Simple steps to unclogging the toilet & dishwasher

Save yourself calling the plumber and unclog the toilet or dishwasher yourself. Here's how:

If the blockage isn't caused by something out of the ordinary, there's a quick and clean way to clear it:

• Partly fill a bucket with water, but not so much that it would fill the toilet bowl. With one swift movement, pour the water all at once into the centre of the toilet bowl. The  force of the water may shift the blockage.
• If that doesn't work, use a special plunger that's large enough to cover the whole of the toilet outlet.
• You could also try an auger, or plumber's snake. Insert the cable end of the tool into the U-bend and turn the crank handle. Its hooked spring tip lets grab the blockage and either break it up or pull it back out.
• If none of this works, call a plumber.

Your dishwasher has filters where the water goes in, and where it flows out. This is where blockages can occur.

• The outlet filters, set inside each other like cups, are found in the bottom of the dishwasher cabinet. They collect grease and food particles and are prone to blockages.
• Unclip the filters as advised in the owner's manual, rinse them clean under warm running water, then soak and wash them in warm soapy water. Return them into place.
• While they rarely get blockages, here's what to do if the inlet filters need cleaned: Turn off the water at the stopcock, then disconnect the inlet hose. Remove any rubber seal and pull the filter out with long-nosed pliers. Then, clean it with a nail brush.

Simple tasks like unclogging a toilet or dishwasher can be a little off-putting, but the savings can be significant. Now you can try getting rid of the blockage yourself, and keep that money on something else.