You press the handle and instead of the water going down, it goes up and you watch in horror hoping it stops before overflowing onto the floor. Let's reel in that anxiety.

Most of the time a clogged toilet is something you can handle without having to call Cooper's Plumbing. Just follow these steps in our plumbing DIY and we should have your toilet back in operation in no time.

1. Try to Determine What is Causing the Clog.

Kids will be kids and they like playing in water; even if it is toilet water. If your child dropped a toy in the toilet, it's important not to try to flush it on down because it could get stuck further down the pipe and that is just going to make your problem worse. First, grab some gloves and see if you can reach it with your hand. If not, try using a clothes hanger to fish it out.

2. Use a Plunger

A lot of times a toilet clog is caused by an abundance of toilet paper that is preventing it from flushing properly. If so, it's time to grab the trusty plunger.

Make sure you have a sufficient amount of water in the bowl and then turn the water off at the valve (usually behind the toilet). Place the plunger over the drain and press slowly in order to create a suction. Once you have good suction, quickly press the plunger up and down. Make sure you keep a good seal so the plunger is able to push the clog on down the drain. If you see the water go down, turn the water back on and see if it is now flushing properly. If not, repeat the steps until you see no more stoppage.

3. Use an Enzyme Cleaner

We do not suggest using harsh chemicals in your toilet. These chemicals can cause damage to your pipes, especially if you have an older house. As an alternative, you can use an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners use a concentration of bacteria that break down toilet waste without doing harm to your pipes.

Pour the enzyme cleaner into your toilet and let it sit for 24 hours without flushing. This gives the bacteria time to work and can make the clog easier to move down through your pipes. Try using the plunger method once again and see if the stoppage is removed.

4. Call Cooper's Plumbing

If all of these steps have failed, you may have a more urgent issue that will require one of our plumbers. Give us a call at 803-283-0991.