PSA How to unblock a toilet WITHOUT a plunger

coffeetime

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 7:40 am

So there we have it. I ended up flushing too many fresh wipes (I know, I am not even meant to flush them) and the toilet was blocked for a few days, water rose up and went back down, but still blocked.

After looking online for what to do, I saw a website recommend a bucket of hot water and a cup of dish soap. *They said not to use boiling incase it cracks the toilet.

Poured it in, used the toilet brush for a few seconds to push the water around and everything went back down quickly.

Feel so good about having the toilet in use again I thought I would share!!!

FranticFrummie

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 7:50 am

Thanks, that's a great life hack.

(And I guess you learned your lesson! If you have to flush a wipe, only use one wipe at the very end, and flush them one at a time. You can also tear them in half and use smaller pieces. Older plumbing doesn't handle them at all.)

I have a friend who's dad is a sewage treatment engineer, and nothing gets him up on his soapbox like flushing wipes! His blood pressure goes through the roof, and makes you wish you'd never mentioned it. If he could, he'd have them outlawed.

coffeetime

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 8:14 am

I learned my lesson!! Although now that if found this hack...

I grew up in a house where we were not allowed to flush wipes, then when I got married my husband said we must!!!

mfb

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 9:16 am

Wipes cause issues further down the line. My neighbor in a condo just had a sewer backup where she had about 2-3 inches of sewer in her basement because a different family doesn’t care and keeps using baby wipes. 4 months ago she had the same problem. So yes THEY have no issues from it but others do.

yksraya

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 11:08 am

Wipes should not be flushed. Even flushable wipes are not as flushable as we think. When wipes are a must, we put them into diaper disposal baggies or doggy baggies.

number

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 1:22 pm

mfb wrote:

This! Please don’t flush wipes, no matter what kind and no matter your toilet, unless you’re rural and sewage backups won’t affect anyone else (and if you’re rural you’d know better than to flush wipes)

number

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 1:24 pm

coffeetime wrote:

I learned my lesson!! Although now that if found this hack...

I grew up in a house where we were not allowed to flush wipes, then when I got married my husband said we must!!!

Don’t use wipes then. Please think of your neighbors.

amother

Wine

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 1:49 pm

I teach my kids to just put wipes in the garbage. I know it’s a little gross but we change the bathroom garbage fairly frequently. Even tissues sometimes go into the trash.

Chloe22

Sun, Dec 13 2020, 2:16 pm

I had two sewer backups from wipes. I started throwing them out in plastic bags. We got a bidet which really cut down on wipes altogether.

zoom

Sat, Apr 27 2024, 6:45 pm

Hi

Just want to thank the OP for this thread.

Our toilet blocked on first day chol hamoed and it was very inconvenient.

I thought there was no harm trying this hack.
At first the toilet bowl filled up with so much bubbles I thought it would overflow, but bh after a few flushes and waiting in between, and vigorous brushing with the toilet brush, It seems to finally have all gone down.

Thank you so much!

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 2:42 am

kiwi strawberry wrote:

Why can't you use a plunger?

Maybe they dont have one.

zoom

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 5:31 am

When you say a plunger, which type.do you mean?

I only have the one that meant for sinks I think.

What I really needed is called a 'snake', some sort of long hose/wire that goes all the way into the toilet.

LittleDucky

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 5:40 pm

If you need a snake... you are flushing something not meant for flushing.

The trick you stated (as per a plumber) will only just push the problem further down the line. It is gross and can cause massive massive issues for your neighbors. Please don't flush wipes!!

emzod42

Sun, Apr 28 2024, 6:03 pm

Our plumber taught us to use a big bucket of water and pour as fast as you can. That usually does the job. I usually use a soup pot. I'm not very good with a plunger and the water pressure usually gets it.

I did get a plunger for each bathroom because a guest once asked for one and I realized how awkward it would be for someone to clog and not be able to do anything.