One Shot Drain Cleaner

[Paul_smith]

Ok, so we had a very slow draining toilet (it would drain, but would take an hour or more to do so) after one of our kids put paper towels down it (i know!).

Tried plunging, using an auger toilet snake thing, adding extra water to the toilet to force it through under gravity, rubber gloves to clear the blockage...none of that worked.

Then decided to put some one shot liquid cleaner down there (91 percent sulfuric acid). Observed all the precautions (gloves, mask, ventilation etc) and checked we have upvc piping. Added it very very slowly and kept well clear.

However....that didn't work at all. In fact, despite a small amount of fizzing as I added it, it hardly seemed to react at all! The toilet still drains as slowly as ever.

Now, after flushing again, there seems to be a purple layer at the bottom of the water....(the one shot is purple coloured!!)

We're about to go on holiday for a week. My question is (a plumber will be called and apologised to when we get back) is if safe in there? Is it likely to be giving off any fumes that might be harmful, or will ot react badly with repeated flushings?? Will it go away with flushings (i know it's heavier than water....will it just sit there in the u bend??)

Any advice gratefully received (yes I know this wasn't exactly the best course of action. Stress levels high).

Paul

 

[muggles]

Flushing will get rid of it if it is sitting in the loo, any fumes you get off it will smell of sulphur so you'll know if they're there, but they won't do much more than give you a sore throat. Might be staining you're seeing though? I've seen it discolour the enamel before now

If I'm putting One Shot down a toilet, I always push a hosepipe round the U-bend and attach a funnel to it so the One Shot gets round to where it needs to be rather than sitting in the pan

 

[just pumps]

Leave the plumber a note if you don`t see him before going away telling him what you have used.

 

[Agile]

Oddly a traditional cotton mop is often one of the most effective forms of plunger. Used with a nearly full bowl.

I try to avoid jobs like that. But sometimes I hear that the toilet pan needs to be removed.

In a few cases they can be rodded from downstream.

Tony

 

[Nige F]

The mop head can be run through the washing machine and re used

 

[Stadan20]

I've never had to use one shot down a toilet personally , fault would either usually be a blockage in the u bend of the pan or at a drain

 

[dilalio]

I've never used 1-shot on a wc either! Usually only mechanical clearing does it! If your kids caused this, you may be able to claim on your insurance if the cost gets high!