How to Unclog a Toilet Clogged With Baby Wipes?

When you clean your baby’s bottom, the last thing you think of is whether baby wipes clog the toilet. But here’s the thing — baby wipes are your toilet’s worst enemies because they block the pipes with ease.

You can’t break baby wipe clogs using chemicals, so you’ll end up removing them manually. Tools like plungers and toilet augers will help you with that, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

So how to unclog a toilet clogged with baby wipes? Keep reading to find out.

5 Ways to Remove Baby Wipes From the Toilet

We bet you’re facing a toilet emergency, so let’s see five ways to remove baby wipes from the toilet.

Solution 1: Grab Them With Your Fingers

The first solution is ugly, but it’s also simple — you can take baby wipes out of the toilet bowl with your fingers. All you have to do is pinch them and pull.

However, this solution only works if baby wipes are close enough to reach with your hands. If you can see them near the siphon jet, then it’s doable. But even if you don’t see the wipes down there, perhaps you can pull it off.

Try pushing your fingers as deep as possible — wiggle to see whether you can touch baby wipes in the toilet trap. If you feel them, grab them using at least a couple of fingers and pull them out.

Our advice is to remove water from the toilet bowl before trying the first solution. It will make your task less dirty and much easier. Drain the water with a plastic cup, and then use the sponge to pick the remaining droplets.

Additionally, remember to wear gloves to protect your hands from dirt and debris.

Solution 2: Use a Plunger

The second solution is more convenient, but it doesn’t guarantee pulling out the wipes. A toilet plunger can sometimes pull things out of the toilet, but it will push them down the drains more often than not.

However, your only goal is to unclog the toilet — one way or another. A plunger is a traditional tool that you probably already have in your bathroom, so make sure to use it to unseal the bowl.

The toilet should be wet enough for the plunger to seal properly. You should press the plunger, so its rim fits tightly under the toilet bowl’s rim. Push and pull it a couple of times to release trapped air and create pressure that will try to unclog your toilet.

Do it several times until you hear water gurgling — it’s a sign that the plunger pushed baby wipes and released them down the bathroom drain.

Solution 3: Try With a Toilet Auger

In case your plunger can’t break through the block, you should try using a toilet auger. This tool is long enough to reach baby wipes in the deep parts of your toilet bowl.

It has a wire cable with an auger head that loosens clogs, so you have to feed the tool into the pipe – keep turning it clockwise until the drill reaches the blockage. After that, you’ll probably hear and feel the clog cracking.

Most augers also have claws to grab and pull debris while going out. It means you can take baby wipes out of the toilet and throw them in the trash bin.

Solution 4: Lubricate the Toilet With Dish Soap

Dish soap gives you another interesting way to deal with toilet clogs. The beauty of soap is that it reduces the surface tension of water. You can use that property to lubricate clogged baby wipes, allowing them to flow further down the toilet drain.

You should pour some dish soap into the toilet and wait for a couple of minutes until the liquid covers all surfaces inside the bowl. Then, pour a bucket of hot water to rinse the bowl and soak all clogs for a while.

This solution is not 100% efficient — particularly if you’re dealing with large clogs — but it doesn’t hurt to try. After all, you might even unclog the toilet without getting your hands dirty!

Another thing you should remember is to beware of overflows. If the toilet is fully clogged, pouring too much dish soap and water will fill the bowl and leak to the bathroom floor. Pour gradually, and you won’t create an overflow.

Solution 5: Call a Plumber

Unfortunately, sometimes you can’t do anything to unclog your toilet. This is the time to call a qualified plumber — a costly solution, but it’s the only one that can work for you.

Of course, you can also call a professional plumber right away if you don’t want to bother with plungers and augers.

Should You Flush Baby Wipes Down the Toilet?

Baby wipes can block the toilet, so it’s natural to ask this question: Should you flush them down the drain at all? The only answer is: No, you shouldn’t flush baby wipes down the toilet.

You can choose to do it, but we will show you three reasons to avoid it.

Baby Wipes Are Not Flushable

The first reason not to throw baby wipes in your toilet is that they are not flushable. Many manufacturers claim otherwise, but it’s only a word game — you can flush baby wipes down the drain, but will they dissolve in water?

In most cases, the answer is negative.

Some manufacturers are starting to make “flushable” baby wipes that you can throw into the toilet, but we don’t see a big difference — they consist of the same undegradable materials.

Baby Wipes Are Bad for Toilet Drains

The second reason to avoid flushing baby wipes down the toilet is that they can quickly build up to block the pipes. Unlike toilet paper, they attract and glue to other particles, forming even larger clogs.

Baby wipes are especially bad for households with septic systems. They kill the good bacteria in the septic tank, allowing waste to pile up much quicker.

No Chemical Can Dissolve Them

Manufacturers create highly resistant baby wipes. They don’t dissolve in water and rarely react with chemicals in commercial cleaning products. 

But can bleach dissolve baby wipes? Traditional toilet cleaners such as bleach also don’t work — they cannot break the clogs, so the blockage only gets bigger when you add bleach.

Another detail worth mentioning is that chemicals that might dissolve baby wipes would probably end up damaging your utility lines. They are too strong for plastic and steel components.

How Many Baby Wipes Will Clog the Toilet?

Perhaps you occasionally throw baby wipes into the toilet, but how much is enough to clog the toilet? There is no clear answer to this riddle.

For instance, one or two wipes per flush probably won’t harm your toilet — at least not soon. But if you throw a bundle at once, the odds of clogging the toilet increase big time.

It also depends on the current condition of your toilet — if it’s old or partially clogged, baby wipes will only make things worse. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t flush baby wipes down the toilet because they will make you a problem sooner or later.

Prevention Is Critical

Throwing baby wipes in the toilet seems natural, but what can you do to prevent this inappropriate habit?

Firstly, you should get used to putting dirty baby wipes in a plastic bag. After that, you can throw it away in the trash bin. The second solution is to put the trash bin next to the toilet. That way, you only need to change the target when throwing wipes.

Thirdly, don’t forget that the only things that belong in the toilet are organic materials like feces, urine, and toilet paper. Anything else — including baby wipes — should stay away from it.

Final Thoughts

Throwing baby wipes in your toilet is not a good idea because you’ll have to answer this question: How to unclog a toilet clogged with baby wipes?

You can only do it manually because chemicals can’t dissolve baby wipes. The first option is to grab the wipes with your hands, while you can also use a plunger, an auger, or soap. Calling a plumber is the last alternative.

When you finally unclog the toilet, remember that prevention is much better than solving the problem — it will save you a lot of time and keep your throne functional.

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