Unblocking the toilet - any ideas?

redfragglebiker

Mop and binbag has always worked for me too. Just keep plunging away until it looks like all the water has gone, flush and repeat. Never found a bog I couldn't unblock using this method!

ShinyShoes

I did the mop and bag trick last night - and it worked!

Berger

ash28 wrote: »

We have had one of those plastic rim fresheners blocking the toilet before - after a party - we ended up buying one of those winding things - that you unwind into the toilet - they're flexible and go round bends easily. Got the rim freshener out when all else failed.

Looked a bit like this - there are lots of different types around.

I bought this tonight, but although it went round the S bend and about 6 feet in, it started coiling and would not go in any further. Wound it round, and apart from a bit of mess on the end, didn't achieve a fat lot. Bloke in Screwfix recommended it too Tried a plunger already. Boiling water and mop trick next up. Really don't want to call a plumber...

frosty

The mop trick has always worked for us.

Berger

mop was the closest, now tried drain cleaner too, and rodded from the outside, but there is about half a foot of pipe I can't get too without removing the toilet - must be something lodged in there - as soon as any loo paper goes down again, it goes again

Tiddlywinks

I have used a squeezed together wire coat hanger - it sort of makes a long piece of wire with a hook on the end.

You can bend it and catch stuff in the bend and pull it forward (nice) and then scoop it out.

thorndave

Be careful with pouring boiling water down the toilet, as it can crack the porcelain.

Ms_Gadgetngo

I read everything I could google on unblocking my toilet and nothing worked. Five days and I was getting a little desperate. One last thing to try but I was afraid of pushing a blockage further down the pipe but I had to try. Why didn't I try this before?!! The mop method, slightly modified by me as I added a bag -

If your toilet isn't completely blocked ie the water is draining very slowly, get a string mop of good quality, cover the mop head with a plastic carrier bag, wrapping the open end of the bag around the mop stick, thread the mop stick through a tight rubber band to secure the carrier bag. The bag will trap some air which will act as a seal in toilet basin apperture. Jab the mop head quite hard downwards. So so satisfying when all the nastiness disappears and I hadn't wasted money on chemicals, a plunger or a plumber! I only needed to jab about three times, but I did several times more after it drained just to make sure.

Flibertigibit

Ms_Gadgetngo wrote: »

Why didn't I try this before?!! The mop method, slightly modified by me as I added a bag -

Well I think if you read the whole thread most of the "mop" posts do say to use a bag on the mop (unless you want to throw the mop away afterwards of course). Your slight modification with a carrier bag did work for you but might not have as most carrier bags have small holes in the bottom to stop children suffocating if they put them on their heads.

Anyway I have spent the best part of the day trying to unblock my loo to no avail. I live on my own so knew nothing "wrong" had been put in and was jamming it, but kettles of boiling water, half a bottle of detergent (to break down any grease/fat) and caustic soda did absolutely nothing. Then I found this thread, read about the mop method and tried it - fantastic!! :j :j As the previous poster said, 3 pushes to create a vacuum and whoosh, away it all went!

mikeyb86

So just thought I would say thank you, im a first time living away from home and rather than call out a plumber or worse my parents to help unblock my toilet I tried a few of the suggestions, a bucket didn't work not enough force i presume, the toilet brush didn't get enough pressure but did reduce the water level, so no coat hangers or mops I tried soda crystals and boiling water to no avail, however at last success marigolds a bin bag and my arm to pump, I simply opened up the bin bag in the bowl grabbed the top and push it down till it bunched then just measurably pulled up and down with greater force till i noticed the water was alnost gone, I kept flushing and repeating till the blockage cleared which sounded like an earthquake! But its all sorted bathroom clean and dettoled to an inch its life! Thank you again a bin bag works a treat and i was very sceptical. Not any more