Clearing a Clogged Toilet

A closet auger has a barb on the end that's useful for digging through tough clogs. Figure A Figure B

Home repair expert Henry Harrison shows a guest how to use an auger to get to the cause of a sluggish toilet with weak flushing action. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a one.

Tool:

closet auger

Steps:

1. Slide the closet auger shaft all the way down to the barbed tip on the end of the auger and carefully insert it into the toilet (figure A).

2. Hold the shaft steady while you turn the crank clockwise and press down to force the auger into the toilet (figure B).

3. If you hit an obstruction, crank a little harder then reverse, turning the crank counter-clockwise while pulling it back out of the toilet.

4. Repeat process until auger can extend to full wire length without hitting clog or retrieving material.

5. Test toilet for successful flushing.

Also in this Episode

Help Around the House : Episode ARH-265
•	Ceiling Stain Above a Stairway
•	Clearing a Clogged Toilet
•	Stipping and Painting a Fireplace Mantel
•	Toolbox: Wood Shims