It is certainly possible to clear a toilet clog with an ordinary drain snake, but all too often you will leave disfiguring scratches in the bottom of the bowl. A drain auger, on the other hand, will not scratch the porcelain of your toilet. For that reason, it is never recommended to use an electric snake to clean a toilet stoppage.
Toilet Auger vs. Toilet Plunger
When a toilet becomes clogged, the first course of action is to try using a toilet plunger. This tool is similar to a standard cup-style plunger used on an ordinary sink, tub, or shower drain, but it has a center flange that allows you to seal the tool against the drain opening in the toilet for plunging. Very often, this tool alone will free whatever clog is causing the problem. But it is best suited for clogs that are found in the toilet’s built-in trap, and it doesn’t work very well on clogs that are found past the toilet itself, in the branch drain that leads to the main soil stack.
For major clogs that lie past the toilet itself, the toilet must be lifted to get access to the piping.
Parts of a Toilet Auger
A toilet auger is a very simple hand tool, consisting of a metal cable with a rotating handle on one end; a long tube with a smooth angle on the bottom, through which the cable fits; and a rubber sleeve that prevents the metal tube from scratching the porcelain toilet bowl.
Safety Considerations
Any drain tool can pick up bacteria from drain pipes, and this is especially true of any tool used in a toilet drain. Make sure to wear gloves when using a toilet auger, and rinse off the tool when you are finished using it.
How to Use a Toilet Auger
Buying vs. Renting
Drain augers are available for rental at home improvement centers and tool rental outlets, but the tools are so inexpensive that it makes more sense to buy one. A couple of rental fees will nearly pay for the tool. Always wear gloves when handling the toilet auger cable. Use one hand to hold the toilet auger housing and keep it in place. With the other hand on the handle, crank the auger to gently work the cable into the toilet drain. Work slowly and patiently, because too much force can cause the cable to double back on itself rather than move through the drain. To get the cable all the way into the toilet, you may need to reverse the direction of the cranking motion a couple of times. Crank in one direction until the cable will feed no further, then switch to the other direction and continue to gradually feed the cable until the auger handle is tight against the top of the auger tube. Rotate the cable several times once it has reached its full extension. You may be able to feel when the cable reaches the clog, evident by the resistance. Repeat the snaking process, if necessary.
Keeping a Toilet Auger
After each use, rinse, wipe the auger cable dry (it may rust otherwise) and store it away. Occasionally wiping the cable with a cloth moistened with light machine oil will also keep it from rusting.
When to Replace Your Toilet Auger
A toilet auger will last for decades with correct use and care, but if the rubber sleeve becomes cracked or broken, or if the cable becomes so rusted that it no longer feeds smoothly through the sleeve, then it’s time to replace the tool.
