Ugh! Deep joy..the toilet's blocked. Any tips (or volunteers)?

[TinyGang]

Dh says he'll have to get a plunger to unblock it but I'm more for the Mr Muscle approach. I'm sure there is such a thing made by MrMuscle and it'd be less er, 'hands on'.

Caustic soda. Definitely worth a try.

Do you have a little one who may have put something down it? In which case you'd better roll up your sleeves and get diggin'.

If prodding about etc doesn't work, fill a bucket up with water and tip it down 3 or 4 times. As there's more water in a bucket than in the average cistern, the extra force usually shifts the blockage.

God,can think of nothing worse on a Sunday especially. Deepest sympathies.
My thoughts are with you.

Aw thank you moondog! And to you all for the suggestions.

Hooray! Dh has just cleared it with brute force and the toilet brush. I don't know what the problem was...probably best to draw a veil over that.

This thread is a million miles away from the 'what I'd prefer to be doing' one isn't it!?

For next time, go and buy a cheap mop (cotton head, wooden handled type) from a hardware shop, put a plastic bag over the head, shove it down the toilet and twist from side to side, blockage gone!! It worked for us and a plumber friend told us that's all he would have done if we'd called him out at a cost of £70!

Oh we chucked the mop head away when we were done!

go down B&Q and get some "One Shot" acid, pour it down there, it goes through everything. It's only about £3, and fantastic stuff. (might not clear kandoo's tho)

Just check it works properly over the next day and that there isn't a more serious blockage somewhre further down the system . DO NOT USE ANY WIPES THAT CLAIM TO BE FLUSHABLE AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH SAHRED DRAINS MAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBOURS KNOW THAT FLUSHABLE WIPES ARE NOT BLOODY FLUSHABLE. Sorry to shout just checking my neighbours haven't forgotten the cause of last summer's horror story.

For future reference, I have had many blocked loos when ds3 has decided to empty all the wet wipes down the loo. I get a plastic bag and a metal coat hanger, bend the hanger and use it to hook out the blockage whcih I then put into the plastic bag. When loo is clear, the bag and the bent hanger go in the bin - hardly even need to put on rubber gloves.

Of course, my method might not be so effective or easy if the blockage is.. er... how shall I put it?...organic in nature.

quilted toilet paper is also a b*er for blocking toilets and no doubt the latest flushable toilet brushs will give plummers a bit more work!

I second One Shot. It was recommended to me by a builder and its bloody brilliant.