I've been dealing with something similar since moving into my first house—honestly, plumbing issues are like a rite of passage for homeowners, right? Anyway, I tried the dish soap trick too, and yeah, it worked great...for about a week. Then the clog came back with a vengeance.
Ended up borrowing a drain snake from my neighbor (who seemed oddly excited to lend it out, lol). If you're thinking of trying it yourself, here's what I learned:
1. Wear gloves. Seriously, trust me on this one.
2. Feed the snake slowly down the drain until you hit resistance.
3. Rotate gently and push forward bit by bit—don't force it too hard or you'll risk damaging the pipes.
4. Once you feel it break through, pull it back slowly and carefully (brace yourself for whatever comes out...it's not pretty).
5. Flush thoroughly afterward to clear any leftover debris.
It wasn't exactly fun, but it's been months now without another clog. Might be worth giving it a shot before calling in the pros again. Good luck!
Had a similar issue at one of my rentals—dish soap was a temporary fix at best. Ended up using a drain auger myself. Your tips are spot-on, especially about pulling it back slowly...lesson learned the hard (and messy) way.
"Your tips are spot-on, especially about pulling it back slowly...lesson learned the hard (and messy) way."
Yeah, pulling back too fast is a rookie mistake we've all made at some point—been there myself more times than I'd like to admit. Drain augers can be lifesavers, but they're definitely not foolproof. I've seen plenty of DIY attempts turn into bigger headaches when folks underestimate how tricky it can be to navigate those bends.
One thing I've noticed over the years is that sometimes the clog isn't just a simple blockage. Occasionally, it's a symptom of something bigger going on further down the line—like roots invading the sewer pipe or even a collapsed section of pipe. Had a client last month who kept having recurring toilet backups; turned out tree roots had completely taken over their main line. No amount of plunging or augering was gonna fix that mess.
Have you checked if other drains in the house are slow or backing up too? Might be worth looking into, especially if this isn't the first time you've had trouble with that toilet.
"Occasionally, it's a symptom of something bigger going on further down the line—like roots invading the sewer pipe..."
Ugh, I feel this one. We had a similar nightmare last year—thought it was just another stubborn clog until we got a plumber in and found tree roots had invaded the main sewer line. Ended up replacing a whole section of pipe (not cheap...). Have you noticed any odd gurgling noises from other drains or maybe a weird smell around the yard? Could be worth checking out before it gets worse.
Yikes, now I'm a bit worried. I've noticed some weird bubbling sounds from the shower drain lately, but figured it was nothing serious. Haven't smelled anything strange yet though... How did you guys confirm it was roots—did they have to run a camera down there or something? Really hoping it's not that serious, but I guess better safe than sorry at this point.
