Everyone has had
to deal with an overflowing toilet at some point. You are trying to flush, but
the water just keeps rising over the bowl and onto the bathroom floor, making
the mess bigger by the second. Here is what to do if the toilet is overflowing.
Step 1: Containment
The first step is
to prevent the water from flowing outside the bathroom. Use heavy rugs and
towels and place them on the floor to soak up the excess. Finding disposable
towels may be ideal, but since there is no time, you can use regular towels and
rugs that you will later wash and disinfect.
Step 2: Turn Off the Water Valve
Now that you have
contained the water, the next step is to find the water valve, usually at the
base of the toilet. Check under the tank for the shut-off valve, then turn it
until you see no more water running. You can also remove the lid from the tank,
push down the flapper inside, and use it to stop the water flow. The goal is to
avoid more water flowing into the tank.
Step 3: Clean Up
Containment and
shutting off the water gives you time to clean up the resulting mess. Here is what to do when the toilet
overflows, and it starts with gathering supplies. You need a mop,
bucket, rubber gloves, bleach, and floor cleaner (antibacterial). Start by
wringing out the towels you had on the floor, then clean out the rest of the
water with a bucket and mop. Next, you'll disinfect the floor as well as the
rugs or any towels you used.
Step 4: Plunging
If a foreign item
was in the way of water flushing, which led to the mess in the first place, you
have to remove it immediately. If it's a toy, you can pull it out after donning
a pair of gloves. Otherwise, if dealing with a clog, you can simply use a
plunger. Keep plunging to get rid of all the excess water in the bowl.
Step 5: Turn the Water Back On
and Flush
Finally, you want
to check that everything is working normally after removing the clog. Start by
turning the valve back on to refill the tank, then try flushing again to ensure
there is no more overflow.
Contact an Emergency Plumber in
Cartersville
If the toilet
keeps overflowing even after all these steps, the last resort is to call a plumber in
Cartersville to check it out. It may be an issue with the
sewer line, septic tank, or another problem, and the professionals at A-Total
Plumbing are ready to help.