Shopvac a Toilet that is clogged?

I have used a Shop-Vac to empty a clogged garbage disposal, It was messy and smelly. I seriously considered throwing it away.

It is nearly impossible to clean the corrugations in the hose. If the clog is human waste I would try a closet snake first even if you have to buy one. If its a toy or a rag or similar item you still don't know what else you will suck up.

On top of the mess in the vacuum you have to realize with out a filter you will potentially be spraying bacteria out the exhaust port hole.

It may work, in REVERSE

Last time I had a main drain clog, I went through chemicals (sometimes works for me), CO2 cartridges (sometimes works for me) and a small snake (usually doesn't work on the main drain). I was very close to calling a handyman (always works, but cost$) or renting a big snake (usually works, but not my favorite job). I decided to try the shop vac. Not to suck out the clog - I highly doubt that would work - but to blow out the clog. It worked perfectly. Unfortunately, I forgot to plug up the laundry tub drain, so I did get some of the clog coming out there, not entirely contained by the laundry tub. But it did work.

I have never tried this on a toilet, but if you can get a tight fit (stuff some rags around the hose) then it has a good chance of working. But definitely blower mode, not vacuum mode.

I would never use a shop vac on a toilet. Once I suggested trying to clear a washing machine drain with a shop vacuum simply because the poster had not been able to clear the drain after multiple tries, but this would probably be a disaster.

P traps are built into toilets and are required in plumbing drains under State building codes. ... Often toilets can get things such as combs hung in the curve of the p trap. Sucking or blowing may not remove whatever is hung in the curve, but only the remove the toilet paper that's accumulated on it. Given that, it may be a waste of time and a mess to use a shop vac (because it would only get clogged again if, say, a comb is stuck in there. I'm sure you know your options, given this. A new, larger hole toilet only costs about $120.00. That was my solution to the occasional stopped up toilet.

The shopvac might work, it really depends what is causing the clog, 1 large things, or a bunch of small things. I think a shopvac would work great on something like sand or jello or ball bearings in a toilet, but not a hair brush.

I did once use a shop vac to suck out some screws that were dropped in a drain, and it worked great. But I got the shopvac out right away before any water was run though the system.

A reliable way to fix a toilet when a plunger fails is to lift the toilet off the floor and reach up to remove the clog. I know it's messy but it tends to work without fancy equipment.