Can You Put Soap In The Toilet? (Read This First)

By - Ron Singh

Updated -

Soap breaks down and dissolves oil, water, semi-solid specks of dirt, and debris residue, which has been available for centuries.

Therefore, they’re a general household cleaning product used for cleaning surfaces, dishes, etc.

However, they are not suitable for all materials, and you shouldn’t use them on some surfaces. So, you may wonder if you can put soap in the toilet. 

Yes, you can put soap in the toilet as it can remove muck and debris in your toilet. Although you shouldn’t use soap to replace the recommended toilet-grade cleaners. Meanwhile, you should be careful when choosing soap for your toilet and ensure it is toxic-free.

What Happens if You Put Soap in the Toilet?

Can You Put Soap in the Toilet

When you put soap in the toilet, it will float to the bottom of the toilet because it is denser than the water.

Then, it will settle there and dissolve gradually, acting as a lubricant for the walls and pipes of the toilet. 

After that, this will help soften and dissolve any waste material that could cause a clog in the toilet.

Also, it will unclog the toilet if it is clogged and loosen up the toilet to enable easy flushing. Furthermore, you get to see a bit of foam each time you flush after you put soap in the toilet.

Foam appearance during toilet flushing is always a result of remnant soap in the toilet system, which activates during flushing.

So foam appears when you’re flushing when you put soap in the toilet. Meanwhile, soap can only benefit your toilet if you put the correct type of soap in your toilet.

But, putting heavy-duty soaps in your toilet can erode your toilet’s inner plumbing tank.

You can avoid this and harm your toilet system by only putting mild soap into your toilet bowl.

#1. What is the Best Soap to Put In a Toilet?

The best soap to put inside a toilet is the soap that’s mainly formulated for toilet cleaning.

However, if you want to use any other soap asides from toilet-based cleaning soap, then use a mild soap. Thus, you can put mild soap such as dish soap into your toilet.

You can also use this mild soap to clean your toilet by pouring a generous amount inside and around the toilet bowl.

Afterward, let it sit for a short while before using your toilet brush to scrub it for some minutes.

Mild soap works well in effectively and easily toilet dirt removal, although it’s not the best toilet cleaning product.

Furthermore, resist using heavy-duty soaps or toilet cleaners on your toilet as they could cause havoc to your septic system.

This damage could change your toilet system completely, thus increasing expenses.

Thus, only put and use a mild soap such as dish soap in your toilet if you don’t have specific toilet-grade cleaning products available.

Is It Safe to Put Dish Soap in the Toilet?

Putting dish soap in the toilet is safe, although many experts have different opinions.

However, it is best only to put cleaning products meant for toilet alone into your toilet. Thus, dish soap isn’t the perfect cleaning product for your toilet, even if it is safe.

In addition, dish soap contains ingredients that help dissolve oil and dirt, making dishwashing easier.

This breakdown process is the same when you put dish soap in your toilet. Therefore, putting dish soap in your toilet helps break down dirt and dissolve dirt particles for easier washing.

Thus, it is safe to put dish soap in your toilet for easier washing or unclogging clogged toilets.

However, avoid putting soap with harsh chemicals into your toilet. You should avoid doing this as it poses a potential risk of eroding your inner toilet chamber and damaging your toilet system.

Pros & Cons of Putting Dish Soap in The Toilet

ProsCons
Dissolves dirt and waste materials.It could cause potential damage to the toilet system.
Enables easier flushing.Dish soaps with harsh ingredients could erode the toilet’s inner tank and pipes.
A more affordable alternative option for unclogging the toilet instead of hiring a plumber.

Does Soap Unclog Toilets?

It is affirmative that soap can unclog toilets due to its polar head, non-polar tail, and dissolving components.

In addition, it can gradually dissolve the waste materials causing the clog in your toilet.

But, while it can unclog toilets effortlessly with minimal stress, it still requires time(a bit time taking) and little patience.

Soaps (especially mild ones i.e., dish soaps) perform the same act as they do on dishes by dissolving dirt for easier washing.

Hence, soap works in toilets unclogging by lubricating toilet walls and dissolving clogs.

After soap dissolves clogs in the toilet, it enables easier flushing of the clog remnants, thereby completely unclogging the toilet.

Meanwhile, it is simpler, easier, and more efficient to unclog a toilet with soap rather than using a plunger tool.

A toilet plunger can create lots of mess, especially when you’re using it to unclog a toilet filled with poop.

Also, it is more economical to unclog the toilet with soap by yourself than to employ a plumber.

#1. How to Unclog a Toilet Using Soap?

Unclogging toilets using soap comes with easy procedures but needs time and patience, as mentioned earlier.

It requires some time because it needs time for it to dissolve all the dirt and muck that’s clogging the toilet.

Hence, patience comes with it by exercising patience for the clog dissolving action to occur. 

Below are the process for unclogging the toilet with soap:

  • It would be best to have hand gloves, some pots of slightly hot water(that you can bare dipping your hand into), and dish soap.
  • Firstly, turn the water valve behind the toilet in a clockwise direction to prevent water overflowing. Turning the valve in a clockwise direction will automatically switch the water supply to the valve. 
  • Secondly, gently and slowly pour a pot of mildly hot water into the toilet bowl. Then, leave it for 15 minutes for the heat to sink in to begin the dissolving process. 
  • Thirdly, pour about 1 and ½ cups of dish soap into the toilet bowl. Afterward, allow the soap to dissolve the clogs and lubricate the pipes and barriers of the toilet for close to 15-20 minutes.
  • Then, gradually, slowly, and cautiously pour another pot of mildly hot water into the toilet bowl. After that, leave it to settle for another 15 minutes to let the hot water and dish soap work together. The heat from the hot water and the dish soap’s dissolving properties will combine to unclog the toilet successfully. 
  • Lastly, switch on the water valve by turning it counterclockwise. Then, proceed to flush the toilet to finish the unclogging process. However, repeat the whole process if the toilet does not unclog immediately.

Meanwhile, it is crucial to be careful when carrying out this toilet unclogging procedure to prevent splashing hot water on yourself.

Also, do not pour boiling water into your toilet to prevent cracking and destroying your toilet pipes.

#2. Pros and Cons of Unclogging Toilet With Soap

ProsCons
Unclogs the toilet easily with minimal effort. Risk of hot water splashes; thus, be careful when pouring hot water into the toilet bowl.
Affordable and more economical.Cracking and eroding of toilet system pipes, so use mildly hot water.
Less messy compared to when unclogging with a toilet plunger.

Does Soap Break Down Poop?

Yes, soap can break down poop by softening and dissolving the poop gradually with time. It can break down poop because feces comes mostly from liquid, semi-solid, and solid water forms.

Meanwhile, soap works effectively in dissolving oil and water waste materials which is why it can break down poop.

Also, soap has unique features that quickly dissolve water, oil, and semi-solid substances.

In addition, it has unique structural molecules (polar head and non-polar tail structures) and solubility, further promoting effective dissolving.

Meanwhile, poop comprises 75% water and 25% solid or semi-solid matter. Therefore, soap can easily break down poop with time due to feces’ mainly 75% water content.

Hence, soap can gradually soften and dissolve poop and even unclog a toilet that has poop in it.

Conclusion

You can put soap in your toilet as it removes dirt and debris, and it’s completely safe to do.

Also, you can unclog your toilet using soap as it breaks down poop and other waste materials in your toilet.

However, if the issue is beyond your control, contact a professional plumber to mend it for you.

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