She spent the next hour mopping the bathroom floor with vinegar to neutralize the spills, then called a plumber. The plumber, a calm man named Carlos, looked at the etched porcelain and said, “Next time, just call me. Caustic soda works—but it also eats old pipes, kills septic bacteria, and blinds people who lean over too fast.”
The toilet did eventually drain. But the plastic flange at the base was partially melted, and the rubber wax ring had turned to goo. Carlos replaced both, charged her $200, and handed her a plunger. “This,” he said, “is all 90% of people need.” how to use caustic soda to unblock toilet
“No, no, no,” she whispered, plunger already in hand. She spent the next hour mopping the bathroom
Fifteen minutes of furious plunging later, the water level hadn’t budged. The toilet was solidly, stubbornly blocked. She texted her friend: “Late. Toilet disaster.” But the plastic flange at the base was
That’s when she remembered the yellow tub under the sink. Caustic soda—sodium hydroxide—left by the previous tenant. She’d seen TikTok videos promising it would dissolve anything. Desperate, she grabbed rubber gloves and safety goggles (the only smart move she’d make that night).