A blocked toilet is the most stressful plumbing problem there is — and one of the easiest to make worse by panicking. Here's the right sequence, and how to tell if the blockage is in the toilet itself or further down the sewer line.
Step 1 — Stop flushing
One more flush on a blocked toilet equals an overflow. Lift the cistern lid and push the float arm up to stop the refill if water is rising in the bowl.
Step 2 — Use a proper flange plunger
Cup plungers don't seal a toilet trap. A flange plunger has a soft rubber sleeve that folds out into the trap. Cover the bowl with enough water to submerge the plunger head, then pump firmly 10–15 times, keeping the seal.
Step 3 — Try a toilet auger
If plunging doesn't shift it, a hand-cranked toilet auger (R250 from any hardware store) reaches 1.5m down the trap to break up the blockage without scratching the porcelain.
When the blockage is in the main sewer (not the toilet)
Call a plumber immediately if:
- Multiple toilets or basins back up at the same time
- The shower drain bubbles when you flush
- Sewage pushes up through a downstairs gully
- You can hear gurgling from the kitchen sink when the washing machine empties
These are signs the main sewer connection between your house and the municipal line is blocked. Domestic plungers won't help — you need a 30m drain machine or jetter.
What never to flush
Wet wipes (any brand, including "flushable"), kitchen paper, sanitary items, cotton buds, dental floss, condoms, hair, cat litter. All of these snag in joints and become the seed of a future blockage.
Stuck blockage you can't shift? Phone 082 886 9119 — same-day toilet and drain unblocking across Sandton, Midrand and Northern Joburg.