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?

You're as bad as my DH, OP. you need to get in there with the caustic soda or wire coat hanger (ask a neighbour if you don't have one) and not be squeamish about it. A toilet is pretty basic, mechanically speaking, and so long as nothing is broken and leaking all over the place, you can fix it yourself.

I had DH throw up his hands in despair when our loo did this last week, and I was the one who put a plastic bag over my arm and pulled out a bunch of wipes and poo from 4 year old DD2, who has very urgent and private rituals in the loo from time to time.

I'm not judging you for the money thing (like a certain paranoid poster above), but I am judging you for being a wimp about whatever is down your pipes!

If you are going to try a method which involves putting large quantities of liquid down, it would be an idea to scoop the water in there now out as much as you can using a small bucket or a ladle or whatever into the nearest sink/bath/whatever - you could siphon it into a bucket if you're fast or brave! Just to give you an easier emptier thing to work with.

I'd have a rummage with a plunger first, then wire coathanger, then caustic soda last (as being the thing that costs money, even if only £2 or something).

The thing is I know it sounds gross, but honestly, seriously it's not THAT bad - it's all umm contained on kitchen towel and bagged up and chucked - and it's my OWN poo which somehow makes it 'better' - Oh you all know what I mean!

I don't want to ask do an advance on my salary - I get some people don't understand why but pride I guess. But I just couldn't.

But it sounds like things can hopefully be sorted so that's this weekends task :)

I am glad you've had some good advice on here OP. And gor all of you who are so squeamish about bagging up and chucking away poo, have a little think about how nappies work. And then think a little further and remember that it is not just small children who need them

all of you who are so squeamish about bagging up and chucking away poo, have a little think about how nappies work. And then think a little further and remember that it is not just small children who need them

You are supposed to flush away solid Waste before getting rid of the nappy.

I have "had a little think" now BarbarianMum .

In my experience, nappies worked as a temporary holding place for poo which was then flushed down the toilet.

I appreciate that adult carers for other adults might not be prepared to go to those lengths to ensure that shit doesn't end up in the wheelie bin, however op just needs to deal with her bloody blocked toilet!

Tbh, I don't think you can compare a baby-sized quantity of poo in an absorbent nappy, with the poo produced by a solid-food-eating adult. (Sorry to be so graphic, but think about it).

I would be very surprised if there were not health regulations against putting bagged human faeces in with the ordinary rubbish.

I know it's awful, but you have to keep persisting with the cheap methods people have suggested, OP.

OP, I have every sympathy. We had this problem last year and it took our crook of a landlord THREE WEEKS to fix it. I managed to always get to the loo in Tesco when I needed it but DP was not so lucky and had to improvise with a carrier bag on more than one occasion. In the end it was a problem with the outside drain/soil pipe backing up so we had to get a plumber out with a camera on the end of a long flex thing...then the decking in the back garden had to come up. Was a fecking nightmare. It sounds like your problem might be more easily solved though. I am crossing all my fingers and think you are soldiering on admirably!

Yes, I have said I will try them.

I also try to where possible poo in a toilet (a certain motorway services has been graced with my presence more than once!) but sometimes I just gotta go!

Do all the poo hand-wringers also take home their dogs' droppings and flush them down the loo? I'd guess not. You bag it up, chuck it in the nearest bin and forget about it. It's just undigested food, folks, not nuclear waste.

OP, lots of good suggestions here - even if I had the cash I'd try all these before spending it on a plumber. I don't think you can 'make it worse', given that it's not usable at the moment. I bet you have a functioning loo by bedtime. Good luck!

Cel982 - I don't have a dog but if I did I would put the poo in the dog waste bins provided.

No, human poo is not nuclear waste but it is disingenuous to write it off as merely "undigested food"! It is really unpleasant and dangerous, can cause serious illnesses. We have sewers for a good reason!

You bag it up, chuck it in the nearest bin and forget about it.

Most people put it in the dog waste bins.

Well it can astound you then - but we are all different.

OP nothing to add wrt to the loo situation, but just noticed you said you don't have home insurance. I realise you're skint atm, and I really don't want to sound preachy, but it would be a good idea to factor this in to your budget next month if you can, and start a policy. Very scary idea not having insurance if something awful did happen

Can you go to somewhere like B&Q and get a plunger to physically shift the blockage? (And a good pair of gloves!)

Pee in the shower/bath. Give it a good rinse.

Can you try to arrange poops at the supermarket/school/neighbour/friend for a few days, if you can't unblock yours?

For emergencies, I would put a carrier bag in the washing up bowl for solids.

Pretentious you are giant cats! Have a big litter tray.

Hope you get it fixed soon. And cheaply, by yourself.

remembers the week of showering at work, waiting for landlord to replace our shower

It's not preachy, don't worry. I absolutely will be doing so next month, it's just been very difficult lately but it's over - thankfully :)

I'll be trying some of these things tonight but I have tried to unblock it myself and have had no joy but haven't yet tried the soda so hopefully that will work.

Good luck with the DIY efforts OP. I managed to block the toilet with cat litter once (long story), and a lot of waggling with a coat hanger (and gagging in the sink) from me sorted it! I felt like king of the world when I got it fixed

Scary that some people think poo is 'just undigested food'. It's not, it's full of bacteria.

Anyway, OP: please, please use the dishwashing liquid trick. It is amazing, I swear!! (And free, and not messy)

In fact it's the opposite of undigested... it's fully digested food.

We had a blocked toilet, and the bowl overflowed onto the floor. You couldnt see anything, but it turned out to be toilet roll that hadn't flushed properly, and more ended up piling on top.

I just put a bin bag round my arm and had a look. They was loads of it, the water when away straight away. I know its horrible but put your hand down it.

Don't use a glove as the water will go in the top

Hopefully you can unblock it yourself so you don't need to get a plumber out.
I've had to put plastic bags over my hand before to remove wads of toilet paper blocking the toilet thanks to ds2
not nice