Plumbing tips · October 21, 2026
The clog that keeps coming back
Plunging a toilet once in a while is normal. Plunging the same toilet every week is not. A clog that keeps coming back has a reason, and it is usually one of a few.
What goes down it
Too much paper at once is the most common cause. Wipes are the next, including the ones sold as flushable: they do not break down the way toilet paper does, and they catch in the trap and the line. Paper towels, cotton and hygiene products do the same.
The toilet itself
Some older low-flow toilets simply do not push enough water to clear the bowl and the trap in one flush. Mineral build-up in the rim holes and the jet does the same thing to a toilet that used to flush fine. And a small object such as a toy or a cap can sit in the trap for months, catching paper every time.
When it is not the toilet
If the tub or shower gurgles when you flush, or water backs up into another drain, the clog is further down, in the drain line or the main sewer line. Plunging the toilet will not reach it, and more flushing only pushes water somewhere you do not want it.
What to do
Stop flushing wipes and anything but toilet paper. If it still clogs, a plumber can auger the toilet, pull it to clear the trap, or run a camera down the line to see what is really in there.
Questions we get asked
Are flushable wipes really safe to flush?
Not for your pipes. They pass the bowl but hold together far longer than toilet paper, and they are one of the most common things plumbers pull out of clogged lines.Should I use chemical drain cleaner on a toilet?
It is best not to. It rarely clears a toilet clog, it can damage older pipes, and it makes the job dangerous for whoever has to open the line afterwards.How do I know it is the main line?
If more than one drain is slow or backs up, especially the lowest ones in the house, or the toilet gurgles when a sink or the washer drains, the problem is likely in the main line.Plumbing questions we answer
Where we go
Parker, Wise and Tarrant County, out of the shop in Springtown. Springtown, Weatherford, Azle, Boyd, Decatur, Newark, Millsap, Fort Worth and the country in between.
Call 817-487-8866