<< Back to Blog

Change of Address: 10 Ways to Deal with Plugged Up Toilets

If I had a nickel for every time I unplugged a toilet at my home, I’d be rich.  My family has a long tradition of plug and run (sort of like hit and run in a car accident).  They plug the toilet and then scram only for me to find the problem either by the aroma or the fact that a bathroom door is “always” shut, etc.  I’m not so sure why they do this and/or how they expect the situation to simply cure itself.  Anyway, partially to limit my plunging duties and partly to just give me more ideas I put together this list of 10 ways to deal with plugged up toilets.

1. The plunger.  Okay, so let’s start with what you would think the most obvious choice is, a garden-variety plunger.  I keep one right beside every toilet in the home yet it seems that this simple device is too much for the rest of the family to master.  So you just put the suction cup at the bottom over the opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl and you move the handle up and down making sure the suction cup stays in contact with the bowl at all times.  Okay, there… I said it again and will make my family read this a few more times.  Here is a great link if words aren’t enough: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-unclog-a-toilet-with-a-plunger.html.




2. Hot (not boiling) soapy water.  One thing that can often breakthrough a stubborn plug is some hot water with some mild dish soap in it.  This of course only works if the toilet is drained and NOT if it is already close to overflowing.  It is also recommended to turn off the water to the toilet before executing this remedy.  After putting the soapy water down the toilet (1-2 quarts or so should be fine), have your plunger ready to finish the job.  DO NOT BOIL THE WATER AS YOU MAY CRACK YOUR BOWL.




3. Bleach and powdered soap.  If you have a white toilet for sure, you can attempt to put 2-3 cups of bleach in along with 1 cup of powdered soap.  The chemical reaction of the soap and bleach should break up the clog.  If it doesn’t completely do the trick then you can use a plunger to finish the job.




4. Clothes hanger.  Another inexpensive way to unclog a toilet is to take a wire clothes hanger and straighten it out (however you can… use a wire cutter if you must but make sure the cut is very clean by crimping it if you can).  Then stick that down into the toilet and break up the materials that are plugging the toilet.  Once you feel you have it, flush the toilet.  Be careful though not to scratch or shatter the porcelain.




5. Rubber gloves.  This is not meant to be a joke or something to gross out anyone.  If you find yourself in a plugged situation and you have long rubber gloves that you use for cleaning then put them on and unplug the toilet with your hands.  I don’t recommend attempting this without protecting your hands but in any event make sure you wash your hands after with anti-bacterial soap.




6. Plastic soda bottle and water.  You can also try using an empty soda bottle (up to a 2-liter plastic bottle is fine) full of warm water to unclog a toilet.  With this technique you fill the plastic bottle with warm water and with a rubber glove or plastic bag on your hand you cover the opening of the bottle while inserting it into the clogged toilet near the opening in the bottom.  You then quickly squeeze the warm water out of the soda bottle to unclog the toilet.




7. 2-liters of Coca Cola (or even a couple of cans).  Okay, this tells you a little bit about one of the drinks that several of us love.  One way to clean toilets and also eat away at some blockages is to use Coca Cola.  Yes, a 2-liter bottle of regular Coke (Diet Coke also works) down the toilet can work wonders.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then flush.  This particular remedy only works on clogs due to human waste and will not work on clogs due to using too much toilet paper, etc.




8. A mop.  You can also take a garden variety house mop and either put a plastic bag over it OR be prepared for some serious cleaning after unclogging the toilet.  This works pretty much just like you would imagine.  You stick the mop down the toilet and turn the handle to swirl it.  That will normally break the clog as well.




9. A toilet brush.  You can also use a toilet brush or the handle on the toilet brush if you must to reach in and unplug a toilet.  This of course does not work on really stubborn clogs very well but it is something you can try if you don’t have the other items on the list.




10. Snake.  Okay we are not talking about taking your son’s pet snake and forcing it into the toilet.  You can go to any hardware store and pick up a snake to insert into your toilet and break up a blockage.  You do need to be careful to not crack or damage your toilet when you use these, but if you call a plumber expect that this is exactly what they will use (at least to start with).

