A closet auger is a tool that can help eliminate a stubborn toilet clog. It is a semirigid cable which is housed within a tube. The tube has a bend in it allowing it to be snaked through the toilet trap and remove large blockages. This article will explain how to use a closet auger.

Start by placing towels around the base of the toilet on the floor. This way if there are any spills while you are using the closet auger the towels will soak up the water.

Step 1: Prep The Area

With towels in place you can then place the business end of the closet auger into the toilet bowl. There is a rubber sleeve on the auger. This will act as protection for the porcelain at the site where the closet auger bends. The tip will face back and up which works with the direction of the toile trap.

Step 2: Insert the Closet Auger

With the closet auger in place start to rotate the handle in a clockwise direction while applying downward pressure trying to advance the business end of the auger further through the toilet trap. You may find that it helps to sometimes pull the closet auger back up a bit and then apply more downward pressure again to work the auger into the blockage. When you start to feel some resistance that means you have come to the point of the blockage. At this point you want to continue rotating the auger but now in a counterclockwise direction as you withdraw the cable back.

Step 3: Retract The Closet Auger

Fully retract the auger until the object is recovered from the toilet and the blockage is fully removed.

Let Caldwell Plumbing Help

Alternatively if you would like Caldwell Plumbing to assist in unblocking your clogged toilet please book an appointment with Caldwell Plumbing today or get a free online estimate. We provide plumbing service to Oshawa, Courtice, Bomanville, Uxbridge, Pickering, Ajax, and the rest of Durham Region.