Find the best way how to unclog a toilet clogged with tampons
A toilet clogged by tampons is more serious than you think. The tampons could ultimately block the sewer pipe. And plunging could also push it farther down. In many cases, it is not possible to dislodge such blockage by yourself. You’ll have to call in a plumber.
Follow These Steps For How To Unclog A Toilet Clogged With Tampons
In the case of tampons, it is suggested that you pull the tampons out of the toilet rather than plunge them farther in. Plunging and snaking of tampons could also create many pieces that may cause further blockages. Learn how to pull out tampons clogging a toilet. The simplest technique is to pour a bucket full of water into the toilet. This water would create pressure on the tampons and enable them to flow down into the drain.
Step 1: Drain your toilet
The first step would be to drain your toilet of all water. Your toilet bowl must be empty. Draining the toilet is necessary because flushing down a clogged toilet would create further problems and result in an overflowing bowl.
You can drain the toilet manually with care and precaution. Wear thick rubber gloves for the protection of your hands. Use a cup to empty the contents of the toilet bowl. The water in the bowl can be poured out.
Step 2: Use a plumber’s snake
Insert the plumber’s snake through the toilet drain opening. Keep pushing through the waste pipe until you encounter resistance. Once this happens, rotate the handle of the snake in a clockwise direction so that the hooks on the end lodge the tampons. This might require more than a few attempts.
In the end, tampons will be pulled out or broken into pieces. Either way, the blockage will be removed and the wastewater will be allowed to drain out. You can flush the toilet now and see if the water drains properly.
Step 3: Use your hands
If the plumber’s snake is unable to pull out the tampons, you’ll have to take the brave step. Ensure that your hard rubber gloves cover your hand and your forearm so that you are protected. You can access the tampons by hand, hold them, and pull them out. In case the tampons are still unreachable, they might be stuck in the upper portion of the drain pipe.
Step 4: Shut the water supply
Before beginning with this step, you ought to shut down the water supply of your toilet. Empty the contents of the toilet with the help of a small cup. The remnant water can be dried up with the help of a sponge. Now you need to disconnect the pipe that connects the toilet bowl with the toilet tank.
Step 5: Dislodge the toilet
The next step is to dislodge the toilet. This can be done with the help of an adjustable wrench. All the bolts holding the toilet bowl can be taken out and the toilet can then be carefully lifted up. Make sure that you store the toilet in a safe spot. Preferably place it on a plastic sheet so that no mess is created. You must sponge and dry out all the water that spills out from the bowl.
Then, you must insert your hand into the hole and get hold of the tampons that are stuck. Pull out the stuck tampons and clear out your drainage system.
Step 6: Check the waste pipe
It is probable for the tampons to be in the trap. But if they aren’t found there, try searching for them in the waste pipe. There is a prominent point in the waste pipe where the tampons are more likely to be stuck. This refers to the section where the main waste pipe and the toilet drain connect.
Either pull the blockage out by hand or utilize a plumber’s snake for this purpose. A long screwdriver or tongs can also be used for this purpose.
Step 7: Clean the flange
Before you reinstall the toilet, it is suggested that you scrape off all the old wax from around the flange. The old wax ring may be replaced with a new one. Install the toilet and fix it firmly with the help of screws.
Now you can connect the pipe that supplies freshwater from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl. The drainage of the toilet can be initiated by opening the shut-off valve you closed earlier.
But aren’t tampons biodegradable?
Tampons may be biodegradable and compostable but these processes require a long time and they can as well clog the toilet. Considering the biodegradable nature of tampons, they are most commonly flushed down the toilet. Your flushed tampons may degrade over time in the drainpipe but they are quite thick and wait for a long time before that happens. The flow of water will be affected by this blockage and your toilet is liable to get blocked.
It is suggested that you always dispose of tampons in the dustbin rather than in the toilet. Once your toilet has been unclogged, don’t repeat the same mistakes again.
By their nature, tampons are expandable and absorbent. When you dispose of a toilet in your toilet, it keeps absorbing water and continues to expand. A tampon needs to be in a dry environment along with other solid waste if it is meant to degrade. Otherwise, it will only expand with time before it disintegrates.
If you have more than one tampon clogged in your drain pipe, you can only imagine the level of blockage you are battling.
Maintain caution!
Never flush tampons into the toilet
It is not suggested that you don’t flush tampons into the toilet. Tampons are absorbent and they’ll keep expanding as they absorb more water under your toilet. Some day, they will be enough in number to clog your toilet.
Even a single tampon can clog the toilet!
It doesn’t really take numerous tampons to clog a toilet. Even a single tampon is capable of clogging the toilet. Although it may be relatively easy to remove, a stuck tampon still poses a lot of wasted time. Even one tampon can absorb enough liquid to expand and prevent your toilet from flushing. You might even need the help of a plumber to dislodge the stuck tampon.
Don’t aid your toilet’s flush
If you aim at unclogging your toilet by repeated flushing, it is a common instinct to pour at least a bucket full of water along. This will hasten the flow of the tampon into the drain. But it will also be more difficult to unclog such a blockage.
Don’t plunge!
Plunging will only push the blockage further into more critical components of your drainage system. Ensure that you don’t plunge your toilet when you realize that the tampon you just flushed has got stuck. Plunging might even break the tampon into many pieces that would create more blockage.
Your waste pipe and ultimately your sewer pipe could get clogged. Pushing the content down would add more money to your plumber’s bill and more work at your hand. It is even more difficult to cure a blocked sewer pipe.
Ensure that you only pull the contents out of the toilet and not push them further in.
Wear protective gloves
It is suggested that you employ all protective equipment while working on a clogged toilet. You might have to put your hand inside for pulling out the blocking items. Ensure that you are wearing thick rubber protective gloves that’ll protect your arm from direct contact with the contaminants. The rubber gloves must also extend until your elbow so that all of your arms are protected.
Wear a mask
It is also suggested that you wear a mask to prevent the inhalation of toxic gases from the sewer.
Get toilets with big trap ways
Toilets with small trap ways get clogged more often. Ensure that you have toilets with bigger trap ways that don’t get clogged so easily. Bigger trap ways will allow more waste to flow out. Things like tampons are less likely to get stuck in those toilets.
Learn how to dispose of sanitary items
Even if something is biodegradable, it would certainly not degrade as long as it remains wet and expansive under your toilet. So make sure that you dispose of your sanitary items the correct way.
Conclusion
It isn’t right to dispose of tampons in the toilet. They are very absorptive and tend to expand. Even a single tampon can cause much trouble by blocking your toilet. If your toilet does get blocked, take all the necessary steps to pull out the clogging tampons rather than pushing them further in.
Any negligence in this aspect could lead to a bigger blockage of the sewer pipe or the drain pipe. You might have to take the help of a plumber. Anyhow, you must stop disposing of stuff in the toilet that isn’t meant to be there. Just his caution would save you a lot of time and effort.