There are lots of other creative solutions to unplugging a stubborn toilet but these are some of the easiest ways to get the job done that I know have worked in the past.  In order to avoid having repeat problems just be careful what you put down the toilet.  Limit paper products (no kids, you cannot wad up a full roll of toilet paper and flush it).  I do hope that these suggestions help you to avoid a major expense associated with calling a plumber to your home.  However, if none of the above things work that is exactly what you need to do (get professional help).

<< Back to Blog

With the sun shining firmly upon us we can truly say we're in camping season!

But camping these days is not just about collapsed tents and soggy beans. If you want to camp it up on a budget or stop camping and start glamping then we've got it all covered, literally. Here to show us the hot picks are Sam and Mark and their helpers Noah and Elizabeth...

Ploo Portable Toilet
The Ploo is a lightweight, portable & reusable cardboard toilet, made specifically for outdoor use. It collapses to a 35cm square flat-pack and pops into the duffle bag provided for ease of carrying. The Ploo can take up to 16 stone/101kg in weight and is degradable! The inner bag has an additive which reacts with the bag & its contents - degrading it to leave water and a little co2.

<< Back to Blog

Simply slip the jacket over the made up box, velcro over the lid and hey presto it's waterproof! Leave your toilet made up inside the jacket, place outside your tent and the toilet will be ready to use for those nightime and early morning emergencies.

<< Back to Blog

One of the '9 Stupidest Products Of All Time' on the Huffington Post

<< Back to Blog

Ever since our launch, just over a year ago, nearly 50% of the people who visit our website are from the great U S of A. Sales have been relatively small due to the dollar exchange rate and the price of shipping. We at The Brown Corporation are proud to announce our US specific website with everything in dollars. So now you cowboys have got somewhere to dump, you truckers will have welcome relief, beach bums will steer clear of the ocean and any other stereotypes that we can’t think of in our Brown Corp HQ in London.

Enjoy! Have a nice day! Keep smiling! Blah, blah, blah… now wash your hands!

http://www.shitboxusa.com

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack Schitt!’ Well, thanks to my genealogy efforts, you can now respond in an intellectual way.

Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt. Awe Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, married O. Schitt, the owner of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.

In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt. The deeply religious couple produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, Fulla Schitt, Bull Schitt, and the twins Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt.

Against her parents’ objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high school dropout. After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced. Noe Schitt later married Ted Sherlock, and because her kids were living with them, she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe Schitt Sherlock.

Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with a rather nervous disposition named Chicken Schitt. Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers in a dual ceremony. The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens nuptials. The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse.

Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.

Now when someone says, ‘You don’t know Jack Schitt,’ you can correct them.

Sincerely,
Crock O. Schitt

<< Back to Blog

The Brown Corporation at The World Toilet Expo, Singapore, December 2009 - A great success for The Brown Corporation!

<< Back to Blog

It was on November 19th 2009. It aims to highlight the sanitary conditions that we take for granted. Please check out the Sanitation Project in Mwenyekondo village, Malawi supported by WaterAid.

<< Back to Blog

Ploo was featured! However, Clarkson and a member of the audience failed to assemble the box correctly with obvious results.

Check out it out on Top Gear

<< Back to Blog

Visit The World Toilet Orgainisation

Add yourself to their facebook fanpage. Search Washing Our Asses With Water.

Check out the biography of the genius that is Herbie Hysteria

<< Back to Blog

Our Shit Boxes have travelled to Mongolia as part of the Mongol Rally 2009. Bob Twells and Lee Tuffnell drove from Goodwood, UK to Ulanbataar, Mongolia in a Skoda and came 96th out of 550. We would like to congratulate them on their achievement and for using our trusty Shit Boxes to relieve them along the way.

Gotta love that view!

<< Back to Blog

‘Because toilet paper is really archaic and disgusting’

Introducing Comfort Wipe, the sanitary paper extension arm and holder!
YES! (sadly) it is a real product and not a spoof… and there’s really no easy way to put this other than that it’s a stick to help you wipe your arse, and avoid touching that ‘disgusting toilet paper’. Great infomercial (as seen on TV):

Could this really be ‘the first improvement in toilet paper, as we know it, since the 1880s’? Now you’ll never have to touch a dirty toilet tissue!… hoorah

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

population, do not have a toilet:

I Sing For Toilets from Gino Federici on Vimeo.

