Hello and thank you for taking the time to offer your advice.
My son (2yrs) flushed toys down the toilet (and who knows what else). I've tried a plunger - no go. I've tried the snake, but it won't go through. There is obviously hard objects blocking the entire passage. I think I need to take the toilet up, but I don't know the first step or what to expect or where to look for the clog. I would be forever grateful if someone could explain to me this process.
Thanks a million!
-Kae

Hi Kae,
Pulling a toilet and going in to the bowl is a dirty messy job best left to us dirty messy plumbers. Having said that. If you have used a closet auger on it and it's still clogged, chances are you will find it in the bend of the trap in the bowl. Turn off the water at the angle stop. Sponge out the tank and bowl. Remove the closet bolts and lift straight up. Have a piece of cardboard to set it on. Now tilt it over on its side. Careful, you still have about a gallon of water left in the trap. Now take a coathanger, put a hook in it and go fishing up the bottom to see if you can hook the toys or whatevers caught up there. All you will need to reset the stool is a new wax seal. Good luck, Tom

Thanks Tom!
I picked up a wax seal this morning - guess I'm go'in fish'n.
-Kae

OK, so here's what happened. I hope this makes since and I'll try to explain it the best I can. I shut the water to the toilet off then emptied the tank and bowl, I turned the water on at the sink to wash my hands and when I turned it off I could hear what sounded like water running through pipes coming from the toilet. I turned the water at the sink on and off a few times to see if I could figure out why I was hearing this through the toilet,but had no clue. I have two small children that needed me by this time, so I returned to the toilet about 15 minutes later and there was water in the bottom of the bowl. Not knowing why this happened, I have come to a stand still.
I don't know all the things that has gone down the toilet in the two years that I've lived here, but the 3 things I found by trying to get the snake through was a metal knob that opens and closes the AC vent in the bathroom that kept falling off then all of a sudden disappeared about a year ago, a wheel from a hot wheels car and the pieces to two different pencils. I know my best bet would be to call in the plumber, but plain and simple, I don't have the money. I know I can do this, I just need guidance. Maybe there is more to the problem than just the toilet. There has been a nasty smell (dirty musty smell) coming from the cabinets under the sink for a few months now. I was thinking that oder from under the house was seeping through somehow (however, that is if under a house has an oder - This is the first house I've ever lived in and I haven't gone under there.)
Sincerely,
-Kae

You heard the sink water in the toilet probably because the sink is wet-vented through the toilet (or vice-versa? I doubt it), which means they share some drain pipes. Not to worry.

As for the water in the bowl, did you make absolutely sure the bowl was DRY before you left? Remember, just flushing the toilet with the water supply off does not empty it completely - some lazy water will miss the "Siphon Bus". ;) You have to sponge out any remaining water. Are you sure you did this?

(And even if yes, it could be some water from the trap or something leaked back into the bowl.)

Hi Kae,

Sounds like you have your own"Toy-R-Us" outlet in your potty. I hope you got all the things out.
Moshie was right on target,(again)when he said,"You heard the sink water in the toilet probably because the sink is wet-vented through the toilet (or vice-versa? I doubt it), which means they share some drain pipes. Not to worry."
You,indeed, heard the lavatory draining into the toilets drain. As for water in the bowl, he was right again. The toilet has about a gallon of water left in the trap,(remember,I warned you?) and when you turn the bows on its bside some is bound to pour out. If you need assistance in resetting the toilet just click on back and one of us will walk you through it. Best wishes, Tom

Thank you both,
I sponged the "mystery to me" water out. I didn't know water could drain out of a trap back inside the bowl without the toilet on its side.
And boy, toilets are heavy!!
Should I do something to check the hole in the floor (the pipes I'm guessing) for any clogs?
-Kae

Hi Kae,
Congratulations, Kudos and all that good stuff for completing a tough job. If you can look down in the closet bend and not see anything then chances are it's clear. Good luck Tom

Thank you for all the help. The toilet is flushing great. I was a little worried that I didn't line up the wax seal perfectly, but if all is working then it must be OK, right?
-Kae

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AKaeTrue

Thankyou for all the help. The toilet is flushing great. I was a little worried that I didn't line up the wax seal perfectly, but if all is working then it must be OK, right?
-Kae

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Right!! Good work. Pulling and resetting a toilet is hard work. Ya did good!
Tom

Congratulations! My compliments, especially since pulling and resetting a toilet is not the most feminine work around, to say the least. ;)