Young son put tissues in back toilet tank that is now clogging jets

[jcrichto]

My young son that it would be "cool" put tissues go down the flush valve in the back tank. It wasn't later that we discovered the toilet was hardly flushing. The bucket test works and flushes fine. There is definitely tissue clogged somewhere in the flush passage to the jets.

I tried duct taping each jet hole and pour hot vinegar down the overflow and let it sit as long as the tape could hold (roughly 15 minutes). I could tell it was in the front of the bowl because it was hot to the touch. It didn't do much. As a test, I put a tissue in a bowl of vinegar overnight to see if it would dissolve and it didn't do anything.

So here are my questions:
1)
How do you remove a tissue in the passage flow of a toilet? Is there a chemical I can use that won't ruin that part of the toilet?

2)
If I have to put a chemical in there, what is the best way to fill up that passage so it won't go out the jets? Do I put a plunger in the toilet to fill up the toilet bowl up to the jets and put the chemical in so it can sit?

3)
I didn't go as far as taking apart the tank and trying to snake it out. I'm not sure if that will break up the tissues and block more holes.

4)
Am I the only one in the world that has to clean out an object in the flush passage

 

[Treeman]

I wonder if a very strong shop vacuum sealed over the flush valve might suck the debris backward and out of the system?

He must have removed the tank cover to have access? Probably will turn out to be an engineer of some sort, LOL.

Best of Luck. Maybe some experts will chime in.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

IN the 1950s, when Kohler was on strike, "moles" would stuff paper into the tank opening on the bowls to sabotage them. Unless you discovered it before the first flush, the toilet was essentially useless. Recently, someone poured chemical which caused the water to gel into the tank. It had the same result, a new toilet.

 

[Jadnashua]

The wood pulp in the tissues will harden to a rock if it dries out, making it nearly impossible to get out. Vinegar won't do much except bleach it a bit and it's already (probably) white. You might snag enough of it if you could poke one of those flexible plastic drain cleaners that has some barbs on it. Even if it didn't snag much, it might break it up into smaller pieces and let some of it be forced out. Note, there's a fairly large pathway to the siphon jet, so poking that thing into there may catch some as well. Maybe a small gauge copper wire that you bend a hook on it might catch and pull some stuff out.

When you do flush, does water come out anywhere? You can get an idea about the siphon jet if you put some food coloring in the tank and then flush...it should become more obvious where things are flowing. The rim outlets are mostly for washing the bowl, but the siphon jet is critical to actually flushing the toilet.

 

[jcrichto]

It makes sense that it probably hard, but it's definitely somewhere in the front of the bowl. Water does come out but not very fast. Hearing that the toilet may be doomed, I'll just try to stick down drain cleaner with barbs to see if I can grab some of it. Who knew a tissue could ruin a toilet! Thanks for your ideas. If I have any success, I'll let you know.

 

[Dana]

I wonder if a very strong shop vacuum sealed over the flush valve might suck the debris backward and out of the system?

He must have removed the tank cover to have access? Probably will turn out to be an engineer of some sort, LOL.

Best of Luck. Maybe some experts will chime in.

The vacuum approach was the first thing that came to my mind too. Vaccuum first, then turn it around to blow air through the passages. The amount of water pressure at the exit holes is defined by the height of the water in the tank, which isn't very much- maybe 8-10 water=inches- I'm not sure how much a wet/dry shop vac can deliver but I suspect it's more than that.

If that fails, using a plunger a would deliver considerably more. Toilet paper is designed to come apart when wet in turbulent flow. If there is any flow at all agitation with plunger would give it maximal turbulence.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

You will likely save yourself a lot of time and grief by purchasing a new toilet.

 

[Reach4]

You will likely save yourself a lot of time and grief by purchasing a new toilet.

I agree. If the toilet was older, you will probably get a better-flushing toilet in the process.

If you wanted to treat this as a challenge, I wonder if spraying a pressure washer, or even a garden hose, down the hole could wash some stuff out. However the more time and effort you put in to fixing this toilet, the more painful it will be to then have to buy a new toilet.

 

[Sylvan]

When I was a teenager in the navy I was told to make the toilets work properly and handed a piece of wire

Seems the salt water used for the toilets over a short time would block the openings and I would use the wire to clear the openings to get full flow again

Sort of like using the assortment of wires to clear a cutting torch orifice

 

[Corey Miller]

This, as well as all advice from the internet is use at your own risk.

You'll have to be very careful, but, might give this a try...

When I lived in an apartment in Kitchener (some of the hardest municipal water in north america...) the toilet jets were almost all clogged with hard water deposits because the building either didn't have a softener or it wasn't working correctly... I did this and it cleared things right up...

Anyhow, shut the water off to the tank, flush the toilet, and then lift the lid off the tank.

Get some safety goggles, a funnel, long rubber gloves, you may even want a rubber apron, and at least 1L of muriatic (hydrochloric) acid. You can find this at any hardware store.

THIS IS DANGEROUS, BE CAREFUL

Make sure the water to your bathroom sink is still on. If you get acid on your skin, rinse it off immediately. Don't even chance it with your eyes, use the goggles.

Put all your safety gear on. Put the funnel in the tank neck, this will hold the flapper out of the way, and limit spillage into the tank. Turn your bathroom fan on and/or open windows, keep everyone else out and away.

You could try duct taping the holes again, but I might just try pouring the acid in first and see what it looks like. This will absolutely dissolve the toilet paper.

You'll probably get some fumes coming out of the tank which you should avoid breathing. These will be acidic.

I read that doing this can cause toilets to crack, I think that's a bit extreme, but, just thought I'd pass it along. My apartment toilet was extremely clogged. It did get warm to the touch, but if that amount of sediment didn't crack it with this procedure, I don't see what actually WOULD crack one...

 

[SteveW]

My young son that it would be "cool" put tissues go down the flush valve in the back tank. It wasn't later that we discovered the toilet was hardly flushing. The bucket test works and flushes fine. There is definitely tissue clogged somewhere in the flush passage to the jets.

I'm reading this to say the son put facial tissues, not TP, down the flush valve.

Would this make it even less likely to be cleared out? I know we routinely have to remind homeowners not to put facial tissue down the toilet as it doesn't degrade in water the way TP does.

 

[Dj2]

"4)
Am I the only one in the world that has to clean out an object in the flush passage "

No you're not. I once had a tenant who filled the toilet with pennies. I replaced the toilet.

Do whatever you can to teach your son good from bad.

 

[Flow&Go]

Maybe try buying a small flush bag (expanding drain bladder) and putting it in the flush valve opening, it might push the tissue through. It might also make a huge mess. Use this in conjunction with the shop vac method a few times and you might be ok.