When too much toilet paper goes in the toilet or other objects get flushed, you may find yourself facing a clogged and overflowing fixture. If you don’t handle it correctly, you may sustain water damage in the bathroom or the rooms below. The guide below explains how to react to a clogged toilet that’s spilling water from the bowl.

3 Steps for Dealing With an Overflowing, Clogged Toilet

1. Turn Off the Water

For situations like this, the toilet is equipped with a shutoff valve. You can find it on the wall near the floor, connected to a line that runs to the base of the tank. Turn the handle clockwise until the flow of water stops. Now you can work on resolving the problem without worrying about a constant overflow.

2. Resolve the Clog

If the problem was too much toilet paper, you can often resolve it with a plunger. Insert the rubber end into the bowl so that it creates a seal between the plunger head and the toilet bowl. Then, gently push the plunger up and down—don’t push too hard, however, or you may splash yourself with wastewater.

You’ll know the clog is solved if you hear a sucking sound, and the water drains once you remove the plunger. If the clog was caused by an object that shouldn’t have been flushed, like a tampon or toy, you might need a plumber to deal with the obstruction.

3. Clean Up

If the bathroom is on the second floor, any spilled water may leak through the ceiling and cause problems below. Now that the toilet has stopped overflowing and the clog is gone, clean up any spilled water. Using a mop or wet vacuum, remove as much water as possible from the floor. If you don’t have either of these, use extra towels from the linen closet. Also, open windows if the weather allows and run fans in the space to speed the drying process.

The next time you have a clogged toilet that’s too stubborn for a plunger, call the pros at Do It Right Plumbing Sewer & Drain Services. They serve homeowners throughout Minneapolis, MN, with sewer line cleanings, toilet clog resolution, pipe repairs, and new fixture installations. To learn about their full range of offerings, visit them online. Call (612) 388-8524 for a project estimate.