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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:14 pm Post subject: Toilet tips |
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I explained the vent and trap system in another thread
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=69803&highlight=
and then I had problems with my own toilet.
I'm guessing a lot of people never had major plumbing problems before comming to Korea. Here is my advice.
Don't be like my mom. Don't keep a bunch of stuff on top of the toilet tank. You don't want all that stuff falling into the toilet when there is an emergency.
If the toilet looks like it might overfill take off the top of the toilet tank or tilt it against the wall, put your hand in the tank (don't worry the tank is full of clean water) and push the flapper down to plug the hole in the bottom of the tank. Try this with a working toilet to see how it works.
I filled my bowl a few times stopping it with the trick above and then let it slowly settle. Eventually it unclogged itself and I didn't need to get a plunger.
If the bowl is completely full just putting the plunger in the bowl may cause it to overflow. Let it sit for awhile and it may go down on it's own enough to use the plunger without making a mess. If you let it go down and refill it enough times using the trick above it may clear on its own.
In the future I will flush after each piece of flushable matter.
I believe my toilet and most Korean toilets tend to clog because the lack of proper plumbing vents. When you suddenly try to dump a bunch of water into a pipe filled with air the air does not have an easy way to get out then the flush looses momentum and your flushables get stuck. The stoppage is not caused by flushing toilet paper in normal amounts.
Your failed home remodeler turned English teacher, Jeff
Last edited by dogshed on Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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candide
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| What about the poo that gets stuck on the side and won't go away no matter how many time I flush the toilet? I swear it's starting to look like a cave down there. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| candide wrote: |
| What about the poo that gets stuck on the side and won't go away no matter how many time I flush the toilet? I swear it's starting to look like a cave down there. |
Get a toilet brush from the super market. Cost is about 2000 won.
You mean to say that you NEVER clean the toilet? 
Oh, gross.  |
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candide
Joined: 03 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| candide wrote: |
| What about the poo that gets stuck on the side and won't go away no matter how many time I flush the toilet? I swear it's starting to look like a cave down there. |
Get a toilet brush from the super market. Cost is about 2000 won.
You mean to say that you NEVER clean the toilet?
Oh, gross. |
I have a toilet brush, but I use that to clean the bathroom floor. Do you seriously expect me to scrub off poo, then smear that same poo on my bathroom floor?
Fecal matter attracts cockroaches, no way am I scraping off poo only to spread it around on my bathroom floor while trying to clean it. |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| candide wrote: |
Fecal matter attracts *beep*, no way am I scraping off poo only to spread it around on my bathroom floor while trying to clean it. |
Buy the second one. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| candide wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| candide wrote: |
| What about the poo that gets stuck on the side and won't go away no matter how many time I flush the toilet? I swear it's starting to look like a cave down there. |
Get a toilet brush from the super market. Cost is about 2000 won.
You mean to say that you NEVER clean the toilet?
Oh, gross. |
I have a toilet brush, but I use that to clean the bathroom floor. Do you seriously expect me to scrub off poo, then smear that same poo on my bathroom floor?
Fecal matter attracts *beep*, no way am I scraping off poo only to spread it around on my bathroom floor while trying to clean it. |
And at 2000 won each you can't afford one for the floor (I thought that is what a mop was for) AND one for the toilet? It ain't rocket science. |
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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| candide wrote: |
| What about the poo that gets stuck on the side and won't go away no matter how many time I flush the toilet? I swear it's starting to look like a cave down there. |
Get a toilet brush from the super market. Cost is about 2000 won.
You mean to say that you NEVER clean the toilet?
Oh, gross. |
I'm in a very little town. The biggest grocery store is smaller than a convenience store back home. The second day I was here I went to find a toilet brush and couldn't find them. They were upside down and all that was visible was the bottom of the holders. For awhile I wondered what Koreans cleaned their toilets with. -Jeff |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: |
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The large washing-up bowls in a more traditional Korean bathroom are also useful for increased flushing action.
Every time I use those blue toilet water tabs, my toilet's flushing action is significantly decreased until the tab has completely dissolved. (Yes, I know they are evil, but my toilet bowl is permanently stained as a result of the hygeine habits of the previous occupant.) |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:43 am Post subject: |
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| Um, you could also try using some product when cleaning your toilet. My Korean fave is Oxyclean and, ah, there is no (visible or smellable) fecal matter on the brush when I am done cleaning. |
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sillywilly
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Canada.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 11:23 am Post subject: |
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| I think its worth the effort to find a second brush, even if you have to go to another city. |
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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Oxyclean in the US is borax with better marketing. I assume it is the same here.
Do they have something like comet or ajax here?
-Jeff |
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princess
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: soul of Asia
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| Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Wow! This is the first time I've ever heard of someone cleaning the floor with a toilet brush.. |
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