The human bodies are full of “crap.” The remains of digestion become poop and unfortunately, we can’t break down poop in the stomach, so we have to release it.
When you do a “number two,” do you wonder what breaks down poop in toilet?
Common household products such as warm water, vinegar, baking soda, and liquid dishwashing soap can break down feces. But if these don’t work, there are also chemicals that dissolve poop, like bleach and detergent.
Ways to Break Down Poop in the Toilet
If you’re here, you probably need to unblock a badly blocked toilet. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. We are here to help.
We will start with what you can do using the things you can find around your house. If those don’t do the trick, you can try some of the chemicals we listed in this article.
Dissolving Poop Using Products at Home
1. Warm Water and Plunger
Warm water and a plunger can usually unclog a toilet with poop in it fast, especially if the toilet plunger is heavy-duty.
Before you begin:
- Take out half of the water inside the toilet.
- Pour a half bucket amount of warm water into the bowl.
Wait for about 10 to 15 minutes so the temperature of the water can slowly dissolve poop stuck in the toilet.
After waiting for 10 to 15 minutes, position the cup of your plunger on the bowl; make sure it covers the entire passage to the toilet trap. While holding the handle vertically, plunge the toilet in and out for 20 seconds with medium force.
If it still doesn’t work or the drain is slow, plunge with additional force. This is often the first aid when a hard poop clogged the toilet, specifically in the drain. Most of the time, it works.
- Easy to do
- Economical (since warm water and a plunger can be found in the house).
- Effective most of the time
- Can be messy
- If the rock-hard poop is also stubborn, warm water and a toilet plunger might fail.
2. Warm Water and Liquid Dishwashing Soap
Liquid dish soap can be strong enough to dissolve feces in the toilet.
- Before we start, we must drain the water from the bowl or stop supplying water by turning off the shutoff valve. If you don’t know where this is, it’s behind your toilet.
- Once we finish draining, take the strongest dish soap that you have and pour ½ cup into the bowl.
- Wait for about 15 or 20 minutes for the poop and the toilet trap to be lubricated.
- After this, pour half a bucket of warm water into the toilet. We don’t recommend boiling water as it can damage ceramics.
We can repeat this method twice if the poop doesn’t flush down the toilet after the first try. We can also use a plunger to increase the success of unclogging.
- Easy and pretty effective
- Dish soap also cleans the toilet trap
- Might not be able to flush poop that is too big to flush and stuck way back in the toilet trap.
3. Warm Water, Vinegar, and Baking Soda
Aside from warm water, baking soda and vinegar dissolve poop.
- You have to turn off the shutoff valve to stop water from pouring into the bowl.
- After that, pour a half cup of baking soda into the toilet. Then, pour half a cup of vinegar. They have to be in equal amounts, so the ratio is 1:1.
- You will see a reaction when the two ingredients mix, which is what we want. Leave them for about 15 minutes,
- Then, pour half a bucket of warm water into the toilet.
If the toilet is still clogged, you may repeat the steps until the poop is dissolved.
- This mixture dissolves poop fast
- Ingredients are available in your kitchen
- If you mix vinegar and baking soda incorrectly or you use a huge amount of both, the reaction might overflow out of the toilet
- The smell can be quite unpleasant
4. Toilet Auger
A toilet auger is a type of drain snake. The latter is used in removing clogs, particularly in plumbing. It’s better to use this tool as a last resort in a clogged toilet and the plunger is not working.
This tool can be used if the poop won’t flush down the toilet. A toilet auger has the following parts:
- Long metal cable and handle we use to rotate it
- The rubber sleeve envelops the cable, so it won’t scratch ceramic or porcelain toilet
The toilet auger works in a rotating or screwing motion, which breaks down the clog. You have to be careful not to rotate it with such force since it works better when you rotate it slowly.
- A toilet auger can unclog the toilet properly by dissolving the poop at the far end of the toilet trap.
- This tool may damage porcelain or ceramic if used without caution.
- A toilet auger can be expensive and not readily available in your home.
Dissolving Poop Using Chemical Products
There are cases where we have to use chemicals to break down human waste, such as the following examples.
1. Enzymatic Cleaners
An enzyme waste removal toilet product is a chemical that dissolves human feces in the toilet, notably slowly. However, enzymatic cleaners are safer for the plumbing system.
Green Gobbler reportedly dissolves poop fast with their products, so you should try them.
- Enzymatic cleaners are pre-made and safe for your plumbing system.
- Depending on the brand, enzymatic cleaners might work slowly.
- There is also a chance that they might not remove the clog at all.
2. Bleach
Warm water and bleach dissolve poop and can also clean your toilet. And yes, Clorox is bleach. In this method, you must protect your hands and eyes. Also, make sure you have good ventilation.
- First, add two cups of bleach to the bowl and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- After that, pour a bucket of warm water into the toilet.
- Lastly, flush the toilet and see if it’s now unclogged.
This technique works like a charm if you do it correctly. But ensure to avoid contact with bleach as it may harm your skin.
- Bleach is not expensive and may already be available at home.
- The chemical is strong enough to dissolve poop.
- Bleach can be harmful if it touches your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Get Poop Stuck Out of a Toilet?
The common reason poop gets stuck in the toilet is the lack of pressure that pushes the waste down the drain. This can be because there is not enough water or your toilet type is low flush.
Although sometimes, the problem is with the plumbing system. In this case, you might want to get it checked.
How Long Does It Take for Poop to Dissolve in a Toilet?
It will take around 20 to 45 minutes to dissolve poop stuck in the toilet, depending on the method of unclogging and the severity of the situation.
If it lasts more than an hour, it’s best to call a professional plumber.
Conclusion
Sometimes, the poop gets stuck in the toilet and flushing it often doesn’t work. However, we can unblock a badly blocked toilet using products we can find at home, such as warm water, vinegar, baking soda, and even dish soap.
There are also chemicals that dissolve poop, like enzymes and bleach, that we can buy from the nearest stores.
Now you know what breaks down poop in toilet; you can try all these methods. And if the issues cannot be resolved, it’s best to ask a plumber for help so that you can use your toilet again without problems.
I’m Paulk Webb, and I work as a writer for Saveourwaterrebates. I’m happy to put in the time and effort to conduct market research to identify the most pressing issues faced by households concerning their plumbing. Feel free to check out our guides to get the most informed recommendations for how to solve your problems.