Can You Unblock a Toilet With Soda Crystals?

Soda crystals are excellent at clearing away blockages in sinks and drains, but they have limited effectiveness when it comes to unblocking toilets.

Why?

The main reason why soda crystals cannot unblock toilets as well as other methods is because toilets get blocked up with goodies that you wouldn’t really put down a sink in the first place.

Soda crystals don’t always remove these items, so you don’t really remove the obstruction(s) in the loo, you just sort of gloss over the problem.

Items like toilet paper, sanitary products, and any other unflushable items are typically the cause of bunged-up toilets, and aren’t broken down by soda crystals.

Whereas sinks and drains are usually plagued by grease and chunks of old food that soda crystals can break down and take out. 

However, if you do want to try using soda crystals, you can do so safely. Try mixing soda crystals with citric acid in the toilet. This will trigger a chemical reaction that could dislodge whatever is blocking the toilet. But, don’t expect unclogging miracles.

If you need to unblock a toilet, you’d be better off trying the methods below. The methods below are generally really easy to follow, have good results, and have been used for years, so they’re a fine place to start.

 

Unblocking a Toilet

There are several ways you can unclog your loo, and these ways include:

• Removing a visible blockage – like a wet wipe (always pop a glove on before you go diving into your toilet bowl)
• Using specialised cleaning products bought in the supermarket
• Caustic soda
• Using a homemade DIY product – for example, a vinegar and lemon juice mix
• Using a plunger
• Using a coat hanger
• Washing up liquid
• Clinfilm
• Plastic bottle

Of course, there is always the option of calling in professional help, and you should do this if you cannot solve the issue after trying the methods above.

Always do your research into professional companies before you call them in to help.

 

Preventing Blockages

It’s important that you make an effort to keep your toilet hygienic and unblocked. Not only will it be more appealing for the user, but it’ll also save you money in the long term.

Here are a few ideas to prevent your toilet from getting blocked up:

•     Change toilet paper
•     Don’t use too much paper
•     Teach kids to use an appropriate amount of loo paper
•     Don’t put unflushable items in the loo, use special bins
•     Clean your toilet regularly – at least weekly
•     Keep an eye out for potential issues – spot them early
•     If there are issues, call for professional help before the problem gets too bad

 

FAQs

Can you clean a stained toilet bowl?

Yes, you can clean a stained toilet bowl, and it’s actually very easy to do this. Check out our article here for steps on how to remove stains from a toilet bowl.

How do you remove thick limescale from a loo?

It’s easy to remove limescale from a toilet bowl, all you need is some vinegar and some elbow grease. But you can read more about this here.

What toilet cleaner should I be using?

Not sure what to clean your toilet with, then look no further than this article. In our article, you’ll find a really quick guide to the toilet cleaning products available on the market today.