Gino Federici is the President/Founder of GOYA Charities, who support organisations who build toilets, wells and educate children in their benefit.

To find out more about Gino and GOYA, visit his website

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

What will you do for Swain?
Help catapault eco-hero Christopher Swain on to the world stage.

<< Back to Blog

Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change

Commemorated yearly on 5 June, World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The theme for World Environment Day 2009 is ’Your Planet Needs You – UNite to Combat Climate Change’. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

From the moment you hit snooze on your solar-powered alarm clock to the point when you crawl into your eco-washed, organic cotton sheets, here’s a walk through of 30 easy ways to green your daily routine.

Our ‘do something’ tip for World Environment Day:

• Flushing makes up one third of our total water use. – Convert your toilet to a low flush toilet – add a brick or two into the water tank, or a plastic bottle with stones or pebbles. This will displace a great deal of water instantly turning your toilet into one that uses far less water.

<< Back to Blog

Georgia Max Coffee chose to redesign the toilets of a number of key ski resorts in Japan. The cubicles were fully wrapped on all sides, so that the person caught short would have a ski jumper’s view when they were sitting on the loo. The person could look down at their skis (simply printed on the floor of the cubicle) and see the steep ski jump slope ahead of them. The toilet paper holder carried the only brand messaging in the cubicle, reading: “Seriously kick-ass intensely sweet for the real coffee super zinging unstoppable Max! Taste explosion!”

Via Boing Boing

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

Made in Detroit by Bogdon Music

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

I’m not sure the The International Center for Bathroom Etiquette would agree here…

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

View UK summer music festivals, 2009 in a larger map

The ultimate 2009 UK music festival map – Times Online
The top 100 music festivals – Times Online

<< Back to Blog

There’s a whole Flickr set of these crazy cardboard characters by bernie burns
Hmmm… I’m sure there’s an idea for a Shit Box here…

<< Back to Blog

Suitable songs for the cardboard speakers:

• Lords of Cardboard by DJ Format & Kid Aroe
• Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana
• How to Kill Time in a Cardboard Box by Band C
• Cardboard City by Let Loose

And, of-course, the eponymous debut single by Living in a Box:

<< Back to Blog

What Would Macgyver Do? Threadless t-shirt design by Glenn Jones

<< Back to Blog

Found at Found Shit

<< Back to Blog

Chocolate sundae anyone?...

<< Back to Blog

The group’s ads state “We want to arouse people’s caution about environmental protection through strong visual impact of psychological or even physical aversion.”

This no-holes-barred advertising campaign – named one of the “Best, Most Smart Ass Green Ads” by Earthfirst in 2008 – was meant to raise awareness over dumping raw sewage into rivers and streams.

<< Back to Blog

What’s your Top of the Plops?... Cisterns of Mercy? Mötley Poo? Squeeze?...

<< Back to Blog

Chewie: WRAAARRAWRRRAHAARRWWW
(Translation: “Sorry, guys, but I had to go!”)
Brilliant!

<< Back to Blog

<< Back to Blog

“Everyone Poops”, a bipartisan Threadless t-shirt design by Chris Lee Jones [may be a bit late since the election has been and gone!... but still a cool t-shirt].

Translation: Do Not Squirt / Sit (apparently)
c/o zefrank.com

<< Back to Blog

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term “Ship High In Transit” on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term ”S.H.I.T.” (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

Alas the story is untrue – the word shit is much older, showing up in written works as far back as the 14th century. According to our learned friends at Wikipedia “The word is likely derived from Old English, having the nouns scite (dung, attested only in place names) and scitte (diarrhoea), and the verb scītan (to defecate, attested only in bescītan, to cover with excrement); eventually it morphed into Middle English schītte (excrement), schyt (diarrhoea) and shiten (to defecate), and it is virtually certain that it was used in some form by preliterate Germanic tribes at the time of the Roman Empire.”

