You’re over at a friend’s house for a party. Suddenly, the dreaded urge to need to go number two strikes. You slip off to the bathroom and do your business. But when it’s time to flush, the contents won’t go down. The toilet starts to fill with more water. Panic sets in. We’ve all been there! If you’re wondering, ‘why do I clog the toilet every time I poop?’ We’ve got the answers you are looking for. Read on to learn why the toilet clogs every time you go number two.
Why Your Toilet Clogs Easily
Clogging the toilet is an unpleasant, potentially embarrassing, and surprisingly common occurrence. A toilet can become clogged for many reasons. In most cases, clogging stems from underlying issues in the main sewer line or within your house plumbing.
But when a toilet clogs too easily, you may wonder what you could be doing wrong. Below, we shed some light on why your toilet clogs every time you go number two.
Your Toilet Is Partially Clogged Already
If your toilet clogs every time you poop, there’s a good chance that your drain pipes and sewer line are partially clogged already. Partial clogs occur when you flush non-flushable items, such as tampons, baby wipes, dental floss, etc. When you flush the toilet, waste sticks to other material blockages to form bigger clogs.
Weak Flushing
The reason the toilet clogs every time you poop could be as simple as weak flushing. Are you sure you’re flushing the toilet correctly? Maybe your toilet needs a full flush to dispose of feces, but you only half-flush. Also, if you press the flush button too gently, it won’t let all the water flow out.
Low-Flow Toilet
A low-flush or low-flow toilet is a toilet that is designed to use significantly less water than a traditional high-flow toilet. Newer toilet models tend to be low-flow. These toilets require less water per flush but often struggle to clear waste.
The toilet Tank Is Not Filling
Regardless of the type of toilet in your home, if the toilet tank is not filling adequately and there’s not enough water. As a result, the toilet won’t flush effectively. This problem may be caused by the float position and tank leakages.
Broken Drain Pipes
The toilet drain pipe is a crucial part of your home’s plumbing. Its primary function is to carry the flush water into the sewer line. Older drain pipes are prone to breaking and punctures from corrosion and heat. Damaged or broken drain pipes can cause clogging.
Blocked Air Vent
The air vent allows air into the plumbing system, pushing water through the pipes. However, bird nests and falling leaves can clog the vent or close the opening. Without the air that the vents let in, water flows slowly and can stop altogether.
Hard Water Problems
Another reason why you clog the toilet everytime you poop is because you’re using hard water to flush. Hard water contains high concentrations of these dissolved minerals, which can lead to limescale build-up in toilet pipes. Limescale build-up, which consists of calcium and magnesium deposits, can constrict the flow of water and clog your toilet.
You’re Dehydrated
Inadequate water intake (dehydration) is a major cause of constipation. Without enough water, your stools can harden and become difficult to flush, creating the ideal conditions for clogging in your toilet. When you are hydrated, your poops are normal and can disintegrate in water easily.
You’re Using Too Much Toilet Paper
While toilet paper is designed to be flushed down the drain without issue, overloading your toilet with toilet paper can lead to recurring toilet clogs. The toilet paper does not disintegrate fast enough, forming solid lumps within the drain lines and clogging them.
Large wads of toilet paper are not the only thing that can lead to clogging. Using the wrong type of toilet paper could also clog your toilet. Toilet paper that dissolves slowly can get stuck in your pipes and accumulate over time, forming a potential clog.
As you can see, clogs can happen due to many reasons. Clogging can be caused by the state of your home plumbing, how you use your toilet, the amount of toilet paper you use, the type of toilet, and the consistency of your poops.
How Do I Prevent the Toilet from Clogging?
Now that you have an idea why the toilet clogs every time your poop, now we can shift our attention to prevention. Below, we look at what you can do to prevent a backflow of poop into your toilet bowl.
Proper Flushing
The easiest way to prevent clogs is to flash correctly. Don’t be too gentle with the flush button; push it all the way. You should also pay attention to half flushes and full flushes. Ensure you do a full flush every time you poop to avoid clogs.
Pay Attention to What You Flush
Not everything should be flushed down the toilet. A good rule of thumb is to flush anything from your body down the toilet. Apart from that, the only other thing you can flush is toilet paper. Do not flush pads, tampons, dental floss, paper towels, and other hygiene products.
Clean Your Toilet Regularly
Clean your toilet regularly to prevent clogging. Cleaning the toilet regularly helps to clear any items that may be stuck within your toilet, removing the clog before it begins to form. Regular cleaning prevents the toilet waste from building up and creating a clog.
Install A Water Softener
You can also install a water softener. Do this if you live in a hard water area where your toilet is likely to clog because of calcium build-up. A water softener will treat the water, eliminating much of the calcium. By removing significant amounts of calcium, clogs are less likely to happen.
Regular Inspections
Regular inspections give you a good look at the inner workings of your toilet to ensure that all the essential components are functioning correctly. Inspections will help you know if there are issues with the toilet itself, such as broken fixtures or partially clogged pipes.
Stay Hydrated
As mentioned earlier in the article, your poop can harden and become difficult to flush if you are dehydrated. Adequate water intake prevents constipation and enables your body to excrete waste easily. Try drinking more water and adding more fruits and veggies to your diet to stay hydrated.
How To Remove Toilet Clogs
A clogged toilet is not something that you can always prevent. Fortunately, you can get things in working order with a few household items. Unclogging a toilet is not fun, and things can be messy, so you must be prepared.
Here are a few tips to remove clogs from the toilet.
A Toilet Plunger
A plunger is an essential household tool for removing clogs and blockages in toilets, sinks, and drains. To unclog a toilet using a plunger, you need to place the device in the toilet bowl and push it down gently to create a seal.
Once you have a tight seal, drive the plunger down and up forcefully to remove the blockage. Repeat until you hear water rushing down the drain, at which point you’ll know the toilet is unclogged. A toilet plunger is the easiest way to unclog a toilet.
A Toilet Auger
Also known as a water plumbing snake or a closet auger, a toilet auger is one of the most common devices for unclogging a toilet. This tool is designed to move through the toilet drain to get rid of poop and debris causing the stoppage.
To unclog a toilet using a plumbing snake, insert the end of the tool into the toilet bowl and rotate the handle to help it advance. You’ll be able to reach deep into the toilet and drain, push whatever is causing the clog through or pull it out.
Detergent and Hot Water
You can also pour hot water and detergent into the toilet to unclog it. The combination of hot water and detergent helps dissolve and break up whatever is lodged in the toilet, causing the blockage. This will loosen the clog, and the toilet will unblock and flush freely.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Another effective method to unclog a toilet is to use vinegar and baking soda. Use equal parts of these non-toxic household cleaning aids for the best results. Start by pouring the baking soda into the toilet bowl, then add an equal amount of vinegar.
You’ll start to see them fizzing. Leave the mixture to react and check after about half an hour. In most cases, the clog will dissolve, and a simple flush sends it all down the drain.
Conclusion
If you are searching for ‘why do I clog the toilet every time I poop?’ on the internet, this is probably something that concerns you. First of all, you are not the only person this happens to, and it’s probably not your fault.
The best part is that there are easy ways to remove the clogs or, even better, prevent the toilet from clogging every time you poop. Use the tips in this article or invest in a modern clog-free toilet to prevent or deal with these potentially embarrassing occurrences.
