my toilet clogged and overflowed

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this is a serious - very serious =- question folks. it's weighing on me, weighing me down.

a whole roll of paper towels surroudn s the toilet now. + some napkins. the water is a kind of yellow-sh brown gross. i tried using the 'plunger' a couple times to no avail.

advice please.

― todd salinger?, Friday, 1 April 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

Move.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

Call the landlord if you have one. If not, call a plumber.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

get a snake

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

The water should drain bit by bit, eventually (unless the clog is REALLY bad) - wait until the level's lower (but not so low that there's no water in the bowl), and then plunge again. & again. Make sure you get good suction & yank up hard so as to dislodge the clog.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

Get a "plumber's snake". Or else go out on the street this instant and begin staring ostentatiously at the asses of passing young women until all this passes like an insubstantial dream.

― Aimless (Aimless), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

http://i.timeinc.net/toh/images/asktoh/atoh200310_augert.jpg

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

http://www.toiletology.com/images/auger.gif

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

your local hardware store or maybe your landlord will let you borrow. don't call a plumber, easier cheaper solution is at hand.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

call the landlord?? that sounds embarrasing. same w/ the plumber.

perhaps i misued the 'plunger'. i have never used one before or, if i did, i didn't use it right.

and what is a 'snake' hstencil, i think you are not being totally facetious.

[XPOST]

― todd saligner i guess, Friday, 1 April 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

how many times do i need to post a picture?

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

i love the internet: http://www.toiletology.com/emergenc.shtml

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

hstencil otm. If a plunger didn't do it, you gotta snake. It can be a nasty fuckin' mess - so suck it up (not literally, obv) and get to work.

(Also, instead of filling the bowl by flushing it, pour a bucket of water in all at once .. more pressure..)

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

call the landlord?? that sounds embarrasing.

Suck it up. (puntastical)

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

Hmm, this does not augur well.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

Dave OTM! The force of the water going in the bowl will do some magical physics thing that'll get the bowl to empty (assuming it's clear).

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

OMG, I didn't realize dave and I had a jinxie!

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

That was a jinx?! Good one!

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

"Los Angeles, CA. A man in the central area was arrested for negligent discharge of a weapon after shooting his toilet five times with a .38 caliber handgun. He claims that he just got pissed and "had it up to here" after being unable to dislodge a hairbrush his daughter had flushed earlier in the day. The man received a psychological evaluation and was released on personal recognizance. It is not known whether or not the toilet pressed charges."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

WELL thi sis all infinitely more terrifying than i could've imagined. i am scared to go to the fucking wal mart and ask for a 'snake ie toilet augur plaese' and then what, how to use it?? ah ahhhh mime for me mime wageslave!

no, anything but that. i will try using the 'plunger' again first. except it's filled to teh brim and baby i dont think its backing down.

― todd solinger, Friday, 1 April 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

So .. either someone used waaay to much tiolet paper, or someone took an award-winning dump. Kudos if it was the latter.

If you ask for a "closet auger" at a local hardware store, they won't bat an eye. You just stick it in there and start twisting. Ask the old man in plumbing, aisle 7. He'll show ya.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

oh come on it's not like going for an aids test or anything.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, ain't no thing asking about plumbing supplies or how to use them (though I've never had to do more than plunge). Pride don't mean a damn thing if you've got piss & shit-filled water cresting over the edge of your commode.

Todd - it might take a LONG while for the toilet water level to drop to the point that you can plunge w/out worrying about splashback. Possibly over an hour. You might want to trip the snake fantastic & head over to WalMart.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

well i'm at work right now, but (this happened during lunch) i waited prolly a half-hour (ok maybe 10 mins i dunno) and there was no droppage.

now i'm basically waiting till 3 (break time) to go back and check if it's dropped any or if i've shorted out the subway or whatever.

if it HAS dropped i will try 'plunging' again. if not i think i'll have to 'take the plunge' myself.

this is killing me.

― todd solinger,,,, Friday, 1 April 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

Is this your first time clogging the toilet? I used to do this w/ alarming frequency when I was in elementary school. (Talked small, but poo'd REAL BIG. & used about 10 rolls of TP per drop.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 1 April 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

hardly the first time but its the first time in a non-multi-person household w/ parents todo the dirty work and siblings to pass the buck to.

― it wasnt me, Friday, 1 April 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

Everybody poops, Todd.

For the plunger, fit it in to get a good seal, and push it in slowly to remove the air in the cavity, then pull out and push in radiply many times without breaking that seal. Even if you can't maintain a good seal do it this way. And I've found that letting it sit for while (as you're doing) results in a loosening of the clog, so that what wouldn't unclog when it happened will unclog a few hours later.

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 1 April 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

hasn't gone down an inch.

― jesus christ, Friday, 1 April 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

SUCK IT UP!!!!! OMGWTF THAT'S SO ROFFLING ROFLMMFAO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

http://images.webster-dictionary.org/wiki/3/39/Plunger_180x280.jpg

get the black one on the left instead of the brick colored one, they work much better

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

So many ILXors seem to be lacking in general home repair 5k!11zor.

― Jimmy Mod Knows You Eat Your Own Farts (ModJ), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

Rosemary OTM! Though the brick colored one is good for sight gags & slapstick - you might want both.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

actually i (sort of) have one like that, here's the deal: i push it down right, it 'compacts' or wahtever. i wait. i yank it up. it is still, still 'compacted'. wtf? i then (still holding the dry handle natch) kind of rub the 'compacted' rubber bit against the rim of the toilet. after which, it slowly 'unfolds', and i repeat again. however: i have a feeling it is not supposed to be like this.

jimmy mod: don't pretend you are an exception, pal.

