Few things are more nerve-wracking than a clogged toilet that overflows and spills water onto the floor around the toilet. But while it can require quick action, a clogged toilet typically is no cause for alarm, and it's usually fairly easy to fix. It's rare that a clogged toilet requires the help of a professional plumber.

How Toilets Get Clogged

Although it's not immediately apparent, every toilet bowl is constructed with a built-in trap configuration that is part of the porcelain fixture. Like the P-trap you see beneath your bathroom sink, the toilet trap is designed to hold standing water to seal the trap and prevent sewer gases from rising up into the bathroom.

But this same bending pathway can trap objects that get flushed down the toilet. This can be normal toilet waste, or any variety of foreign objects, from combs to toy cars or crayons. Most clogs can be cleared with a plunger. But if plunging doesn't work, try a toilet auger before calling a plumber or removing the toilet.