How to Unclog a Toilet from a Flushed Toilet Paper Roll

Co-authored by James Schuelke

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 References

So someone accidentally flushed a toilet paper roll down the toilet and your toilet is clogged, which is super annoying and frustrating. But don’t worry! You can easily unclog your toilet by pulling the toilet paper roll out by hand or using the hook on a wire hanger to snag the roll and pull it towards the drain opening so you can remove it. You can also use a plunger to dislodge the toilet paper roll if it’s stuck so you can more easily pull it out.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Pulling out the Toilet Paper Roll

1
Put on a pair of rubber cleaning gloves. To keep your hands clean and clear of the water in the toilet bowl, put on a pair of long rubber gloves. Latex cleaning gloves will keep your hands from being exposed.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Make sure the gloves are long enough to cover your forearms.
- You can find rubber cleaning gloves at department stores and online.
2
Place towels around the base of the toilet. Reaching into the toilet bowl can potentially cause the water to slosh or spill over the side of the bowl. Put down towels or rags around the base of the toilet to soak up any water.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You can also use paper towels or newspapers to soak up any water that may spill.
Advertisement
3
Remove the lid from the back of the tank. In order to shut off the water supply to the toilet so it doesn’t continue to run, you need to access the water tank. Remove the lid from the top of the tank on the back of the toilet and set it aside.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Use 2 hands to remove the lid.
- Be careful not to drop the lid or it could chip or crack.
4
Close the flapper at the bottom of the tank. At the bottom of the tank is the flapper, a small circular drain stopper with a chain attached to it. Press it closed to keep more water from filling up the toilet bowl.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Close the lid on the toilet after you close the flapper
5
Reach into the toilet bowl and remove the roll. After you’ve stopped excess water from flowing into the bowl by closing the flapper, reach into the drain opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl. Feel for the toilet paper roll, get a good grip on it, and then gently pull it out.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Don’t yank it out or you could tear off a piece and it may be more difficult to grab the rest of the roll.
- You may have to reach far into the drain opening to reach the roll.
Tip: If your hands are too big to access the drain, try having someone with smaller hands reach into it to grab the toilet paper roll.
6
Flush the toilet after you’ve removed the roll. After you’ve pulled the clogged roll out of the toilet bowl, push the handle that flushes the toilet. The handle will pull the chain on the flapper and open it up so the toilet can flush again and clear the pipes.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If the toilet is still clogged after you remove the roll, use a plunger to dislodge any additional clogs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Grabbing the Roll with a Wire Hanger

1
Unwind a wire hanger but leave the hook. Use a standard wire hanger and unravel it so that it’s completely straight. Keep the hook on the end so you can grab hold of the toilet paper roll.^{[7]
X
Research source}
2
Secure a cloth around the hook end of the wire with a rubber band. The metal hanger can scratch or damage the porcelain of your toilet. To prevent that from happening, wrap a thin cloth around the hook and use a rubber band to wrap around it and keep it secured to the hanger.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- You can also use tape or a hair tie to keep the cloth secured to the hook.
Tip: Tear a small piece of fabric from a shirt to cover the end of the hook. Don’t use a thick rag or it may just jam the toilet paper roll further into the drain.
3
Feed the hook end of the hanger into the toilet bowl. Slide the covered hook into the drain opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl. Continue to feed it into the drain until you locate the toilet paper roll.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- You’ll know you hit the clog when the hanger doesn’t feed into the pipe easily.
4
Use the hook to grab the toilet paper roll. Once you locate the clogged toilet paper roll, push the hanger past it. Then, start to pull the hanger back towards you. If the clog follows the hanger as you pull it back, then you’ve hooked the toilet paper roll.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- If the hanger keeps sliding past the clog, try rotating it so the hook changes angles and may have a better chance at snagging it.
5
Pull the toilet paper roll out of through the bowl. After you’ve snagged the clog, slowly and gently pull the hanger out of the bowl. The toilet paper roll will follow and you should eventually see it in the drain opening.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- If the clog breaks loose of the hanger, reinsert the hanger past the clog, then gently pull it back towards you to hook it again.
6
Grab hold of the roll and remove it. Once the toilet paper roll is in view, reach into the bowl and remove it. Make sure you get any pieces that may have torn or broken off. Once the roll is out, try flushing the toilet to clear the drain.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Put on a pair of rubber gloves to reach into the bowl.
- If the toilet is still clogged after you remove the roll, use a plunger to clear any obstructions.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Plunging the Toilet to Dislodge the Toilet Paper Roll

1
Make sure there’s enough water in the toilet bowl. A plunger works best if there’s water in the toilet bowl, but you don’t want so much that it overflows and spills out. If you tried flushing the bowl and it filled with water, wait until the water level decreases until about half of the bowl is full. If there’s no water in the bowl, add enough water to fill it halfway.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Wait about 10 minutes to allow the water level to go down if the bowl is too full. If the water level doesn’t decrease, use a bucket to scoop out the water so the bowl is half full.
- Having the right amount of water in the bowl will improve the suction and effectiveness of your plunger.
2
Fit the plunger over the drain opening in the toilet bowl. Submerge the bell end of the plunger into the toilet bowl until it reaches the hole at the bottom. The plunger should fit securely directly over the opening.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Make sure there aren’t any gaps between the sides of the plunger and the drain opening.
3
Press the plunger gently to release the trapped air. At the bell end of the plunger is a small pocket of air that needs to be released to create a good suction seal. Once you fit the plunger over the drain opening, gently press on the plunger to collapse the bell end of the plunger and push out the trapped air.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- This will also prevent water from splashing back at you when you plunge the toilet.
4
Push and pull on the handle of the plunger 15 to 20 times. Press the plunger in and out vigorously while keeping the seal with the drain opening. The suction from the plunger will dislodge the toilet paper roll.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- Try changing from a fast pace to steady strokes with an occasional strong heave to try to clear the drain.
- Continue plunging until the toilet paper roll is no longer jamming the drain.
Tip: If the water level gets too low and the bell end of the plunger is no longer submerged, add more water to the bowl to keep it filled about halfway.
5
Remove the toilet paper roll when it gets dislodged. Plunging your toilet will pull the clogged toilet paper roll out of the drain rather than pushing it further down. After you break the clog free, put on a pair of rubber gloves and pull it out of the drain opening.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- Use a wire hanger to grab hold of the toilet paper roll if it’s too far down in the drain.
6
Flush the toilet to clear the drain. After you plunge the toilet bowl and remove the toilet paper roll, flush the toilet to clear the pipes. If the toilet becomes clogged again, try plunging it again.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- If you’re totally unable to unclog the toilet from the toilet paper roll, contact a licensed plumber to come service your toilet.

Expert Q&A
Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow

Question

How do you unclog a toilet without a plunger?

James Schuelke
Professional Plumber
James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.

James Schuelke

Professional Plumber

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

If you don't have a plunger, one of the most effective ways is to use a toilet bowl brush. To utilize one of those for this purpose, take the brush and go up and down inside the toilet porthole where everything goes down. Use the water that's already in the toilet bowl and go back and forth with the brush like a plunger. 99% of the time, that will clear the toilet.
Question

My toilet is plugged and when I flush it, it doesn't go down; it goes all the way to the top. What should I do?

Community Answer

Don't let it overflow. Flush it one time. Take the toilet tank lid off. Close the flapper, and replace the lid. Plunge the toilet.
Question

Will the toilet enzyme drain cleaner product work to disintegrate the roll?

Adrian

Top Answerer

Yes, it will. Enzymes will help break down most organic material such as toilet paper.