Broccoli in the Toliet

[DriftingCrow]

Alright, my niece threw in a piece of uncooked broccoli in the toilet, flushed, and now it's clogged. Water still goes down but it's pretty slow.

How do I get it out? I don't have a plumbers snake to push it around and I can't find the plunger. The coat hanger is unsuccessful.

I am kind of assuming since it's biodegradable that the broccoli will soften up some overnight and flush easier later? I also read you can throw in a box of baking soda and then put some vinegar in to dissolve clogs (but I think that article was talking more about stuff like post-Thanksgiving meal gastro-intestinal distress causing clogs, not big pieces of broccoli, so I am not sure if that would work. I don't want to throw stuff in and have it just make a mess).

[Adam (birkin)]

What almost always works for me is putting in some dish soap with hot (not boiling cause it can crack porcelain) water, letting it sit for 15 mins, plunging the heck out of it, and trying to flush again. Sometimes takes a few tries.

[TerriT]

well, there's something you don't see every day.

[Shaina]

Forgive me but I laughed when I read this. Only because there's a little girl in my family that does the same thing all the time!

We generally use Caleb's method if Drano fails. Hope it all works out.

Btw this is the little girl, only 1 but she's caused about $2,000 in damages so far! 

[Beth Andrea]

I was concerned about some new disease caused by HRT:

"Side effects may include discharging broccoli during bowel movements." 

I am very relieved to hear this is not the case. With proper plunging, bowel movements will appear normal. 

<--me, after a non-broccoli-involved BM.

[Adam (birkin)]

I was concerned about some new disease caused by HRT:

Lol I thought that too, that it was like a digestive issue.

[Ms Grace]

well, there's something you don't see every day.

I know, really had to laugh at this one...sorry! Don't have any suggestions either...!

[V M]

My younger half brother (15 yrs younger) had a thing for putting odd things down the toilet when he was a child    I learned to always keep a plunger in the bathroom at all times and there were a few times my stepfather had to rent a snake to clear the latest obstruction of the time

[Natalia]

I was concerned about some new disease caused by HRT:

"Side effects may include discharging broccoli during bowel movements." 

I am very relieved to hear this is not the case. With proper plunging, bowel movements will appear normal. 

<--me, after a non-broccoli-involved BM.

LOL This made my day! ^^

[Emily.T]

The things that kids do that adults just couldn't get away with lol

Maybe if they flushed another piece of broccoli it might dislodge the first one.

Emily.T xx

[Robin Mack]

Having been the de-facto family plumber, I can recommend lye.  I believe a popular brand is "Red Devil".  Follow the directions and be careful, because it is strong and terribly caustic.  It will dissolve skin if it comes in contact with it unless you rinse it off immediately and for goodness sake don't breath any dust or get any dust in your eyes.

But it will dissolve the broccoli. 

[DriftingCrow]

Thanks for all the suggestions, and Joules lol I can't spell!

I was going to go out and pick up a plunger since ours went missing along with a snake but unfortunately the gutter people come today so their truck is blocking me in. I am trying the baking soda and vinegar method since it seems like I am going to be stuck at home all day.

My father was a plumber and he had all these plumbing machines, but my younger brothers and sister stole the machines and scraped the metal (the coils had copper or stainless steel in them).

[DriftingCrow]

Problem solved -- baking soda and vinegar ate it away.

I did buy a plunger and auger for next time though.