blocked toilet

[RavioliOnToast]

my loo looks like it's blocked. it's not blocked by anything visible but the water won't go down. does anyone know what I could do about it?

Have you got a wire coat hanger? If so, unravel it, make a loop at the end so there's nothing sharp to scratch the toilet enamel with, and poke it vigorously up and down round the bend.

That should sort it.

My DH chucks a bucket of water down ours! I guess he waits until the water level has dropped though! I tend not to get involved tbh!

If you have the banned-on-mumsnet horror item that is a loo brush you can use it with a plunger type action quite vigorously under the water (as far into the pipe as poss) and it should clear the blockage if it's not serious.

Lots of buckets of hot water from a height, keep doing it u till it clears.

Loo brush as a plunger also works well

Caustic soda.

Iirc you don't put anything down a blocked toilet in case it backs up even more or you have to get your hands down there for a rummage.

You can use a strong black bin liner (sort of ballooned up-get air in & tie tightly) as a plunger. Our plumber friend recommended this when our dd put loads of kitchen roll down the loo.

I have caustic soda. how do I use this?

will try the buckets of water thing first though.

the water is draining away eventually. it's just taking bloody ages

Just pour some caustic soda down the loo and leave overnight. Make sure you wear gloves though its very corrosive to skin.

it worked with a toilet brush thing covered with a carrier bag used as a plunger!

also for future reference a mop with a bin bag over is really good and you dont have to get to near

thanks Christmas it still didn't look like it was blocked with anything though. just water that wouldn't go down no poo-namis thankfully!