<< Back to Blog

The Colourful History of Earth Day

What Not To Do This Earth Day

<< Back to Blog

Product tested during a round of golf!: “It’s a hole in one, with a number two.”

A spokesperson for the Wrong Way Round declared “My biggest fear was a bear attack during a private moment in the woods, but now with the Shit Box I can do my business anytime anywhere anyplace. It’s truly a revolution in outdoor bowel movements”

<< Back to Blog

Random festival goer Greg reviews Shit Box at Global Gathering

<< Back to Blog

I wanted to applaud you guys for your brilliant invention. We have only had ours for a fortnight and it has saved two family days out from premature endings/unpleasant accidents.

If you have kids this is now an essential piece of kit. Ours now lives in the car and the children delight in saying it’s name out loud, continually actually.

Even I, as a 14 stone adult, have used it and quite comfy it was too.

Well done

R. Mackechnie and Family

<< Back to Blog

Thanks to RWD Magazine

The solution to your festival/toilet-based worries… Shit Box

<< Back to Blog

As the name implies Shit Box is a lightweight portable cardboard toilet, made specifically for outdoor use. The concept is simple the box pops up from its convenient 14” flat pack to a rigid reusable box, you pop in a degradable poo bag, do you business, seal and dispose of (responsibly of course!), and off you go.

Although originally designed for the nightmare that is the British festival toilets, Shit Box can be used for camping, building sites, fishing, travelling and kids caught short.

This eco friendly toilet is the creation of Richard Wharton whose personal experience with festival toilets lead him on a quest to design an alternative you could use in your own space, and that was both cheap, portable and non chemical.

Wharton’s quest dates back to Glastonbury in 1989 when he simply couldn’t face another trip to the “long drop” toilets, after three days you can imagine the carnage. Inside his tent was a Kleenex tissue box and this set him thinking that if this was larger and sturdier you could put a bag inside and hey presto you’ve got your own private John.

Almost 20 years on and after many proto-types Shit Box has finally arrived. The reason it took so long to come to fruition is because Wharton was busy with his ‘day job’. As founder and creator of renowned high street fashion footwear chain “Office” and its other facias Offspring, Poste and Poste Mistress, Wharton achieved great sucess and international aclaim as well as numerous industry awards. He was listed as one of the worlds most influentail people in fashion by Elle magazine and broke the mould with his style of retailing. Two years ago he sold up to spend more time with his family and concentrate on The Box idea.

Wharton contacted his old friend from art college Mandy Mayes who’s creative brand agency Dry had worked on various projects with him and after hours of childish toilet humour they had created the look of our favourite poo, Little Jack Shit – watch out for the whole poo family… The Two Bobs, Skid Mark, Tom Tit, and of course paying homage to his creator Richard the Turd.

For more information on Shit Box or The Brown Corporation get in touch

<< Back to Blog

Here’s the full Top 10 list of Festival Frustrations…

1. Poor or dirty toilet facilities
2. Long queues for the toilets
3. No washing/shower facilities
4. No secure storage facilities
5. Long queues at the bar
6. Long entry queues to the venues
7. The journey home
8. Losing your friends in the crowd
9. Not knowing when your favourite band is playing
10. No where to sit or relax

The survey also found that more than a third (35%) of overall respondents object to the long toilet queues so often found at festivals.

The O2 Wireless Festival is back at Hyde Park and confirmed as Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th July.

Festival toilets beware, there is a new loo in town!

<< Back to Blog

What is PoopReport?

A site dedicated to the intellectual appreciation of poop humor:

“PoopReport.com is a community with a unique agenda: we are an intellectual poop site. A salon. A brokerage house that specializes in a specific category of humor: brown humor (vs. gallows humor or black humor). We explore, even meditate upon the human condition from the vantage point of pooping and poop. In a way, this is a site for philosophers, sociologists and amateur theologians.”

For your #1 source for your #2 business check out:
PoopReport.com

<< Back to Blog

In December of 2006 the UN General Assembly decided to assign 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation.

An estimated 2.6 billion people world wide remain without proper sanitation and thereby lack protection against preventable diseases, which claim the lives of thousands daily:

International Year of Sanitation 2008

<< Back to Blog