When you’re trying to scrub away stubborn stains inside your toilet, a toilet brush is the best way to get this done. Getting a toilet brush head stuck in the toilet is a more common problem than you might think, and if the toilet head breaks in the toilet, you will likely start to panic.
There are a few methods you can use to remove a toilet brush head stuck in the toilet without having to call in a plumber. You should avoid the urge to try and flush the toilet head down the toilet in the hopes that the water pressure will help push it into your plumbing system.
Your worst-case scenario for a toilet brush head that is stuck deep within the toilet might be to open up your toilet or lift it up, which you’ll definitely need help with. A plumber can also help you do this if you’re not comfortable with this type of work.
How to Un-Stuck a Toilet Brush Head Stuck In Toilet
Toilet brushes are often made of plastic so they’re quite fragile. Sometimes all it takes is a vigorous scrub at a stain that’s causing you difficulty and your toilet brush’s head can snap off. You can try to use your hands to fish it out of the toilet, but that can be very troublesome and not very sanitary.
Before you go rolling up your sleeves, try a couple of alternative ways to remove the toilet brush head from inside your toilet.
Use A Toilet Auger
A toilet auger is a very useful tool to have handy as it can help you dislodge all kinds of things from your toilet bowl. It’s especially helpful to have if you have kids who like to try and flush random objects down the toilet for fun. This tool is one of the best ways to try and pull the toilet brush head out of the toilet.
A toilet auger is a long tool with a handle that you can push into your toilet and twist around to get a good grip on objects stuck deep within the bowl. They are easy to maneuver into the nooks and crannies of the inside of your toilet where a plunger or your hands can’t quite reach.
To use a toilet auger, you’ll want to slowly push the auger down into the toilet bowl until you’re able to make contact with the brush head. When you slowly twist, you’ll be able to get the auger’s hook into the brush head. It might take a couple of attempts before you’re able to get the brush head hooked onto the auger securely.
To bring out the brush head, you’ll want to take the auger out of the toilet slowly, twisting it as necessary.
Use Your Plunger
Your plunger can help you dislodge the toilet brush head from deep inside the toilet bowl. While the goal isn’t necessarily to let the brush head go down the toilet into your plumbing, you might not have much of a choice to let it happen. However, a plunger used with some hot water will make sure the head breaks down well enough that it doesn’t cause a clog.
With a flashlight, be sure you get a good look at where exactly the brush head is. Once you have an indication of where the head is, you’ll want to pour a couple of buckets of warm or hot water inside your toilet. This will start to encourage the brush head out of where it’s stuck while also giving you more water volume to work with.
Once your toilet bowl has a sufficient amount of water inside, plunge it with some force. What is likely to happen is that some bristles will fall off of the brush head which helps it decrease in size. When you’re finally able to plunge your brush head down the toilet and encourage the toilet to flush, the head will go down much easier using this method.
How To Lift A Toilet To Remove Toilet Brush Head Stuck In Toilet
If the above methods don’t work, your only other options are to lift up your toilet to fish out the brush head or call a plumber. Lifting up a toilet to get inside the plumbing system isn’t as complicated as it might sound, though you’ll need to enlist the help of a couple of friends to help you lift up such a heavy fixture.
Before you get started, you will want to turn off your toilet’s water valve. The last thing you want is for water to spray everywhere, making a big mess and delaying your work. Since you’ll be lifting your toilet, it’s also the perfect time to replace your toilet’s wax ring. It’s inexpensive and super easy and is an important way to prevent leaks.
If you don’t feel comfortable with this method, a plumber is able to do this for you just as easily. They have the tools and experience to avoid injury when lifting a toilet.
Empty The Toilet
As you can imagine, trying to lift a toilet full of toilet water is unnecessarily difficult and unpleasant. Once the water is shut off, you’ll want to empty both the toilet tank and toilet bowl of water. You’ll have to scoop the water out a bit at a time which can take a few minutes. Be sure you have some gloves and a big bucket nearby.
Remove The Toilet From The Floor
How you remove your toilet will vary depending on what kind of toilet you have. Most toilets are mounted to the floor and are secured with screws. Where the toilet bowl base meets the floor, you’ll usually see two plastic caps on either side that keep the screws covered. Remove these screws and place your hardware to the side.
Locate The Brush Head
Be sure to have some towels down on your bathroom floor just in case there’s any moisture left in the toilet. Slowly and carefully, lift the toilet off of the ground and lay it on the side. With a flashlight, look inside the bottom of the toilet bowl and/or the floor, and you’ll likely locate the brush head easily.
All you’ll have to do is pull it out with some gloved hands and put your toilet back in place. The toilet’s old wax ring can easily be pulled off with a gloved hand and a new one can be put in place in a couple of minutes.
Tips For Finding A Good Toilet Brush
It can be tempting to go cheap with toilet brushes but be advised that when you go for the bargain prices, you’ll have to replace your toilet brush more often. Sometimes it’s worth spending a little bit more money so you’re not running into these types of issues.
Furthermore, you shouldn’t have to scrub your toilet so vigorously that your brush head is snapping off into your toilet. If it seems like stains are just too hard to remove, it could be that your cleaner of choice is the problem and not your toilet brush.
Scrubbing too hard can also damage your toilet, stripping the protective coating and causing small cracks inside the bowl which can subsequently become a new home for unsanitary bacteria.