How to Unclog a Toilet with Salt

Epsom salt isn’t a true salt like table salt, kosher salt, nor rock salt. It’s a naturally occurring mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate which works well for household work including unclogging pipes by dissolving biodegradable waste.

Epsom salt works by breaking apart clogs in the toilet, dislodging them, and clearing the waste pipe through a reaction of the mineral and water. What’s more, it can clear any build-up in the pipes including pipe scale. Just like chemical cleaners you can put about a cup of the salts into the toilet bowl and leave it on for some time before you can flush.

The best thing about working with salts to unclog your pipes is that you can combine them with other reactive agents such as baking soda, vinegar, and Borax. Take a look as we discuss further how you can unclog your toilet using salt.

Method

Epsom salts are easy to acquire and you wouldn’t miss this type of salt in many people’s homes. The first step is to get your supplies ready; salt and a measuring cup.

  1. Measure a cup of the Epsom salt into the toilet bowl and watch out for a fizzy and soapy reaction. The magnesium sulfate and water will react to hasten the degradation process therefore clearing the clog faster.
  2. Wait a few minutes for the reaction to subside then flush the toilet.
  3. The clog should be cleared out.
Epsom Salt
Salt

Ordinary Table or Rock Salt

If you don’t have Epsom salt, you can use regular table salt or rock salt. They too can be reactive but only when you add reactive agents such as baking soda or vinegar. It could also work well with hot water. Both guidelines are explained below.

With Reactive Agents

Before we proceed with the steps, you have to know that there is a difference between table salt and rock salt. While they both clean the drains, table salt needs baking soda to enhance its effectiveness. Rock salt on the other hand is much more abrasive and can work effectively with just hot water.

  1. Measure half a cup of table salt and mix it with half a cup of baking soda.
  2. Pour it into the toilet drain.
  3. Add six cups of boiling water slowly and allow to sit for six to eight hours, overnight preferably.
  4. Flush the toilet or use a plunger to loosen the clog further.
  5. Finish up with another bucket of boiling water. This is to remove the remaining baking soda that may have settled at the bottom of the toilet.

Rock salt comes highly recommended by plumbers as it has better strength in cleaning and maintaining the drain.

  1. Measure a cup of rock salt and put it into a two-gallon bucket of very hot water until it dissolves.
  2. Pour the mixture into the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight.
  3. After the time has elapsed, check the toilet and if the clog is cleared, pour another bucket of hot water into the bowl or flush to clean the toilet.

How much Epsom Salt do I Need to unclog a Toilet?

A cup of Epsom salt should be adequate to do the job, but if you’re planning on repeating the process, you’ll need about three to five cups which is equivalent to a full bag of Epsom salt (five pounds).

Homemade Drain Cleaners Made with Salt

Here are more great ideas you can use salt to unclog your drainpipe.

Using a Salt and Vinegar Mix

  1. Take a small bowl and measure one cup of salt into the bowl.
  2. Add in a cup of vinegar and stir. Keep stirring till the solution is smooth and even. Keep the mixture very light so it passes the drains easily.
  3. For more zing, you can add the juice of a lemon, maybe two. The lemon adds acidity to the mixture making it more reactive.
  4. Pour the mixture into the drain and let it sit for about 15 to 30 minutes. Keep adding in vinegar for more reaction.
  5. After the time has elapsed, check to see if the drain has unclogged. If so, pour about two gallons of hot water into the drain. Be careful not to scald yourself with the hot water.

Using Baking Soda, Salt, and Vinegar

  1. Since your working with two dry ingredients start by pouring a cup of both dry ingredients; salt and baking soda, into the bowl.
  2. Follow up with vinegar to induce a reaction. To work even faster, you could warm up the vinegar either by a stove or a microwave. The heat will work faster to degrade the waste that’s clogging the toilet.
  3. Leave it bubble and froth for the next 15 to 30 minutes maybe more until the reaction decreases.
  4. Check after the time has ended and pour in boiling water. Let the water waste away and you can flush again to confirm the clog is now gone.

Using Borax, Salt, and Vinegar

Borax has the same acidic qualities as baking soda. Hence, as a replacement, measure equal cups of salt and Borax, then add in the vinegar, followed by hot water. The same procedure as the latter can be used.

Borax cleaner

Epsom salts are easy to acquire and you wouldn’t miss this type of salt in many people’s homes. The first step is to get your supplies ready; salt and a measuring cup.

