Toilet unblocking, day and night

Why toilets get blocked

Everything that disappears down the toilet first has to pass through a narrow bend in the bowl and then along the waste pipe to the soil stack or the sewer. It can get stuck at either point, usually for a very ordinary reason.

What shouldn't go down the toilet

Wet wipes are the best-known culprit. They barely break down in water and snag on each other until they form a solid plug. Sanitary towels, tampons, cotton buds, hair, food scraps and cat litter don't belong in the bowl either. In households with young children, our plumbers regularly fish out a toy car, a toothbrush or a rubber duck.

Lots of paper, not much water

Modern cisterns use less water than they used to, especially if you always press the small flush button. If there's a lot of paper, the flush doesn't carry it far enough and it settles in the pipe. A few flushes like that and the drain is blocked. A cistern that no longer fills completely because of a worn float valve won't flush hard enough either.

Limescale and urine scale

Over the years, limescale and urine scale build up in the bend of the bowl. That narrows the passage, so paper gets caught more easily. We see this a lot, especially in older toilets.

Blocked toilet, or is it further down?

If your toilet is blocked, the first question is whether the problem is in the bowl or further along the pipe. If the water drains away very slowly after flushing and the shower and washbasin work normally, the blockage is usually in the bowl or just behind it.

If the shower drain gurgles when you flush, or water comes up somewhere else, the blockage is further down. In a flat, that may be the shared soil stack; in a house, the pipe that runs outside. In that case unblocking the sewer is often the real solution.

Unblocking a toilet yourself: how to do it safely

If nothing has fallen into the bowl and the water isn't up to the rim, you can have a go yourself first. Here's how:

1. Turn off the isolation valve for the toilet, so the cistern can't flush again. It's usually next to or behind the toilet; with a wall-hung toilet it's often behind the flush plate.
2. If necessary, scoop some water out of the bowl into a bucket, so you have room to work.
3. Place a flanged toilet plunger squarely over the opening at the bottom of the bowl. Push down gently, then pull back firmly. Repeat about ten times.
4. If the water level drops, pour a bucket of water into the bowl first instead of flushing. If that drains away quickly, the drain is clear again.

Why caustic or acid drain cleaners are a bad idea

Supermarket shelves are full of bottles that promise to clear any blockage. In a toilet they don't work well: the water in the bowl dilutes the product, and only some of it reaches the blockage. Meanwhile, you're left with a corrosive liquid in the bowl that splashes up as soon as you use a plunger.

Products like these also attack rubber seals, and the plumber who comes out afterwards has to put their hands and tools into that water.

When to stop and call

Call us if the water won't go down after a few attempts with the plunger, if an object has fallen into the toilet or if water is also coming up in the shower or another drain. Stop flushing at that point: it's the quickest route to a wet bathroom floor. It's also best not to use an ordinary drain snake in a toilet yourself: the tip can scratch and damage the porcelain.

Toilet unblocking: how our plumbers do it

For our plumbers, toilet unblocking starts with a look and a few questions: how high is the water, and what was flushed last? The answers decide which tools come out of the van.

Plunger, toilet auger and machine

For a wad of paper or wipes in the bowl, the plumber uses a professional toilet plunger, which delivers more force than one from the DIY shop. If the blockage is further down, a toilet auger with a protected head goes through the bend in the bowl. A blockage in the pipe leading to the soil stack or the sewer calls for an electric drain machine.

When the toilet has to come off

If something hard has got stuck in the bend, such as a phone or a toy, the toilet sometimes has to come off the floor or the wall. The plumber then removes the object from behind, refits the toilet and makes the connection watertight again. If water leaks around the base of the toilet after a blockage, or a damp patch shows up at the neighbours', the plumber can also track down the leak and renew the connection.

What does toilet unblocking cost?

Clearing a standard blockage in the bowl or the waste pipe costs from €89, call-out charge not included. If you call in the evening, at night or at the weekend, we charge an out-of-hours rate. We give you a price estimate up front, while you're still on the phone.

If the toilet has to come off, the blockage is deep in the soil stack or there's more going on, you can ask for a quote. We'll explain what the work involves first, and then it's your decision.

Has the toilet overflowed?

An overflowing toilet is unpleasant, but if you act quickly the damage stays limited. Turn off the isolation valve, mop up the water with a floor cloth (and put the cloth through a hot wash afterwards), then clean the floor with an ordinary household cleaner. Give the room a good airing.

Water that has run under a threshold or between the boards of a wooden floor can show up as a damp patch in the flat below. If so, warn your downstairs neighbours. Take photos for your insurance as well, because your insurer will want to know exactly what happened. Whether the damage is covered depends on your policy.

How to prevent another blockage

• Put a small bin next to the toilet for wipes, sanitary towels and cotton buds.
• Use the large flush button when there's a lot of paper, or flush once halfway through.
• Explain to children what can and can't go down the toilet.
• Descale the bowl every now and then with cleaning vinegar or a mild toilet cleaner, especially if you have hard water.

If you notice the toilet emptying more and more slowly, don't wait until it's completely blocked. A partial blockage is usually easier to clear than a bowl that's full to the brim.

Night-time toilet unblocking, wherever you live

If you only have one toilet in the house, a blocked toilet in the evening or at the weekend really can't wait. That's why we're available 24/7, public holidays included, and the plumber comes to you as quickly as possible, usually within the hour.

We cover Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Arnhem and Zoetermeer, among other places. Those are just a few: we work throughout the Netherlands, and our locations page features more cities. If the washbasin or shower is slow as well, we can sort out a blocked drain just as easily. Call 085 115 0249 and tell us what's going on.