Ffs blocked toilet

[Coldhandscoldheart]

Think this might be one for @PigletJohn
I think that the plastic holder for a rim block got flushed down the toilet last weekend.
It’s had a slow block since. Had a plumber out on Thursday but today it’s blocked again.
High, hot & heck of a lot water, plunging & vinegar & soda have succeeded in making it less slow, but not so I’d want anyone to actually use it.

Plumber is only m-f, but will come back, but I think plumbers next step is taking the toilet off the wall.
Is it worth me buying a drain screw & giving it a go? If so is there a particular size I would need?
Or should I not bother & wait for plumber?

Also I have looked at outlet of toilet & it doesn’t look totally straight. I don’t know how much this matters. Can’t get a decent picture of it.
Grateful for any advice from anyone.

Call dynorod! They will come out anytime and I don't think it's too expensive. We have cover with British gas for this and the excess is only £50.

so what did the plumber (fail to) do?

please tell me it wasn't an emergency callout at £100.

Have you tried the basic of putting a long pair of marigolds on and reaching down the bendy to see if you can feel the plastic rim block holder to just pull it out?

A good squirt of fairy liquid and a kettle full of boiling water is good to shift a slight blockage but it won't do anything for a big lump of plastic.

We had one of those rim blocks that got caught by the flush and blocked the toilet.

There was nothing for it...in I went, out came the rim block, toilet was fine again. That's all it is. A bit of an ahem shitty job, but just wash thoroughly afterwards...

If you've managed to actually get the block past the bend I guess it's more of a plumbing job, but if it's just caught at the first part of the U shape, you should be able to reach it.

Im not sure what the plumber did as I wasn’t here & it doesn’t occur to DH to ask

I forgot I also poked about with a coat hanger (acquired at great inconvenience) which did the sum total of sod all, I don’t think it even went round the corner.

I’ve done rubber gloves & binbag up my arm, but couldn’t feel anything. I didn’t know you could get long arm marigolds, might nip up b&q tomorrow

Thanks for replying it makes me feel less alone lol

What did the plumber actually do?
If it's the plastic bit, the chances are it's not been able to get round the bend and you might be able to reach it or hook it out with a straightened out metal coat hanger. Considerably less expense than a plumber.

I think it was about £60. Didn’t seem to take long.

I really don’t think it’s in the bend at the bottom of the toilet.

Sorry I see now you've tried the coat hanger.
You don't really want the plastic thing blocking your sewer further down as that's a whole new level of shit, literally.

Try a mop with a bin bag on the end. Tie the bag over the mop head then use it to plunge. The bag sort of creates a massive seal around the bowl and becomes a very effective plunger.

@sylbunny I was going to suggest exactly the same thing! The magic (£1 from Poundland) mop trick has never failed me yet! I've saved family and friends a fortune with that little tip!

But isn’t plunging more, more likely to shove it in further? I will get some long gloves & have more of a fish about tomorrow sigh

I would get a different plumber TBH. Or dynorod. They come out anytime.

I used Mr Muscle drain unblocker recently when DH blocked ours with a massive number two

One of our kids once flushed a yoghurt pot down the loo. Then someone else did a poo on top of it. no one owned up, we had no idea what was causing it, so we used water, chemical, all sorts trying to budge it. In the end we called the plumber who was able to do in through the side somehow & retrieve it.

Drain guys are better (than plumbers) for blockages with their rods and cameras.

Just to complete the thread, plumber came back, took toilet off & retrieved the rim block holder.
Turns out I was right & the toilet hasn’t been fitted well, so the outflow isn’t straight, but the important thing is we have returned to a functioning toilet.
It may be that there was a cheaper way of doing it, I think all in it was about £120-150. But actually, I also think that a properly functioning toilet is priceless.

Ugh, rim block holder.

I prefer dissolving cistern blocks.

Just a bit of caution re the mop/bin bag solution. It’s exactly what I would have recommended weeks ago but we did this recently and my DH was plunging so enthusiastically he broke the seal off the back of the toilet. We had water pouring down the ceiling light below and all over the dining room. As it was a bank holiday Monday we had to call out an emergency plumber. £415 later...