Last year I installed a Kohler elongated bowl, comfort height toilet in my bathroom. I think it is the Linette model if that matters. I got it at Costco. It replaced a builder grade round, standard height toilet. The installation went smoothly, no problem.

Here is where the issue starts; my daughter is 12 years old, 5 ft tall and weighs about 100 lbs. I do not know what happens in her belly, but she plugs the toilet 2-4 times per month. And no, it's not extra TP or feminine products. This happened with the old toilet also, which was part of the reason for the purchase, this one said right on the side of the box "clog free". Well, she defeated that bold claim in short order.

This toilet though, the hole at the bottom, that hole is slightly elongated also. My other elongated toilet does not have this, it's a normal, mostly round hole. And due to the elongated shape of the hole, the plunger does not get a good seal around the hole for dislodging the waste.

I am not kidding, this morning I had to push that plunger up and down 50+ times to clear the clog.

I checked on Amazon to see if maybe there was a plunger with a different shape so it would create a good seal, but I did not see anything like this.

I would not mind plunging the toilet a few times per month if it was a normal plunge of one or two times. But I am at the point of considering ripping this toilet out and taking it back to Costco. Which I really, really, do not want to do. But the fact that I am considering it gives you an idea of my frustration.

How can I easily plunge this toilet?

Edit to add - My wife and I use this toilet, it's our main toilet in our master bath. My daughter just happens to be comfortable in that room. My wife and I never have any issues. I cannot recall that I have ever plugged it in the whole year I have had it. And I am a full grown adult male.

And maybe TMI, but I have obviously seen what comes out of my daughter. And I have NO IDEA how that comes out of a 12 year old. Based on that, I think it's a size / firmness issue.

But, with all of that said, the good news is that I get to tease my 12 year old daughter and make Dad jokes about how she has completely beat the toilet that was clog free.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: holdem,

We will sometimes just use a trashcan or other bucket type item and pour hot water into the bowl until the waste is broken down or slickened or whatever it is that happens - and flushes.

It almost always works. Sometimes the bowl fills and you have to wait a minute for the water level to slowly lower until you can pour some more hot water in.

As to plungers - I haven't ever seen any but round.

I have also heard of (but never seen or used) a poop stick - people use something to break apart the poop I suppose and stuff it towards the hole...

If you have an elongated drain, be sure you're using a plunger with a flange, and the flange is extended:



You won't be able to get a good seal with a standard cup plunger, or one with the flange rolled inside:




The best plunger I've ever used is the Korky Beehive Max. I haven't had any issues with using that on toilets with non-round drains.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ko...ger-99-12A/203765220

we have that beehive one in one of our bathrooms - works well.

Now that you've got your plunger answers, I'll offer this advice:

I've trained the women in my family to hold the handle down during the entire flush, usually about 4-5 seconds. This clears the bowl and trap more effectively, IMO.

It was fairly easy to implement once I adopted a "you-plug-it, you plunge-it" policy.

My wife uses a frickin' mitten of TP & it still clears it using this method.

Couple of things I'd consider:

1) When you installed the new toilet, did the gasket seat properly? Or is there a blockage there? Sometimes some waste paper hands up on something and more and more collects on it until you have a problem

2) Is there something in the toilet? My MIL's phone fell in and it took me forever to figure it out. She never mentioned losing her phone and when I'd plunge the toilet, it would clear it for the moment. The phone was stuck in the toilet but you couldn't see it. Was a bitch to get out of there too. I had to remove the toilet, take it outside and shake the phone out.

3) Is it a "swirl" toilet or a direct flush? Was the old toilet the opposite of what you have today? Or, do you feel like the water level in the bowl is sufficient to remove the waste?

4) Is it one of those fancy-schmacy multiple button toilets for #1 or #2? Is she hitting the correct button?

I'd consider these in the order provided... Good luck with the poo!

quote:

The best plunger I've ever used is the Korky Beehive Max

Our 6 year old house has elongated bowls... this is the only plunger that will work on them.

I installed an American Standard clog free several years ago in both bathrooms and I’ve never had a clog. I’d check out your sewage vent pipes just to make sure they are clear.

https://www.americanstandard-u...nnovations/no-plunge

We ran into the same issue with a new Kohler, similar model, you need to change the plunger, the old style won't cover the hole properly.

