Toilet overflow is a not uncommon plumbing issue. When this happens, preventing raw sewage from spilling over onto your bathroom floor is a first priority. Solving the problem that is causing the overflow is an immediate second.

Here are some important steps to follow should you run into a toilet overflow:

Locate the water shut off valve near the base of the toilet

Turn the valve until the water shuts off. This should prevent additional overflow. If your toilet does not have a local shut off valve, open the tank and rig the float to stay in its position - preventing water from refilling the tank.

Clean up water spill

For small amounts of overflow water, a few towels should be able to soak up the mess. Otherwise, a shop-vac can help with larger spills, especially where carpet or other fabrics are involved. 

Be sure to wash and disinfect all surfaces that were dampened by the toilet water.

Determine the cause of the overflow

For foreign objects, you can put on some rubber gloves and try to remove it. For a clog, a toilet plunger will typically do the trick.

Should these steps not resolve the overflow problem, call the plumbing pros at Hawthorne Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.

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