you touch the toilet, because a snake job can get messy.
- Put on rubber gloves and old shoes.
- Lay towels or newspaper around the base.
- Keep a bucket nearby for water that might overflow.
- Check the bowl level. If it is nearly full, bail some into the bucket first.
- Do not flush while it is clogged, since that can overflow the bowl.
Avoid contact with sewage
If water is rising out of the toilet or a tub and smells like sewage, keep people and pets away. Wear gloves and avoid touching the water. Do not use the snake if a sewage backup is spreading, and call a plumber.
Step by step with a closet auger
Using the closet auger
- 1Position the tippull the cable back inside the tube, then set the curved end in the bowl so it points down into the drain opening.
- 2Feed the cablepush the handle down gently and crank clockwise as the cable travels into the trap. Go slowly, because a firm push can scratch the porcelain.
- 3Feel for the clogyou will feel resistance or a soft give. Keep cranking so the tip hooks the blockage or breaks it apart.
- 4Work it back and forthpush forward, pull back a little, and crank again until the resistance eases.
- 5Retract the cablecrank while pulling back so debris does not drop into the bowl. Wipe the cable with a rag as it comes out.
- 6Test with waterpour a bucket of water into the bowl first. If it drains, flush once. If not, repeat.
Never force the auger. If it will not go forward, back off and try a different angle. Forcing it can scratch the bowl or push a clog deeper.
What the clog usually is
Most toilet clogs are too much paper, a flushed wipe, or a child's toy. Wipes marked flushable do not break down like paper and are a leading cause of blockages. A toy or a brush handle might be in the trap and show up on the auger tip.
If you pull out an object, set it aside and test the flush. Do not flush wipes, feminine products, cotton swabs or paper towels. Those items catch in the pipe and build up with grease and hair downstream.
When the snake is the wrong tool
A snake clears a blockage at the toilet. It does not clear a blockage past the toilet in the main line. Several signs suggest the problem is bigger than one bowl:
Signs the problem is the main line
- More than one fixture is slow or backing up.
- The toilet bubbles or gurgles when you run a sink or washer.
- A tub or floor drain on the lowest level backs up when you flush.
- Water rises in the shower after the washing machine drains.
- The snake passes through the toilet easily but the water still will not clear.
In that case, stop snaking. A main line problem calls for a drain machine, a camera inspection or hydro jetting. Our drain cleaning page describes how a plumber clears a main line and checks what caused the blockage.
Safety and fixture care
Porcelain is hard but easy to scratch, and an auger with a bare tip can leave marks. Use the rubber boot on the closet auger and keep the tube against the bowl. A scratched bowl is not a leak, but it holds stains and looks worse over time.
Chemical drain cleaners are a poor choice for a toilet. They can sit in the bowl, splash on skin, and damage the wax ring and fittings. They also make a plumber's job harder and riskier when he or she opens the line.
When to pull the toilet
If the auger cannot reach the clog, the plumber may remove the toilet and run a cable from the flange, or inspect the closet bend directly. This is common when a toy or a hard object lodges in the trap. A new wax ring goes on when the toilet is reset, and a toilet repair visit covers that step.
How the Morton Grove sewer layout changes the advice
Morton Grove has both combined sewers and separate sanitary sewers. The combined sewer area covers the northeastern part of the village, and it carries stormwater and household waste in the same pipes. During a heavy rain, the combined system can be under strain, which can slow drainage from basements.
So if your toilet backs up in the middle of a storm and a tub gurgles nearby, treat it as a main line signal and not a single clog. That is a call to a plumber, not another round with the auger.
Morton Grove note
The village has combined sewers in its northeastern part, near Chick Evans Golf Course and Main Street. If a toilet backs up and a tub gurgles at the same time, suspect the main line, especially in a storm. A plumber's power rodding of sewer lines does not need a permit in Morton Grove, but sewer and water line repairs do.
For a recurring backup, ask Morton Grove Public Works about conditions in your area.
Source type: Village of Morton Grove combined sewer operations plan and building permits page
What a plumber adds
A plumber arrives with a longer cable, a camera and a power machine, and can see what is in the line. The plumber can tell you whether a tree root, a grease buildup or a collapsed section is the cause. That information is worth having if the blockage returns.
Our crews also serve Niles and Lincolnwood, where homes face similar main-line questions after heavy rain. If you are not sure whether the clog is local or deeper, one quick test helps: run water in a different fixture and watch the toilet.
Questions about snaking a toilet
Frequently asked questions
You can, but you risk scratching the bowl. A closet auger has a protective sleeve and a curved tip designed for the toilet trap. Use it if you can.
Usually a few feet, until you meet the clog. If the cable runs out without finding it, the blockage may be past the toilet and in the main line.
A partial clog downstream, a slow main line, or a hard object left in the trap can cause it. A plumber with a camera can find the cause.
No. Chemical cleaners can splash and harm skin, and they complicate repairs. Use water and a plunger for a final check.
Stop using water, since a toilet backing up plus a gurgling tub can signal a main line problem. Keep away from any sewage, then call a plumber. If it happened during a heavy rain, mention that on the phone.