Replacement Plunger: Try a Bottle

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around an unconventional method for unclogging a toilet using a bottle instead of a plunger. Participants explore the effectiveness of this approach, share humorous anecdotes, and discuss alternative methods for managing toilet clogs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes using a bottle to create a vacuum effect that may have helped unclog the toilet, suggesting it could be a viable alternative to a plunger.
  • Another participant humorously inquires about the circumstances of the event, adding a light-hearted tone to the discussion.
  • A suggestion is made to use a shut-off valve to prevent overflow during a clog, although its effectiveness is questioned in certain situations.
  • There is mention of using caustic chemicals, like bleach or Coca-Cola, as alternative methods to dissolve clogs, with a note on their effectiveness depending on the nature of the blockage.
  • A participant shares their experience with the bottle's orientation while submerged, proposing that the direction of the opening affects the method's success.
  • A humorous comment is made regarding the buoyancy of feces, linking it to dietary habits, which adds a comedic element to the thread.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement on the potential effectiveness of using a bottle, while also discussing alternative methods and the limitations of the shut-off valve. The discussion remains somewhat unresolved regarding the best approach to take in such situations.

Contextual Notes

There are assumptions about the effectiveness of the bottle method and the conditions under which it works, as well as varying opinions on the utility of chemical solutions and the shut-off valve.

Dissident Dan
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The toilet was overflowing the other day, and I didn't have a plunger. Water was spilling out over the sides, so I grabbed an empty bottle to fill with water in the hope of lowering the water level in the toilet. Within a few seconds of submerging the bottle's opening in the toilet, the toilet flushed...bad-arse!

It could be a coincidence, but it seems to me that the bottle filling with water caused a vacuum effect, much like a plunger, jostling the clog and allowing the toilet to flush. So if you are ever in dire need of a nonexistant plumber, try a bottle (or, really, any sort of container, I suppose).
 
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Any chance you were naked and screamed eureka as the toilet flushed?
 
Thanks.

I'll keep that in mind. It just might come in handy some day.
 
Don't forget there is a shut off valve down behind the toilet and you can shut off the water to stop the overflow when there is a clog. (if you act quickly)

So, which direction was the opening of the bottle pointed?
 
Originally posted by Evo
Don't forget there is a shut off valve down behind the toilet and you can shut off the water to stop the overflow when there is a clog. (if you act quickly)

So, which direction was the opening of the bottle pointed?

Typically, the shut-off valve acts to keep the tank from filling. Unless the toilet is malfunctioning, or you want to keep someone from flushing by accident, it's useless for preventing overflows.

Regarding the lack of plungers - if you pour a caustic chemical - like bleach or coca cola - into the toilet, then it can often disolve the clog quite nicely. If the clog is not a complete blockage, then the slow flow of water will usually eventually loosen it.
 
Evo said:
So, which direction was the opening of the bottle pointed?

Away from me!

I had it pretty horizontally oriented, the the opening half below, half above the water level. If my hypoethesis is correct, as long as you don't put it in opening down (in which case the trapped air would not permit water to enter), it should work.
 
Away from me! That's funny.

Did you know that if your poop floats you have too much fat in your diet.
 

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