  1. Measure a cup of the Epsom salt into the toilet bowl and watch out for a fizzy and soapy reaction. The magnesium sulfate and water will react to hasten the degradation process therefore clearing the clog faster.
  2. Wait a few minutes for the reaction to subside then flush the toilet.
  3. The clog should be cleared out.
Epsom Salt
Salt

Ordinary Table or Rock Salt

If you don’t have Epsom salt, you can use regular table salt or rock salt. They too can be reactive but only when you add reactive agents such as baking soda or vinegar. It could also work well with hot water. Both guidelines are explained below.

With Reactive Agents

Before we proceed with the steps, you have to know that there is a difference between table salt and rock salt. While they both clean the drains, table salt needs baking soda to enhance its effectiveness. Rock salt on the other hand is much more abrasive and can work effectively with just hot water.

  1. Measure half a cup of table salt and mix it with half a cup of baking soda.
  2. Pour it into the toilet drain.
  3. Add six cups of boiling water slowly and allow to sit for six to eight hours, overnight preferably.
  4. Flush the toilet or use a plunger to loosen the clog further.
  5. Finish up with another bucket of boiling water. This is to remove the remaining baking soda that may have settled at the bottom of the toilet.

Rock salt comes highly recommended by plumbers as it has better strength in cleaning and maintaining the drain.

  1. Measure a cup of rock salt and put it into a two-gallon bucket of very hot water until it dissolves.
  2. Pour the mixture into the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight.
  3. After the time has elapsed, check the toilet and if the clog is cleared, pour another bucket of hot water into the bowl or flush to clean the toilet.

How much Epsom Salt do I Need to unclog a Toilet?

A cup of Epsom salt should be adequate to do the job, but if you’re planning on repeating the process, you’ll need about three to five cups which is equivalent to a full bag of Epsom salt (five pounds).

Homemade Drain Cleaners Made with Salt

Here are more great ideas you can use salt to unclog your drainpipe.

Using a Salt and Vinegar Mix

  1. Take a small bowl and measure one cup of salt into the bowl.
  2. Add in a cup of vinegar and stir. Keep stirring till the solution is smooth and even. Keep the mixture very light so it passes the drains easily.
  3. For more zing, you can add the juice of a lemon, maybe two. The lemon adds acidity to the mixture making it more reactive.
  4. Pour the mixture into the drain and let it sit for about 15 to 30 minutes. Keep adding in vinegar for more reaction.
  5. After the time has elapsed, check to see if the drain has unclogged. If so, pour about two gallons of hot water into the drain. Be careful not to scald yourself with the hot water.

Using Baking Soda, Salt, and Vinegar

  1. Since your working with two dry ingredients start by pouring a cup of both dry ingredients; salt and baking soda, into the bowl.
  2. Follow up with vinegar to induce a reaction. To work even faster, you could warm up the vinegar either by a stove or a microwave. The heat will work faster to degrade the waste that’s clogging the toilet.
  3. Leave it bubble and froth for the next 15 to 30 minutes maybe more until the reaction decreases.
  4. Check after the time has ended and pour in boiling water. Let the water waste away and you can flush again to confirm the clog is now gone.

Using Borax, Salt, and Vinegar

Borax has the same acidic qualities as baking soda. Hence, as a replacement, measure equal cups of salt and Borax, then add in the vinegar, followed by hot water. The same procedure as the latter can be used.

Borax cleaner
Borax

Using Cream of tartar, Baking Soda and Salt

Cream of tartar is as abrasive as Epsom salts as not only will it unclog your pipes, it can get rid of pipe scale, build-up, and even scum. To use, measure an eighth cup of cream of tartar, that’s about two tablespoons, against half a cup of salt.

Add your vinegar to the mixing bowl and stir to get an even mixture. Pour it into the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. The cream of tartar is great for metal pipes. Finish off with a cup of hot water and a flush.

How Effective is the Salt Method?

For all DIY methods, it’s tricky to know if you get the intended results. But with the chemical reaction Epsom salts and water make, thus is best when you’re sure the drain is clogged with biodegradable waste. This is because you’re only hastening the degrading process, otherwise, this method won’t work.

Furthermore, using salt to unclog is effective in getting rid of nasty smells and toxic gases. It’s also nice if the clog is clogged with small waste such as hair.

Further Reading on Unclogging Toilets

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