The beast from below!

[ronin]

Have had periodic problems with the toilet backing up. Been lucky enough to plunge it open (seemingly) each time. Finally, no amount of plunging was going to help. Got the plumber out, he tried a telescoping hand snake for toilet use, snagged onto something but it was too fierce a competitor.

Took the toilet off and used a powered snake, just pissed this thing off. Finally, snapped off the drain line at the closet valve under the house and got a hold of it and it was fight on. The creature swelled up and backed itself into the deep recesses. They followed it back, eventually busting out the foundation wall where the drain went back towards an old septic tank that was disconnected back when the horse and buggy was replaced with motorized vehicles in the street.

After an epic battle, and the sanitary tee cut out, the nasty beast was pulled in all its fearsome form. Turns out all those years of throwing dental floss down the toilet wasn't such a good idea after all. Funny thing is we stopped at least 15 yrs ago when it plugged the main sewer line down near the county hookup at the street. So this thing was just biding its time, growing in strength.

I'd attach a photo, but fortunately for the squeamish, the battery was dead on the digital and we only got a film shot. Picture Bob Marley's head dug up from the grave. O0

Yeah, plunge this you mamma-jamma!

 

[powerplay]

Wow, that's a lot of dirty work for flushing dental floss. My used floss has always gone in the wastebasket and I have never even considered flushing it. I hope the fix has resolved your plumbing woes.

 

[rescueme]

I've always saved the used floss. Never know when you will need it...

Inmate used dental floss to escape cell - Americas, World - The Independent

 

[calmloki]

Ah dental floss. it really doesn't degrade with time. You make me feel better about the Roto-rooter bill from a couple years back for a plug between units 3 and 2 on a row triplex. Guess we were lucky to be able to snake from the outside in. Long, long term tenant with great dental hygiene habits and a toss floss in the toilet habit.

 

[ronin]

And coincidently, I just returned from the dental hygienist. Two marginally related unpleasant experiences in one day. Meanwhile, they are still busting out more to get to where they can repair the damage. Plumbing, not dentistry, that is.

 

[Nords]

Holy cow, and to think that I cringe whenever a hairball goes down one of our drains...

I thought you were going to describe an epic greaseball or tree root.

 

[Amethyst]

I thought it was going to be one of those toilet bowl aliens from Dreamcatchers!

Amethyst

 

[RetiredGypsy]

I thought dental floss disintegrated. I'll have to keep this post in mind!

 

[W2R]

What an awful experience!

Last year I had to have someone remove my toilet and use a roto-rooter on my plumbing, and I was so grateful! Nothing more vital for modern civilized life than perfectly functioning toilets.

I never would have thought of throwing dental floss in the toilet. It is supposed to go in the trash, but ends up on the floor and getting wound around inside my vacuum cleaner instead.

 

[braumeister]

Used dental floss can easily be used to tie used dryer sheets into neat bundles.

 

[Nords]

Used dental floss can easily be used to tie used dryer sheets into neat bundles.

... and repurposed as chimney sweeps?

 

[Isadora]

I've always saved the used floss. Never know when you will need it...

Inmate used dental floss to escape cell - Americas, World - The Independent

I use it to re-string my custom jewelry, sew up leather bags...basically anything you want securely attached to whatever.

 

[Walt34]

Painted black, it is also used as rigging on models of sailing ships.

 

[Redbugdave]

Awww...and I wanted to see the picture...