One of the most common calls that a plumber receives is for help with a clogged toilet. If you have young children in your home, you should always be prepared for clogged toilets. Those little creatures sure enjoy watching odd things travel down the toilet into a land lost in time, so you should learn how to use a closet auger to unclog your kids' portal to another universe.

Why should you do this yourself?

The average cost to have a plumber come to your home and unclog the toilet starts at around $65 and increases depending on the situation and the plumber's rates. In a lot of cases, the clog can be released relatively easily if you know how to use the tools yourself.

How do you unclog the toilet?

Before you break out the auger, try using the plunger. If that doesn't work, the auger just might do the trick.

Note: Do not attempt to use drain snakes or blow bags in your toilet. These tools can cause more harm than good.

1. Feed the cable through the loop on the handle so that the cable tip is just at the edge of the guide tip.
2. With the curve facing the direction of the toilet drain, insert the guide tip.
3. Give the auger a few slow cranks until you feel the crank getting tight. At this point, reverse the direction in which you are turning it and give it a few more cranks. This will feed the auger in through the toilet drain, so continue this process until the auger is extended to its maximum.
4. Give the auger a few more cranks to clear whatever it is that is causing the toilet to clog.
5. Slowly and gently pull the auger tube out of the drain. If it gets stuck on something, gently push, pull and turn the crank until it breaks free. Just be sure to use a gentle touch as you work it out, or you could crack your toilet bowl.
6. If the water has gone down the drain, give the toilet a test flush.

If using the auger through the toilet doesn't work, you may need to move the toilet and gain direct access to the drain. Sometimes, the easier access can make removing the toy or whatever your kids have stuffed down the toilet easier, but if your efforts fail, you really have no choice but to contact a local plumber like Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating for assistance.