To use a potty (kitchen bowl)

[nadadise]

Our toilet has broken, can't afford to fix it.

Is it really awful to use a kitchen washing up bowl?

I hate doing it but I can't think of any alternatives. Any ideas?

Yabu I am afraid. Especially if you have dcs.

You need a quote from a plumber to me d it and you need to beg, borrow or steal the money to get it done. Check your home insurance doesn't cover it first.

If it is blocked you can try and mend the block by using a wire coathanger as far as you can down the loo. Is the actual bowl cracked or smashed? Have a look on freecycle/ebay etc for second hand ones. Or maybe contact local plumbing firms and ask if they have a second hand one you can buy.

It's not only a bit grim to not have a loo but it's really not hygienic. Can you imagine the conversation at school if you have dcs and they tell a teacher they are crapping in a dish bowl?

I get you really don't want debt but some things do warrant it.

Home insurance usually has a minimum of 100 pounds excess anyway tbh.
I know this wont help NOW, but when this is sorted look into a british gas homecare plan if you can afford it, pay monthly and you can get plumbing problems sorted too, no call out fee.
Good luck finding a cheap and easy fix for now

Can you buy some caustic soda? Usually does the trick here

It isn't that I 'don't want debt' it's that I can't access debt.

If I thought I could skip along to the bank and merrily borrow a thousand or so I would. I can't - it's dodgy companies only and I'm afraid I can't go down that route.

I don't have home insurance.

I don't have anyone to ask for money.

I will get it fixed but I just can't do it now. By the way - DCs are potty age but if they weren't I dare say I would laugh merrily and lie through my teeth.

Out of going into care and temporarily using a temporary toilet I think I know which I want for them.

That's a good idea Sharon thanks

Do you own or rent?
To my limited knowledge it sounds blocked, too much loo roll or maybe sanpro. My Dad used to shove the mop down our loo to plunge it when that happened (if you haven't got a plunger) or you can buy a flexi wire drain unblocker from the pound shop and give it a good poking.
Or if you have enough money get one of the really strong liquids (you'd need to go into a hardware store, not the supermarket), we got ours from Robert Dyas, was about £13.

I own it.

I'll try to unblock it with those ideas, thank you :)

Buckets of water down the loo after you've been

Can you get an old fashioned plunger and give it a bloody good seeing to maybe?

If it's just blocked up somewhere that should do the trick. If it's backing up from outside then that's a local authority issue and they will usually sort it for you very quickly.

A plunger and 20 minutes of your life. I'm sure that's all you need

Have tried the plunger. Worried about the buckets of water as I tried some boiling water and it just kept spilling over.

Have you actually tried to unblock it?

Ditto the caustic soda suggestion. Get it from b & q or similar. Its cheap. Be careful with it though. I use it on our bath when it blocks regularly and it is brilliant, even through a bashful of water.

Get a bucket, put some water in it (a third to half full id say) then add some caustic soda. You must add the soda to the water, not the other way round. Do this outside. Stand back and let it react - it goes hot and steams. Dint touch it or breath it in!

When it stops reacting take it and pour into the loo. It might help if you can scoop the water out of the loo first.

If it is just blocked it is unlikely to cost much. And I have always been able to unblock them myself.

Coathanger and mop plunger. Something to disolve the blockage maybe. Is it possible the dcs have put something down they shouldn't have? Grim I know but have you had your hands down and had a good feel.

I do understand about not having money. And not been able to access bank loans and overdrafts. I have been there myself. Out of the dodgy lenders I found Provident loans to be the best of a bad lot. Extortionate interest but you pay back on the doorstep so they don't have access to your accounts.

Do you know anyone in rl who could help you mend your.loo? Any handy diy types?

I have had a none flushing toilet a few times.
A bucket of water down the toilet will flush away.
Try this site for some how to's very simple to fix
www.handymanknowhow.co.uk/plumbing/toiletwontflush.htm

For the pan almost flooding. Get a plunger and plunge away. If there's a blockage it will clear.

And if you don't own the property it's down to whoever does to pay for repairs. Although if it's a block you might be billed bit you could come to an arrangement to pay in instalments

Sounds blocked. Three things to try.firstly remove as much water as possible from the loo using a jug/ cut down milk bottle so you aren't frightened about it over flowing. Chuck a bottle of drain cleaner down the loo. Follow instructions of this doesn't work, buy or borrow a plunger and get pumping, if this fails you need a tool called a plumbers snake( available at diy shop, could try an unravelled coat hanger first and have a good poke about. A cheap head torch would be useful too. Good luck if you succeed you will have saved some money and you will feel that superwoman!

I'm pretty sure ours got unblocked when we emptied the water out and 'wooshed' a big bucket of water down. I know the fear when it keeps bubbling back up

Ours is quite temperamental so we ae cautious not to put too much tissue down at once before we flush from now on

Or you could try this guide www.diybasics.co.uk/howtounblocktoilet.html

PS - if you're on your phone they make great torches, you can set up an app or 'film' with the flash on. You get some pretty grim videos doing that though

I use the torch on my phone in the shower :)

I've tried to unblock it bunker with baking soda so will give that a try tonight thanks. I'm not getting into any debt though!

Bail out
Hanger
Chemicals

Plumber will only do the same thing (although has a special hanger)

Also its a bit grim long rubber gloves and get your hand around the u bend!

Take the lid off the toilet and

1. pull the plunger inside the tank by hand.
2. Find the wire that connects the plunger to the handle and reconnect them.
3. Make a new wire using a coat hanger.
4. Look up "fixing a toilet" on Youtube.

You can do this!

It should be possible to get an emergency interest free loan for this sort of thing!

I mean OP is thinking of pooing on paper & chucking it in the bin-that's how desperate the situation is.

Cancelling broadband would make no difference.

By the time my next instalment is due (end of October) I'll have been paid.

Plus I would not have got baking soda advice without broadband.

Do you know what part is broken?
I think the best option- plumber.