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?

For future reference empty out as much water from the toilet pan as you can by bailing and use one of these special plungers, they're amazing

Monument toilet plunger

Could you empty the bowl into the drain the toilet flushes into

Have you unblocked it yet?
Any improvement?

hippoinamudhole

Presumably not without lifting the manhole cover.

It's probably easier to try and unblock the toilet using one of the many commonly used diy methods described on the thread.

I agree but the op doesn't seem confident with diy. I just offered an alternative.
I do it with the dog waste

I once had a blocked loo and the blockage was all the way in the outside pipe.

I took off the cover in the garden and gave it a good wiggle with a bamboo cane. It was heavenly when it came loose and the wad of stuff flowed away.

Do you know where your drain-y access-y thing is?

"Bagging up and throwing away poo is unspeakably disgusting. Please don't do this"

Seriously? Ever had babies? Trust you didn't use disposable nappies then?

Geez.

And yes, it is actually the same thing. It is literally the same thing. Something just about every household with young children does on a daily basis. Unless they use reusables with a flushable liner or are an elimination communication freak enthusiast.

I have not read the whole post but I had a touch of luck when once in your situation. A local plumber came to quote me and it turned out it was such a simple fix it took him 2 minutes and he asked for a 5er so might be worth a try.

I have also had no one to ask and had nothing for periods of time. I did use a payday company twice and it was not as horrific as id have thought I borrowed 100 and paid back 118. Not ideal but I have used them in emergencies.

If this is real

In my experience with blocked toilets and young children, it usually means something has been thrown down the loo that should not be there. We've had TV remote control, socks and a flannel in ours over the years!

Coat hanger or bagged hand down toilet is best first choice and then caustic soda if not able to clear. You can get a wire hanger from a dry cleaners for a few pence. If this doesn't work ask your water company as it is likely to be more complex and further down the drainage system. They may bill you if internal, but will not have to pay for a few weeks. As you live in flats no doubt you pay a building maintenance charge to a residents association or a managing agent. This is the sort of problem that charge covers.

What seems a bit odd is last month's pay went on paying back overdraft, so I am not clear why this emergency doesn't warrant taking an overdraft again.

The mop thing always always always works for me, but I do it with the toilet brush covered with a carrier bag, tied on with an elastic band or hair bobble. Never had a problem that couldn't be fixed by that method.

Hope you're ok OP

And yes, it is actually the same thing. It is literally the same thing. Something just about every household with young children does on a daily basis

You are supposed to flush solid waste down the toilet first, even with disposable nappies.

Have you got a shared drain? If so united utilities will come out for free. If a plunger hasn't worked then the block could be further down external to your home.
I've had a blocked toilet and paid far too much for a plumber and couldn't sort it. United utilities said it's always worth asking them for a call out.

And wire coat hangers are surprisingly difficult to find unless you dry clean clothes.

FFS people still asking if this is real?! Why on earth would anyone make this up?? I have been in this situation. It was not pleasant.

Could you ask round your neighbours for a wire coat hanger if you haven't got one yourself?

If it's blocked further down the drain but still on your property then unfortunately you're still responsible for sorting it rather than the council. I'm at the wrong end of the country or I'd gladly lend you my drain rods. You could try asking on freecycle to see if anyone's got some you could borrow.

If all your efforts to fix it yourself don't work you've got nothing to lose by phoning round a few local plumbers and asking if they'd be willing to fix it now and accept payment at the end of the month.

Mine is a bugger for blocking. I push loo brush down as far as possible the plunge it up and down and it always clears it.

I wouldn't ask my work for a wages advance as they would say no and I'd be too proud as well.

I have ordered a toilet plunger from Amazon and hopefully that will arrive tomorrow. I'm sure all will be well then :)

Thanks again people!

Yes, let's hope it arrives tomorrow! Take it you couldn't move anything with a bin bag over the arm. Will you update us?

I do feel sorry for people who live in places that don't even have a diy shop. We have a choice of 4 on our High Street. Makes me realise how lucky we are.

I'm not going to be riled, Mintyy - don't bother :)

Nappy packs certainly used to say that solid waste should be flushed away and not thrown in the bin.

Lots of good advice here OP. Worst case if you really can't unblock it yourself, I've never had to pay a plumber on the spot - they always send an invoice for payment at a later date.

I'm sure if you asked friends on FB or at school gate, preschool etc you'd find someone who could help.

I used to have a job that brought me into contact with the council housing department, and it wasn't unknown for a tennant who didn't want the maintenance staff in their home to continue using the toilet, then move on to the bathroom, then the hand basin, and, occasionally, a chest of drawers.

I have never, ever, once in my career as a parent seen any parent, be it at a house, a playgroup, in a nursery, a preschool, or anywhere flush solid waste down a toilet. Not once.

I know you are supposed to - its technically a law. When I've mentioned that law on reusable nappies threads, and said how its much easier to comply with it when you use resusables with a flushable liner, I've been shot down by all the parents saying that nobody should be expected to do that, and that they have better things to do with their time than sluicing poo off nappies, thank you very much.

But when said to defend what this OP is planning to do for a week or two, suddenly it is implied that every responsible parent does this and in a minute someone will be along to tell me I must only mix with feckless skanks.

Only on Mumsnet...

I have never, ever, once in my career as a parent seen any parent, be it at a house, a playgroup, in a nursery, a preschool, or anywhere flush solid waste down a toilet. Not once.

Do you normally follow people into toilet stall to watch these things and check?
Just becuase you've never seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

I don't need to follow them into the toilet - they don't go into the toilet to change a nappy. And the fact that they bin it before going to wash their hands makes me pretty damn sure they haven't sluiced the poo. In the nursery it goes straight into the nappy bin and nowhere near the toilet. So yes, in these cases the fact I haven't seen it means it hasn't happened.

Nurseries have a sevice to take nappy bins away to dispose of them.