How to Unclog a House & RV Toilet Without a Plunger (& without getting dirty!)

When you clog a toilet and you don’t have a plunger nearby, there’s a sudden sinking feeling in your stomach. What can you do? Fortunately, there are quite a few ways to deal with the situation. Gone are the days of needing a plunger!

So, do you want to know how to unclog a toilet without a plunger? All you need is hot water and slippery soap, shampoo, or any other liquid that will help speed it along. Through the simple processes below, you’ll be able to remove the clog from any toilet that you encounter.

A small clog isn’t always a big issue. Sometimes it’ll go away by itself. If you still have to remove the clog, then proceed to the next section for a simple step-by-step process.

How to Unclog with No Plunger

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a plunger to unclog a toilet. In fact, you can get the job done with regular household products. The best three options are dish soap, shampoo, and diced bar soap.


Dish Soap	1. 1/2 cup of liquid soap 2. Add HOT water to the toilet 3. Clog should break up
Diced soap	No dish soap? 1. Dice 2. Add to toilet 3. Add HOT water
Shampoo	Same as dish soap…if you don’t have dish soap
Unclog a Toilet That’s Full of Water	1. Use a bucket to remove some water. 2. Throw outside
What if shower is clogged too?	1. Use a drain snake if handy to unclog toilet 1st 2. Unclog the to toilet 3. Unclog shower – use soap & hot water
Unclog toilet in RV	1. Don’t use regular toilet paper 2. Use RV toilet paper 3. Use RV snake 4. Empty black water tank
Coat hanger	1. Use a coat hanger as a pipe snake to remove the clog
Air burst	1. Use air tool to remove clog 2. Set to 20 PSI 3. Beware of any splash back!

Plumbing Tools I Recommend

Drain Cleaner

Easy to use,
Clean – unlike other methods
Regular use prevents clogs from occuring

Wrenches

Easy to use,
Work better than other wrenches
Great fit, price

Drills

Impressive speed, strength & battery life
Excellent price
Great for drilling in 2″ x 4″

Let’s break down the steps for each method below:

Using Liquid Dish Soap

Start by squirting liquid dish soap into the toilet. You’ll need to put quite a bit into the bowl so it can thoroughly coat it. Use about ½ of a cup.
Next, add at least one gallon of steaming hot water into the toilet bowl. It shouldn’t be boiling, but it needs to be hot enough to dissolve the toilet paper.
Wait around for a few minutes until the clog starts to loosen up a bit. Try to flush the toilet unless it’s all the way up to the brim. If it still doesn’t unclog, repeat the steps until it’s removed.

No Liquid Soap? Use Diced Bar Soap

Dice a bar of soap with a hot knife. You’ll only need to use about half of a bar.
Melt the soap a bit (this step isn’t necessary, but it’ll speed the process along).
Pour the soap mixture into the toilet bowl.
Pour one gallon of steaming hot water into the toilet right after the soap.
Wait for a few minutes, try to flush the toilet, and repeat as necessary.

Using Shampoo

Pour about one cup of shampoo into the toilet bowl. Shampoo isn’t as thick as dish soap and bar soap, so you might need to use a bit more.
Follow it up with one gallon of steaming hot water.
Wait for three minutes, flush the toilet, and repeat if the clog doesn’t go away.

Use professional strength unclogged

Get a great drain cleaner like Green Gobbler to quickly resolve clogged drains, toilets and sinks.

How to Unclog a Toilet That’s Full of Water

Removing a clog that’s settled at the bottom of the toilet isn’t too challenging. When the water starts to fill up to the top, it can be much more difficult. If it starts to overflow, you should grab a few towels and a bucket.

Start by removing some of the water with the bucket. Pour it into the bathtub while the tub is running. You should only do this step if the toilet water is clean.
Once you’ve taken the water out of the toilet, proceed to follow one of the three previous methods listed in the section above. You can also review alternative solutions near the end of the article.

What if the Shower is Full, Too?

When your shower starts to fill up with water alongside the toilet, there’s a big clog somewhere in the line. If the water has nowhere to go, it begins to pool up and overflow. Using a plumber’s snake (aka drain snake) will allow you to remove the clog reasonably quickly.

Here’s the 4-step process to remove a clog to clear up the shower and toilet at the same time:

Insert the plumber’s snake into the toilet. It’s coiled up, so you’ll have to use some elbow grease to force it down the bowl.
Slowly push the snake down as far as you can go until it stops moving. This stoppage indicates that you’ve hit the clog.
Forcibly push and pull the snake repeatedly until the clog starts to budge. When it moves, you can either continue to do it until the whole line is clear, or you could follow the various methods above.
Find the toilet drain hole and spray a garden hose into it to break the clog apart, so it doesn’t reform. You’ll probably have to turn the water valve off to the toilet before you perform this step.

Unfortunately, a plumber’s snake sometimes isn’t enough. If you’ve used all of your resources, you might have to call a local professional.

Clogged Toilet in an RV

RVs have simplified sewage systems that are much easier to understand than a house’s sewage system. It only consists of a few pipes and a massive tank, known as a ‘black water tank.’ When the black water tank gets filled up to the top, you have to empty it at an RV dump station.

If you run into any problems that result in a clog, it’s likely due to the toilet paper that you’re using. RVs have very sensitive systems, so you can’t use regular toilet paper. RV toilet paper is a bit pricier, but it’s well worth the investment to prevent clogs from happening.

RVs also have special toilet snakes that you can use.

They work exactly the same as the plumber’s snake from the previous section. You might have to buy an extra-narrow snake since the line is often much thinner in an RV.

There are also a few alternative solutions to remove clogs from RVs and regular toilets as well. Whether you don’t want to spend money on a plunger, or you prefer natural solutions, check out the methods below!

Use Air to Unclog a Toilet! (No Chemicals)

Air pressure works wonderfully by removing a clog without using any chemicals. All you have to do is pump the air up and shoot the air right through the line to take out the debris.

Here’s a detailed description:

Pump the air gun until it reaches about 20 PSI.
Place the proper fitting on the end of the product and push it against the drain of the toilet.
Squeeze the trigger while firmly holding it in place. You don’t want to let it shake around (there will be a significant amount of force at first).
Remove the attachment and flush the toilet.

That’s all there is to it! If you have to repeat this step a few times, you can do so without worry about damaging the plumbing.

You could also try to use vinegar if you have some at home. All you need is ½ of a cup of baking soda, one cup of vinegar, and a couple of gallons of hot water.

Follow these instructions for the best results:

Start by pouring the hot water down the toilet drain.
Next, put the baking soda into the bowl and let it sit for two to three minutes.
Pour the vinegar and another gallon of hot water on top of the baking soda solution.
Let it sit for five to ten minutes, then flush the entire mixture down the toilet.

Finishing Up

You don’t need a plunger to fix a clogged toilet. There are plenty of home remedies that’ll clear up the situation in under ten minutes. Don’t forget to follow the instructions down to the last detail throughout the guide for the best results!