A homeowner investigating a slow-flushing toilet discovered a stubborn blockage that required just two small tools to remove. Figuring out what had caused the obstruction, however, proved more challenging.
Here's what to know
In a Reddit post, the homeowner reported the toilet was flushing properly again after they cleared its rim jet openings with an Allen wrench and used a paint can opener to break up crusty material in the siphon hole.
They showed a photo of what they unearthed. For further context, they added the house was built in 2005. With the toilet flushing properly, attention turned to the biggest chunks they had removed. Were they mineral deposits, or had something become lodged inside?
More background
A previous owner might have accidentally left part of a pumice cleaning stone in the toilet, one commenter proposed. They connected that possibility to their own experience using pumice to remove hard-water stains from porcelain toilets.
The homeowner initially questioned that explanation.
"More 'crumbly' than pumice stone. We've got some of those in our cleaning supplies," they wrote.
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Another commenter had suggested degraded synthetic pumice as a possible match for the pieces.
Given the shape and context, one poster wondered whether children in the original poster's household might have flushed the mystery object.
The OP responded tongue-in-cheek: "No, but my wife questions my maturity often."
What can be done?
In addition to physically clearing the obstruction, the homeowner tested the removed pieces separately to see whether cleaning products would break them down.
"Currently have one chunk soaking in CLR and the other soaking in white vinegar," the original poster wrote. "Checking every 30 minutes."
Commenters eagerly tracked the original poster's results. In a final update, the homeowner revealed that the chunks remained visibly unchanged for 24 hours. The material was never definitively identified, but the homeowner eventually agreed that a discarded fragment of a cleaning stone was the likely culprit.
Another commenter described a similar obstruction and noted a dramatic improvement after clearing it.
"That's the exact same crusty nightmare fuel I pulled out of a toilet in my place, built around the same year," they wrote. "Looked like a tiny cave formation just choking the jet. Once I chipped it all out the flush went from anemic to borderline violent, it was beautiful."
Where can I learn more?
Toilet trouble can mean a weak flush, a tank that keeps refilling, or a cleaning trick gone wrong.
• A repeatedly refilling toilet turned a high water bill into a possible $20 fix.
• After an eight-hour citric acid soak, toilet mineral buildup came off in flushable chips.
• A plumber pulled a rotten orange from inside a toilet tank, blaming TikTok.
• In the U.K., a blue toilet pellet helped people skip flushing, until guests arrived.
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