Homeowner restores weak toilet flush with an Allen wrench and paint can opener

"It looked like a tiny cave formation choking the jet."

A homeowner trying to solve a slow-flushing toilet found a stubborn clog that could be removed with just two small tools. Figuring out what had caused the blockage, though, was harder.

Here's what to know

In a Reddit post, the homeowner said the toilet was working normally again after they cleared the rim jet openings with an Allen wrench and used a paint can opener to break apart crusty buildup in the siphon hole.

They shared a photo of what they had dug out. For more context, they noted that the house was built in 2005. Once the toilet was flushing properly again, attention shifted to the larger pieces they had removed. Were they mineral deposits, or something that had gotten stuck there?

More background

One commenter suggested that a previous owner may have accidentally left part of a pumice cleaning stone in the toilet, linking that idea to their own experience using pumice to remove hard-water stains from porcelain toilets.

The homeowner was skeptical at first.

"More 'crumbly' than pumice stone. We've got some of those in our cleaning supplies," they wrote.

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Another commenter said the pieces could be degraded synthetic pumice.

Based on the shape and the situation, one poster wondered whether children in the household might have flushed the mystery item.

The original poster replied jokingly, "No, but my wife questions my maturity often."

What can be done?

Beyond clearing the obstruction by hand, the homeowner tested the removed pieces separately to see whether cleaning products would dissolve them.

"Currently have one chunk soaking in CLR and the other soaking in white vinegar," the original poster wrote. "Checking every 30 minutes."

Commenters followed the experiment closely. In a final update, the homeowner said the chunks showed no visible change after 24 hours. The material was never identified with certainty, but the homeowner ultimately accepted that a discarded piece of a cleaning stone was the most likely explanation.

Another commenter described a similar clog and said the flush improved dramatically after it was cleared.

"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 problems can include a weak flush, a tank that keeps refilling, or an ill-advised cleaning trick.

• 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.