How to Use a Toilet Auger

You have probably once found yourself in a very awkward situation – a situation where your toilet is clogged. Although it seems very frightening at first glance, this problem can be easily solved if you have the necessary tools. It will be reflexive for you to reach for the toilet plunger if you find yourself in this situation. In most cases, that tool will help you with your problem.

However, sometimes even using this tool is not enough. That’s when you reach for the bathroom auger. The good thing about this tool is that it will not damage your toilet. The porcelain of your toilet will not be ruined. There is no need to call a plumber when with just a few tips on how to use a toilet auger you can save yourself a lot of money.

The Process of Using Augers for the Toilet

You let the water run, however, what was supposed to go with the water did not, and the water level has risen and is threatening to spill over the toilet. An annoying inconvenience is if it happened to you while you were at a friend’s house, for example.

You may have found a toilet flush plunger in the bathroom, but you failed to accomplish anything. Then it’s time to try a toilet auger. It has a specially designed shape that will allow you to easily remove an obstacle or blockage. Its purpose is to break the blockage and allow the waste to go down the drain.

Although this tool is quite comparable to plumbing snakes, they differ in that the snake has some kind of corkscrew that removes unwanted accumulations. Also, the plumbing snake can be used for multiple items in the bathroom. You can find the toilet auger in different lengths.

Therefore it would be good to check which one you need. Their length varies mainly from three to six feet in length which should be enough to clear the toilet. My suggestion above all is to get an auger with a steel cable so you don’t have to worry about the cable breaking while it’s in the drain.

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What Are the Parts of an Auger?

The two main parts of the auger are its solid handle and the cable that runs through it.

1. The crank that will be mentioned below and with the help of which you will change the direction of movement of the cable is located at the very top of the handle. It is connected to the top of the cable.
2. The grip for which you will hold the auger all the time is located under the crank itself, also on top of the auger. There is a small clip on the handle itself to which you can attach the cable when you are not using the auger.
3. The next component of this tool is a tube that allows you to stand while performing this activity.
4. Next part of the auger is the bowl guard, which will also be discussed later. It will be laid on the very bottom of the toilet. As for the auger cable, its other name is the snake.
5. And last but not least is the head of the auger. Its function is to capture the blockage to make it easier to unclog. The head of the auger has the shape of a small spring.

What You Will Need?

You may have wondered what you need a bucket for, if with this procedure all the clutter goes down the drain. Well, it’s always good to be extra careful and be prepared for any situation. Also, with the help of a bucket, you will transport it after you finish using it. Because the last thing you want is for the mess to drip around your house during the removal.

Using the Auger

The first step is to pull the auger handle all the way. As I have already explained to you, the auger is curved to better serve its purpose, that is, to reach hard-to-reach places better and easier. In most cases, it is lined in some of its parts with rubber or plastic so as not to damage your toilet.

A sign that you have correctly placed the auger in your toilet is if you do not see its cable, but only its housing. Don’t forget to use rubber gloves for your hygiene. Most of the problems that can happen to us in the toilet are concentrated in the first part of the drain.

Nonetheless, the auger has a cable long enough to reach the problem even if it is somewhere deeper. But that cable also has an end. So you can consider auger a practical solution as long as the problem is not in the sewer line.

How you will Start

It is important to hold the auger housing firmly with one hand at all times while turning the auger with the other to pull the cable into the drain. Don’t rush and aim to be very precise. If you work too rough, the cable will not enter the drain faster but will only double. You will likely have to change the direction of rotation several times until the cable is inserted into the drain.

Based on how long it inserts the cable into the drain, as well as based on how many times you have changed the direction of rotation of the cable, you will be able to determine exactly in which part the blockage occurred. That will also be obvious to you based on the quantity of resistance. After you feel that the cable has broken the blockage, you need to turn the handle and pull the auger out.

After unplugging, flush the toilet once more to see if you have successfully unclogged the toilet. In most cases, this is the end of this adventure. You can easily flush the toilet now. Flush the toilet a couple more times for complete safety. If you are still not happy, repeat the procedure until you have cleared the toilet completely.

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How Does a Toilet Auger Work?

This gadget will not do its job very successfully if you work roughly and if you are careless. If you do not follow the precise advice I gave you, you may end up creating even more trouble for yourself. If the auger cable breaks through the toilet, the only thing left for you to do is to replace the toilet with a completely new one.

It’s an extra and unplanned expense that you don’t want. The point of this whole endeavor is to save money, otherwise, it would be easiest to hire a professional. You are in a dilemma about the length of the cable that your auger should have, first check the type of your toilet and based on that decide which length is adequate for you.

For an Older Toilet

If you have a slightly older version of the toilet, the one whose bowl has a volume of five liters, you will need a longer cable. If something does not go according to plan and you think that the technique I explained to you earlier does nothing, try to change the angle or direction of movement of your cable.

It is important to attach to the obstacle without damaging the pipes or the toilet itself. It would be very helpful if you would partially flush the toilet from time to time to make sure that the toilet auger using the system works. After you have finished using the auger, try to do a few test runs for your toilet. How?

Do this by trying to flush the water several times in a row and flush away a small amount of toilet paper that you previously threw in the toilet. If all the paper does not go away on the first try, it is a sign that there is still a problem.

Unforeseen Issues

What other misfortunes can befall you while solving this problem? Be careful not to get this tool stuck in the toilet. Although very rare, this is not an impossible situation. Gradual insertion and ejection of augers into and out of the toilet are crucial to the success of this action.

If you can’t move the auger and it is sticking to the toilet, do not pull abruptly, but alternately wind and unwind the tube and try to extend the cable if possible. In most cases, after such movements, it is possible to easily remove the auger from the toilet. If you do not succeed in this and you see that you are in trouble, it would be best to completely remove the toilet from its base.

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How Much Does an Auger Cost?

Besides the tips on how to use a toilet auger, I also researched how much the auger costs and whether it is profitable to buy it. The average price of this tool, which can help you a lot in trouble, is from twenty to thirty dollars. Since this amount is similar to the one you would have to pay for renting it, we advise you to buy it and so you always have it in your house or apartment.

Final Thoughts

Given that this is one of the problems that can befall any of us, it is ideal to be prepared for that situation and know how to solve the problem. That is why I sincerely hope that my advice was useful to you and that it will mean a lot to you. Solve the problem without stress and professional help.