Clearing a toilet blockage

TarfHead

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We seem to have a blockage in the downstairs toilet. The toilet doesn't clear on the first flush and the water level rises high before settling down to the usual level.

I have checked the outside drain and it's clear, so the blockage is somewhere further 'upstream'. I tried a cable-type tool bought in a hardware and that hasn't shifted it.

Can anyone suggest another DIY approach ? My wife has suggested pushing a garden hose down to dislodge the blockage, or run water through it.
 
How are you going to get the hose over the U bend at the back of the toilet? Is any water draining away? When you put the 'cable' back the drains towards the toilet did it go all the way to the toilet - measure the distance and compare. This is to see where the blockage is, if it goes full distance then the problem is in the house and just at the back of the toilet. I presume you know what caused the problem? I don't want to get into icky stuff and haven't done clearing of sewarage pipes in quite a while. If the problem is at the back of the toilet are you capable of opening up the exit pipe?

Sometimes a bit of time and patience and the toilet paper etc will disintigrate itself slowly - unless it's something else. There's probably a chemical to help disintigration.
 
I would pour boiling water into the toilet (6 or 7 kettles perhaps) . . if that didn't clear it then I'd pour a box of caustic soda (with care) into the toilet, leave it for five or ten minutes and then flush.
 
This always works for me . Get a big bucket of water and empty the whole lot in one fast go down the toilet . The force of the water usually gets rid of the blockage
 
All of above suggestions I would try, however do you know that the blockage is probably something that may disintegrate without getting into too much icky detail or is it likely a child flushed a toy or something down the toilet?
 
I have 2 experiences of toilet blocking. Student house, had to be rodded from manhole to break up the blockage. This was female waste.

Toilet block can be occasionally caused by too much loo roll and large size of waste. Bucket of water usually does the trick. If the blockage is just normal waste and loo roll it will soften with the water and bucket of water will hopefully dislodge it. I have used a wire coat hanger up the u bend to mush it up a bit.

When I was single and sharing a house with 2 friends one of them used too much loo roll all the time. He was the last to leave for work each morning. One Friday myself and other guy came home after work. The 3rd guy had gone west for the weekend. A strange whiff in the air made us investigate. The back yard was covered with sewage, bits of loo roll etc etc. The manhole cover was dislodged a bit. It was like an explosion happened and the stuff came out. Spent an hour sweeping it into the drain and hosing the place. I don't know what happened, yer man never budged about it, but it was obviously him!
 
Thanks for the suggestions received so far. It will be tonight before I have time to act on any of them.

The main drain was backed up 2 weeks ago and I was able to clear it. This problem may date from then, i.e. local blockage developed when main drain was not clearing.

I expect it to be a wad of toilet paper that needs some additional 'encouragement' to move.
 
Had one lasty week. Bought an auger on Amazon, no joy, buckets of water down it, no joy. Trued a sink plunger while the water is high in the toilet (with a glove on), let it catch the start of the ubend, create a little vacuum and a few plunges, bob should be your uncle
 
Agree with the suggestions of a plunger, buy one on the way home and it will almost definitely do the job. Google for a YouTube video of how to use it if you're unsure.
 
Be careful when pouring water into the toilet that it does not overflow! Likewish when plunging be careful of splashes.
 
Alternatively, try straight Domestus on its own. Leave it there and it will its way through, burning through the block.

Do not use Caustic Soda, if you have never used it before. It is lethal, and could literally burn your fingers off.
 
hi
i used to do building maintenance in a past life and found that there is a special toilet unblocker made completely of plastic with a plunger at the bottom like an acordian,i think its called the blaster or something..it works every time,you can get them in any hardware or diy shop
 
A [broken link removed] is another option. Cost about a tenner from your local DIY shop/ builders providers. Works on a similar principle to a plunger, but with a more effective push.
 
A length of hose, put it as far down the toilet as you can and give a good sharp BLOW! May have to try a few times, but the bubble usually dislodges it.
Prepare for some splashes though!
 
Finally got time to tackle this problem.

We used the garden hose and 'blasted' water from the garden tap down the toilet. The first attempt was unsuccessful, but the second was somewhat successful. I was able to monitor what was being moved into the main drain and it was related to the earlier problem with the main drain.

We need to give it another go tonight; the flush is still not operating as it should.

Thanks for the suggestions. Thankfully we've been able to avoid a plumber call out charge.
 
The blast of water from the hose won't be strong enough to clear the blockage . The pressure from the tap is not strong enough . You should try the big bucket of water and throw in in to the toilet in one go .
 
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