Toilet is clogged...need homemade tool

[Julie P.]

Hi, my toilet is clogged up, most likely from too much toilet paper. This has sometimes happened before, but leaving things sit overnight and/or sticking the toilet brush handle into the toilet hole and pushing it around usually fixed this. Sometimes the water filled to the top of the bowl, and then I heard gurgling sounds, but then the pressure of the water would always break through the clog.

But this most recent time, nothing has worked.

For various reasons, I don't feel like calling my landlord, since she makes a big ordeal of everything. I don't have a plunger, and have trouble using them, since I have difficulty getting a complete seal to effectively plunge.

Is there any quick way to clear the clog? I tried sticking the pick-up tube from a liquid soap bottle into the hole, and it is clear at least until the part where the hole starts to curve upwards. The water fills the bowl when flushed, then I hear gurgling sounds, but it does not flush. After about 15 minutes, the water goes down to normal level by itself

What I would like is a homemade tool to stick down the hole and break the clog. It has to be flexible, long, and stiff at the same time. Perhaps a tape measure?

Thanks for any help!

Julie

[G. Morgan]

Subject: Toilet is clogged...need homemade tool Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => Julie P. Hi, my toilet is clogged up, most likely from too much toilet paper. This

Julie,

1> Pour a bunch of bleach in it, wait overnight before flushing. If that wont do it, you'll be glad for the next suggestion.

2> Grab a handful of plastic bags (about 4) you have from wal-mart or the grocery store. Put your hand in one to protect it from the nastiness. Then, other ones will serve as a plunger -- make sure you have enough to form a ball big enough to cover the inlet.... Push it down with 3 or four forceful strokes as to gewt a water hammer pushed through it (like a plunger would do)

[Julie P.]

Thanks Graham! I will give this a try and report back tomorrow!

J.

[Bonnie Jean]

Buy a toilet auger (snake) today. Should cost you about $25 at the very most.

Bonnie

[David Martel]

Julie,

You've ruled out a plunger so let's buy some drain cleaner like Liquid Plumber. If that doesn't work you can buy a small (15 ft.) plumber's snake for under $10.

Dave M.

[Alan]

A "closet auger" would be better than a regular snake.

[Greg G]

Wow.

This is among the clearest cases of trying to reinvent the wheel that I have seen here. There are a couple of simple, effective remedies to a clogged toilet. I see no chance that your toilet is unusual enough to need something else.

If you have trouble using a plunger, perhaps you haven't had the right type, or need a little practice. It is very rare that I come across a clog that can't be dislodged with a few strokes of a plumber's helper. You need the kind that tapers (narrows) at the front end, so it fits into the toilet better.

On those rare occasions when a plunger doesn't work, I use a toilet auger. It's a special snake, with a curved pipe that helps you get it into the toilet drain. It is, in fact, the "flexible, long, stiff" device you decribe above. I believe I paid something like $15 for mine.

You should definitely not use a regular plumbing snake in a toilet. I'm told by plumbers that all manner of bad things can happen if you do, including the snake becoming knotted up inside the toilet. At the very least you'd need to be up to your forearms in the uh, STUFF, that's in your bowl to use it.

A toilet auger is easy to use and safe for your toilet. I am not a plumber, but I have never come across a clog that could not be removed with a toilet auger.

Greg Guarino

[ADC]

[Art]

In the future you might try a different brand toilet paper. Charmin seems unflushable these days.

[Stormin Mormon]

Since this is a recurring problem, go to the hardware store and ask for a "closet auger". And ask the clerk to demonstrate how it works, it isn't instantly obvious.

The junky one is about $8, the Ridgid one is about $25 and the good one is $40.

[Stormin Mormon]

There is a snake called a "closet auger" which is designed for toilets. Two $4 bottles of Drano would equal the $8 closet auger, and you can reuse the auger.

[John Hines]

A plunger is kind of a must have. The kind that is black, and has a turned up inside, which can be turned inside out, makes a much better seal than the simple kind.

The trick, which I learned from AskTOH is to pull the stuff back up, as that unclogs it, where pushing down, just jams the clog even deeper in.

If that doesn't work, then it is closet auger time.

[Michael Baugh]

The proper tool is a toilet auger, it starts out by being rotated so that it can be manuvered through the bends, and its tip is arranged to be able to either grab or tear up obstructions. Less than 10 dollars at most any hardware store, get instructions on its use at the same time.

Regarding the plunger, most people think that its name means that the main function is to push stuff on down. But it performs best when you get a good water-seal and have gently pushed it to the furthest point, then a quick jerk back to break up the 'log jam'. Often, when the obstruction has been broken up, by pulling it out instead of stuffing it tighter, flushing can be accomplished.

[Tom Miller]

When this happens at our house I first try pouring an entire bucket of water down the toilet to increase the weight pressing on the clog. I usually wait a few minutes before doing this to let the standing water go down and to give the clog time to soften up a little.

If this doesn't work, and it usually does, I just use a wire coat hanger. Clip the wire in half next to the hook, straighten the hanger out, bend the hook on the end as narrow as needed, then slide it down the hole and hook the crud back out. I usually bend a little handle in the other end to make it easier to hold without twisting and turning.

Be careful you don't jam it in too hard or saw on it -- you can scratch some toilets (ours is vitreous china so this doesn't happen easily).

If this doesn't work, you can move on to the auger others have suggested. I've never had to.

And the really nice thing is that when you are finished with the job, just toss the "hook." You've got a closet full of replacements.

[Bob]

I had a frozen rope that clogged my toilet which was left by a guest who didn't tell me and the only way I got the toilet to flush it all down was to use a coat hanger and break the darn thing into 3 pieces.

[default]

In fact, don't put drain cleaner down anything.

--Goedjn

[Phisherman]

[frank-in-toronto]

as a landlord myself, i feel your landlord's pain. please stop doing whatever you're doing to plug things up. then she'll be happy.

in the meantime, don't be scraping the porcelain. just go to home depot and get some real good "Drain Opener". as long as there is some water going thru, this'll open it up. maybe ask your landlord to cough up 10 bucks a month so you can put some down every week.

that's what i ask my tenants to do. as soon as the sink or tub or toilet slow down, shoot some of the drain opener down. and they let me know when they run out. ...thehick

[G. Morgan]

Subject: Re: Toilet is clogged...need homemade tool Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => Bob I had a frozen rope that clogged my toilet which was left by a guest who

A frozen rope?

[frank-in-toronto]

i think he means a friggen rope. ...thehick