What size drain snake do I need for a toilet?

Major types of sewer cables & drain snakes

DRAIN TYPE	PIPE SIZE	RECOMMENDED CABLE SIZE
LAVATORY	1 — 1-1/4″	1/4″
BATHTUB	1-1/2″ — 2″	1/4″ OR 5/16″
SHOWERS	2″ — 3″	5/16″, 3/8″ OR 13/32″
FLOOR DRAIN	3″ OR MORE	3/8″, 13/32″, 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″ OR 0.55″

3 more rows

What is the best snake to unclog a toilet?

What is the difference between a toilet auger and a snake? Drain snakes work for smaller drains like your kitchen or bathroom sink. Drain augers tackle larger pipes like your toilet or shower drain.

What kind of snake do you use in a toilet? A toilet snake is a type of drain snake made specifically for use on toilets. You use a toilet snake the same way that you use a drain snake, but toilet snakes are made specifically so that they don’t damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl.

How do you unblock a badly clogged toilet?

What size drain snake do I need for a toilet? – Related Questions

What can you pour down a toilet to unclog it?

For toilet clogs specifically, add one cup of baking soda to your toilet and let it sit for a few minutes. After that, pour in two cups of vinegar. Make sure to pour slowly, as you don’t want the bubbly, chemical reaction these two products cause to come jumping out of your toilet.

Does toilet snake work better than plunger?

A snake is safer to use on tough clogs than a plunger, which can apply too much pressure on the wax ring at the base of the toilet, causing it to break—and it’s also gentler than a liquid dissolving solution, which can corrode your pipes.

Can I run a drain snake through a toilet?

To unclog toilets that couldn’t be fixed with a plunger, use a toilet auger. Also called a plumbing snake, this flexible coil of wire is designed to extend into pipes and clear obstructions without damaging the plumbing. Feed the end of the cable into the toilet, taking care not to scratch the bowl.

Can I use a regular snake on a toilet?

Although technically you can use a regular snake (instead of a toilet snake) to unclog a toilet you really should not. The reason being that a regular snake can damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl. A toilet snake (aka toilet auger) is specifically designed to be used on toilets and will not cause any damage.

How do you unclog a toilet without a snake?

Can a toilet auger damage your toilet?

In fact, it can cause more harm than good, as it can cause the porcelain in your toilet to crack or chip. It can also cause pipe damage or even full breakage. When using a snake, however, the key is to slowly feed the wire coil into your toilet’s pipe.

What’s the strongest thing to unclog a drain?

Best Overall: Drano Max Gel Clog Remover This popular drain cleaner works effectively on different drains and disposals—whether in your bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, or garage. This highly concentrated formula works in about seven minutes and can remove even the toughest grime buildup from your drains.

Can a drain snake break a pipe?

Drain Snakes Can Damage Pipes While billed as devices that are easy to use by anyone and everyone, drain snakes can be hard to manage, and if used improperly, can damage pipes. Old pipes in many homes are galvanized, or coated in zinc, which was done to prevent the pipe from rusting or corroding.

What kind of snake do plumbers use?

A standard household drain snake, sometimes called a drum snake or top snake, is the smallest of the drain-clearing augers. It is primarily used for clogs in tubs, showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines, and sometimes kitchens sinks. Most have a 25- or 50-foot cable with a corkscrew tip for snagging debris.

Will a toilet eventually unclog itself?

A clogged toilet will typically unclog itself over time. Most things that clog a toilet are water-soluble which means they will eventually dissolve in the toilet water. When the clog is given enough time to break down, the pressure of a flush should be enough to clear the pipes.

Why won’t my toilet unclog with a plunger?

You need water, not air, pressure to loosen the clog. If your toilet lacks water, pour in enough water till the plunger is covered. Use a gentle plunge initially since a hard one will force air back around the seal, blowing water all over you and your bathroom floor.

Will Coke help unclog a toilet?

Coke and Pepsi are loaded with phosphoric acid, which breaks down buildup that can clog your drains! Phosphoric acid can even remove lime scale and other tough buildup that regular cleaners struggle with. This is an effective and refreshing home remedy if we ever saw one!

How long does dish soap take to unclog a toilet?

Dish Duty. If you need to kick the unclogging process up a notch, borrow some dish soap from the kitchen and squeeze a generous amount, about a 1/4 cup should do, into the toilet bowl. Let the soap sit for 5 to 10 minutes so it has time to move down the drain and reach the clog.

What does pouring coke down the toilet do?

Clean the toilet bowl The fizzy drink can actually remove hard-to-clean stains on the inside of a toilet bowl. You can either pour cola directly onto the stains themselves or cover the entire inside of the bowl by putting cola into a spray bottle and spraying on a light coating.

When should you snake a toilet?

So if you’ve tried a plunger, a hot-water flush, or even a homemade baking soda solution and things still aren’t flowing like they should, it’s probably time summon the snake (also known as a plumber’s auger).

When should I call a plumber for a clogged toilet?

If you have tried corrosive chemicals to remove the clog and it didn’t work, it’s also time to call a plumber for your clogged toilet. Those caustic chemicals can damage your toilet or pipes if they are continually exposed to them.

Why do my toilets keep clogging?

Below are the most common reasons a toilet keeps clogging: Toilet is an older low flow model. Too much toilet tissue is flushed. Non-flushable items are flushed.

Can a snake damage toilet?

Using the wrong plumber’s snake Plumbing snakes (also called drain cables) that are used to unclog sinks can actually scratch your porcelain toilet bowl.

How do you manually snake a toilet?

Can plunging make a clog worse?

Attempting to force a clog through a toilet with a plunger can often make the problem worse. Instead, create a seal and slowly push down on the plunger before pulling it back sharply. The suction can help pull the clog back up toward the bowl, breaking the blockage and allowing gravity to take over.

What kind of snake do plumbers use?

A standard household drain snake, sometimes called a drum snake or top snake, is the smallest of the drain-clearing augers. It is primarily used for clogs in tubs, showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines, and sometimes kitchens sinks. Most have a 25- or 50-foot cable with a corkscrew tip for snagging debris.

Can I use a snake to unclog my toilet?

Although technically you can use a regular snake (instead of a toilet snake) to unclog a toilet you really should not. The reason being that a regular snake can damage the porcelain of your toilet bowl. A toilet snake (aka toilet auger) is specifically designed to be used on toilets and will not cause any damage.

Is it worth buying a drain snake?

First of all, a drain snake is a good item to keep handy in a home. A basic hand-crank drain snake (a.k.a. a drain auger) is a much better option for getting rid of a minor clog than resorting to chemical drain cleaners. In fact, you should never use these chemicals on your drains!

Can Drano Max Gel be used to unclog a toilet?

Drano^® Liquid Drain Cleaner, Drano^® Dual-Force^® Foamer Clog Remover, and Drano^® Max Gel Clog Remover do not contain microorganisms. The trap configuration in toilets prevents these products from reaching areas where matter can accumulate and cause plumbing problems—so these products are ineffective in toilets.