Tampon Clogged Toilet? (2 Easy Step-by-Step Methods!)

You may be wondering how something as small as a tampon could clog a toilet.

The reason tampons can clog your toilet is that they are designed to absorb and hold liquid. When exposed to fluid, tampons can grow about 10 times their size.

Unlike toilet paper, tampons never break down. In addition this makes them problematic for any plumbing system. Flushing a tampon down the toilet is like flushing any small hard object. They can produce the same type of blockage in your plumbing system.

How to Know if You Clogged Your Toilet

If you accidentally flushed a tampon down your toilet, don’t panic right away.

Signs that a flushed tampon has clogged your toilet include:

• gurgling sounds coming from your plumbing system
• water backing up or overflowing from your toilet
• the smell of raw sewage coming from your drains 

If you find that your toilet is completely blocked by a tampon and not draining, avoid using a plunger. This will push the tampon further down the waste pipe, making it more difficult to unclog.

More so, the most effective way to remove the tampon is to manually pull it out. This will prevent the possibility of serious damage to your plumbing.

Method #1 

1. To fix a tampon-clogged toilet, begin by grabbing a pair of rubber gloves.
2. Manually remove as much water as possible from the toilet. You can do this by using a shop vacuum or by filling a cup with the toilet water and dumping it into a bucket. By removing as much water as possible, you make the process of removing the tampon from your clogged toilet easier and more sanitary.
3. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the bolts holding the toilet bowl in place.
4. Remove the toilet bowl from your workspace. We recommend that you put the toilet bowl somewhere with a drain (bathtub) because water still trapped inside the toilet may spill out.
5. Once you’ve removed water from the toilet, insert a plumber’s snake into the toilet drain opening. Push the plumber’s snake down the drain until you feel resistance.
6. Rotate the handle clockwise so the hooks attach themselves to the tampon. You’ll know that the tampon has been attached when resistance on the plumber’s snake has been increased.
7. Retrieve the plumber’s snake from the toilet drain. Don’t give up if this doesn’t work. It may take a few tries.
8. The plumber’s snake might break the clogged tampon into pieces. Try flushing the toilet if you feel resistance without any pieces of the tampon coming out of the drain. Any remaining pieces should flush down the toilet drain. 

Method #2 

1. In this method for fixing a tampon-clogged toilet, it’s important to remove all of the water from the toilet. Use a cup to remove as much water as possible. Soak up the remaining water with a sponge. Removing all the water makes this method easier and more sanitary.
2. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the bolts holding the toilet bowl in place. Move the toilet bowl away from your workspace. 
3. With rubber gloves, reach your hand down the toilet drain and try to scoop out the tampon.
4. Reattach the toilet bowl after removing the tampon.

Final Thoughts

The longer a flushed tampon sits in your pipes, the more likely it is that the tampon will get clogged and cause damage. In conclusion, if a tampon has been flushed down your toilet, it is important to remove it as soon as possible.

You can learn more tips for fixing a tampon-clogged toilet here.

Call 1-Tom-Plumber

If these methods for unclogging a toilet don’t work, call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237).

1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain, or water damage problem, including excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.