The Korky bee hive is a good choice, just make sure whatever you get is designed for elongated bowls.

The other thing we found after that is a drain cleanout in the yard had failed, allowed roots to enter the pipe, basically the clean out access pipe had busted, who knows how long.

It reared it's head with the new install, we thought it was the old toilet having issues, plus wanted the newer unit. Coincidence, you may have a clog down the line, have a plumber send a video snake down the line to be sure it's clear.

Other than that your daughter is going to have to fess up to how much she's really using to wipe. Switch to flushable wet wipes, not baby wipes, FLUSHABLE wipes. They dissolve like TP, clean better, tell her to use one or two after dry TP. You might find she's using a lot of TP.

quote:

Originally posted by SBrooks:
We will sometimes just use a trashcan or other bucket type item and pour hot water into the bowl until the waste is broken down or slickened or whatever it is that happens - and flushes.

It almost always works. Sometimes the bowl fills and you have to wait a minute for the water level to slowly lower until you can pour some more hot water in.

I did not pour extra water in, the level was already somewhat high, but she did this at 9:30pm last night and I was already lying down in bed. I thought, "Ugh, maybe it'll break up overnight and it'll be easier to just clean the bowl than having to plunge it."

It was still plugged at 6am this morning.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
If you have an elongated drain, be sure you're using a plunger with a flange, and the flange is extended:

That is what I have.

Answers at the end of each question.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaql:
Couple of things I'd consider:

1) When you installed the new toilet, did the gasket seat properly? Yes

Or is there a blockage there? I do not believe so. Especially since my wife and I use this toilet with no issues.

2) Is there something in the toilet? Again, since wife and I use it with no issues, I do not think so.

3) Is it a "swirl" toilet or a direct flush? Direct flush.

Or, do you feel like the water level in the bowl is sufficient to remove the waste? The water level seems fine.

4) Is it one of those fancy-schmacy multiple button toilets for #1 or #2? No, single lever only.

I think you need to teach your daughter to flush more often or how to use the toilet.

They also make toilet snakes that work well at clearing clogs, however constant use can scratch the porcelein in the bowl.

It is possible you have a partially clogged vent for that bathroom, or a burr somewhere in the pipe that things are hanging up on. If you're able to go on the roof, take a garden hose up there and run it down the vent in that area and see if it drains, or backs up after a few mins.......

I once had a tenant that kept complaining that their toilet would get clogged and couldn't plunge it......after snaking it three different times, on the 3rd time, a #2 pencil came out of the neck that her 4 year old must've flushed down it.

quote:

Originally posted by holdem:
That is what I have.

Then I'd drop the ~$15 at Home Depot/Lowes for a Korky Beehive and try that instead.

You may have an additional obstruction, who which your daughter is contributing, as opposed to her simply being the wrench in the works. In that case, the problem will be eliminating the obstruction (do not eliminate your daughter).

It may be worth roto-rootering that line to see if there's an additional obstruction downstream that's causing the plug up. Most of the time, it's not what just went down, but something else that's trapping what just went down.

What does go down, that causes a backstop may be due to dietary habits; insufficient water intake, especially in the summer, can result in a more cloggable deposit. With my daughter, it was a constant battle to get her to drink more fluids.

My Kohler toilet will do a half flush if you press the handle and immediately release.

You have to hold the handle down for a full second or two to fully drain the tank.

Take the lid off and see what yours does with a single press or a press and hold.

Have your daughter flush a second or two after the first discharge. Why try to flush everything at once.

Before the flush, I holler out...
[FLASH_VIDEO]


Link to original video: https://youtu.be/6ycLCxqSLao [/FLASH_VIDEO]

My wife clogs at least once a week. I have way to much experience with this issue. Sometimes a few drops of liquid dish soap will act as a surfactant if you allow it to sit for several minutes.

Not only hold the flush handle down for a complete flush, but turn off the water valve at the first sign of a clog. That's the hardest part to get my wife to remember. Plunge repeatedly until the flush completes. Only then slowly turn the water back on. When the bowl is filled, flush again.

Its most likely a user problem then, not a toilet if it clogged with the old and new, and only one user.

Find a closet snake and use that instead of a plunger.

Usually there are two sizes of closet snake, buy the larger one. Buy a 5 gallon bucket at the same time and keep the snake near the bucket.