Blocking toilet drain (temporarily)

[JA]

I'm replacing the floor in one of my bathrooms and need to have the toilet removed for several days while I remove the current subfloor, replace it, tile, and grout. Everything I've read says to block the toilet drain with a rag. We've done that as a temporary solution when running back and forth to the store for extra parts when replacing a toilet, but leaving a rag blocking the drain for several days seems like an invitation for sewer gas to infiltrate my house, or for me to accidentally block the drain with the rag. (Besides which, it will drive my husband crazy because he will be

*sure* I will accidentally drop something down the drain.) I assume I can buy some sort of cap to temporarily block the drain, but before I go to the plumbing supply store, can somebody give me the correct name for the part so I know what to ask for?

Thanks.

[DerbyDad03]

You really don't need to waste money on a cap. Take one of the plastic bags that you get at the grocery store and fill it with rags. Jam it down into the drain. It'll be too big to fall down the drain and you won't get your rags full are wax/other stuff. Just empty the bag and toss it when you're done.

If you really want to spend money, get a Dollar Plug:

[JA]

Thanks for the help.

[Art Todesco]

Actually, I use fill the plastic bag with more plastic bags .... what a great use for a horrible product.

[Steve Barker]

Just lay a board over it. Jeeeeze......

It's not like there's 40 psi of gas in there.....

steve

[JA]

Thanks to everyone else for their replies. As for Steve: it's clear he lives in a household without curious cats, small children, or klutzes. And no, the bathroom door doesn't lock from the outside.

[Steve Barker]

correct, correct, and well you know.... .

steve

[Harry K]

But it isn't going to seal off the pipe and odor _will_ seep past.

Harry K

[Heathcliff]

I have used duct tape for this purpose in the past and it worked fine. You might have to wipe off the flange surface a bit to get it clean enough for the tape to stick. -- H

[Stormin Mormon]

Styrofoam coffee cup. Duct tape. Plastic and staple gun.

[DerbyDad03]

-- Styrofoam coffee cup.

-- Duct tape.

-- Plastic and staple gun.

I tried that. Everytime I put the staple gun in the styrofoam cup, the cup cracked. Then my roll of duct tape was too big to fit in the drain, so I had to peel off about 50 yards to get it small enough to fit. (I wrapped the peeled off duct tape in the plastic so it wouldn't stick to the inside of my garbage can) I decided to use some of the remaining duct tape to repair the cup, but after I peeled it off the roll, the roll was small enough to fall down the drain and now it's lodged in there.

Man, I'm having a bad day.

[Harry K]

I also had the 'crack the cup' problem. Worked around it but found that I couldn't use the cup for my coffee afterward, it leaked too much.

Harry K

[DerbyDad03]

Use the remnants of the old wax ring to plug the leaks in the coffee cup.

[Stormin Mormon]

Have you considered a career as a procotologist? Then you could get paid to be a real pain in the A.

[Me]

a large turd should do it.

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I do this as a public service. To pay me would diminish the warm feeling I get when I give of myself to others.

[Jim]

replying to JA, Jim wrote: CONFIRMED SOLUTION - I know that you are looking for and I do it all the time to fill the bowl with water/vinegar to sanitize. Just buy a bag of medium-size party balloons (should not cost more that a couple of dollars). Take one of the balloons and fill with water until it is much larger than the toilet drain. Tie off the top of the balloon. Now, carefully wedge the balloon into the toilet drain hole, by manipulating the circumference of the balloon with your hands. This may take a couple of tries, but basically you have to force some of the water to the end of the balloon to get it to fit inside the drain hole. Tie a string to the balloon and attach it to something just in case you forget and flush the toilet - this also allows you to remove the balloon later, without putting your hands in the water. That's all there is to it. The balloon will now act as a plug in the drain hole and will keep water from automatically draining out of the bowl. I do this all the time and it works like a charm. As I said, it may take you 5 minutes of practice to get the balloon wedged tightly in the drain - but I am sure you will get it.

[Jim]

replying to JA, Jim wrote: CONFIRMED SOLUTION - I know that you are looking for and I do it all the time to fill the bowl with water/vinegar to sanitize. Just buy a bag of medium-size party balloons (should not cost more that a couple of dollars). Take one of the balloons and fill with water until it is much larger than the toilet drain. Tie off the top of the balloon. Now, carefully wedge the balloon into the toilet drain hole, by manipulating the circumference of the balloon with your hands. This may take a couple of tries, but basically you have to force some of the water to the end of the balloon to get it to fit inside the drain hole. Tie a string to the balloon and attach it to something just in case you forget and flush the toilet - this also allows you to remove the balloon later, without putting your hands in the water. That's all there is to it. The balloon will now act as a plug in the drain hole and will keep water from automatically draining out of the bowl. I do this all the time and it works like a charm. As I said, it may take you 5 minutes of practice to get the balloon wedged tightly in the drain - but I am sure you will get it.

[Tekkie®]

Jim posted for all of us...

that is an excellent suggestion, thanks

[Thomas]

Tek.. Not excellant. The orig poster did not have a toilet. Lol