― i am freakign out here guys please, Friday, 1 April 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

go ahead and get the snake. i swear you'll thank me later.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

I do have my problems with drywall

― Jimmy Mod Knows You Eat Your Own Farts (ModJ), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

oh wow you think that becuz u know what drywall is and i don't u are a bigger man than mE?? is that what u think???

ok well i might just get 'the snake'. but one more time what do i call it when i ask the shop-man? 'closet augur'? or the seemingly more sensible 'toiler augur'? or do i say 'snake, for my toilet' [tho the whole 'snake' thing really bothers me what w/ dual shit & phallic connotations] ??

i need to get this right.

― todd solinger he, Friday, 1 April 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

any of those things, he'll know what you're talking about.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

todd, I would try sobering up before attempting any home repair. Brew some coffee.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

It sounds like the toilet passageway doesn't match the shape of the plunger (toilet manufacturers should make custom plungers per bowl shape). Let it stay compacted and push/pull rapidly ~10 times but only lifting by 1/2 inch or so. Lift the plunger after each set to see if it's draining. If not, repeat until it does. If many minutes of this don't help, I guess it's auger time.

x-post "toilet snake" is what I'd say, but stence is right, he'll know (and give you a disgusted look).

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

no shame! and honestly every home should prolly have one, if only so people don't waste money on a plumber.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

Not really. It just seems that I find a certain pleasure in being able to accomplish household tasks. Or basically, yes, depending on how condescending I'm feeling.

xxxx-post.

― Jimmy Mod Knows You Eat Your Own Farts (ModJ), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

Can everybody put up shelves?

― A / F#m / Bm / D (Lynskey), Friday, 1 April 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

Pretty well. I don't have a stud finder so I need the plastic drywall suppourts.

― Jimmy Mod Knows You Eat Your Own Farts (ModJ), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:02 (twenty years ago)

I snaked my toilet a couple years back, it was ridiculously easy to clear the back-up. So easy that I let the snake all the way out and it disappeared down my bowl. I had to go into the basement where the pipe bent at an angle to retrieve it. Nothing like fishing around in pipe that's been draining the toilets for 70 years. Afterwards I hand made some pizza to cheer myself up.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

What a lovely story. What flavor pizza?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

the only tools i own are a pair of scissors and (MAYBE) a screwdriver. i consider you elitist handyman scum, cardcarrying member of a plumbers-cleavage club, deeply wrong as the most soulless hive-advocates of yuppiedom.

laurence that is the most disgusting thing i have ever read inmy increasingly regretful life.

― todd soligner is having a bad day, Friday, 1 April 2005 21:09 (twenty years ago)

Is there some hot stud in the neighborhood who can help you? (Cue the gay porn music.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:10 (twenty years ago)

Suck it.

― Jimmy Mod Knows You Eat Your Own Farts (ModJ), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

bleach

xxxpost

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:12 (twenty years ago)

Jesus, snaking is a piece of cake.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:14 (twenty years ago)

once you go black plunger, you never go back

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

omg i just spit burrito bits all over my screen. thanks rosemary

― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 1 April 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

no problem, phil!

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Friday, 1 April 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

i consider you elitist handyman scum, cardcarrying member of a plumbers-cleavage club, deeply wrong as the most soulless hive-advocates of yuppiedom.

c'mon man, that's ridiculous. but enjoy living with your poopy water, i guess.

(how are people who know how to actually build and fix things elitists? are auto mechanics royalty?)

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 1 April 2005 22:49 (twenty years ago)

Bob Vila, Trading Spaces and Click & Clack are the Holy Trinity.

― Matt Chesnut (Matt Chesnut), Saturday, 2 April 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

Hardware stores do make a certain amount of cash from tradesmen who already know what they're looking for...but with all the do-it-yourselfers out there they're certainly no stranger to someone asking for a 'snake kind of thing for cleaning out my clogged toilet'. Or just say, 'my toilet's blocked, plunger isn't working...what do I do now.' and there you have it. Walmarts a fucking waste of time unless YOU know what you want, because those acne-scarred retreads sure don't. Go to a [sigh] Lowes, or Home Depot, or better still, a smaller, friendlier hardware store that will spare you time to explain stuff. It's okay. You're not the first person who didn't know what to do when the toilet spewed brown water.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

Click & Clack ARE GODS!!! I love them so much.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 02:33 (twenty years ago)

But you can still call the landlord. He'll pay for the stuff, you know. And for the plumber if you need one. You don't have to do it yourself.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 2 April 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

run!

― ai lien (kold_krush), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

anytime i feel bad abut myself for not knowing how to do things, I should always refer to ilx and threads like these. ilx is the great ego booster.

― LowenBrÖ (Carey), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

Come on, todd, out with it — are you up to your ankles in your own shit?

― Curious George Finds the Ether Bottle (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

last time this happened i plunged like a man possessed and it eventually went away.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

Jimmy you can just tap on the walls and listen real close (a stethoscope actually works really well if you have one!)

― crucial gubbins (tracerhand), Sunday, 3 April 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

Pretty well. I don't have a stud finder so I need the plastic drywall suppourts.

If you have a fist you have a stud finder.

― kate/thank you friendly cloud (papa november), Sunday, 3 April 2005 21:19 (twenty years ago)

YOUS YER GRANS FLANGE MATE FOR POOS AND WEES ESPECILLY POOS

― GARU G, Sunday, 3 April 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

twelve years pass...

Garu G otm

― Neanderthal, Monday, 10 April 2017 02:23 (eight years ago)

did todd salinger ever get this figured out

― qualx, Monday, 10 April 2017 02:38 (eight years ago)

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my toilet clogged and overflowed - WHAT DO I DO