Monday, January 7, 2019

Cleaning Toilet Disaster

Once upon a time, I tried to remove a brown ring from around the toilet in our house. It was there when we moved in, and wasn't getting any better. I tried several cleaning products that promised to whiten any throne, but nothing I tried worked. I even tried the Coca Cola cure.
It didn't work, either.
Then I studied a Youtube video that suggested draining the water from the toilet, stuffing a rag in the hole, then sealing it with a simple circle plug. (Linked video is not the exact one, but has the same concept. I grew tired of searching.) THEN pour in hot water to the holes on top, add the cleaner, and let sit for an hour.
I was willing to try it! I just didn't see any need for the rag in the hole once I got the water out. I mean, the circle plug fit just fine. So I didn't bother with the rag. 
I got this.
I poured in the magic solution, then left the bathroom to do some work in the kitchen. (Housework is never done, in case you didn't know. At least, it's never done at my house.)
After about five minutes, I heard a mysterious whooshing noise coming from the bathroom. It sounded like the toilet flushing...but it hadn't been an hour yet! Who was messing up my cleaning plan? 
It turns out I'd sabotaged myself. The water pressure pushed the wimpy rubber plug down the drain.
Was it almost to the septic tank, clogging the drain f-o-r-e-v-e-r?
After Mighty Bob pulled the toilet, he found the plug sitting crosswise on the very edge of the abyss.
(Whew!)
And he still likes me.
Brown ring and all.
In fact, he prefers a stubborn brown ring staying in the toilet to pulling a toilet off the floor.
Odd.
I actually finally got rid of the ring with a pumice stone cleaner thingy. (This is not the exact brand. Either it's not made anymore, or I'm Internet-Search-Challenged.)
I maintain the bowl with bleach tabs added to the toilet tank.
Have you had an cleaning mishaps at your house? What happened? 

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