Help! Very Dirty/Burst Toilet in basement

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Help! Very Dirty/Burst Toilet in basement

Leo Varghese
Member since 2019 路 3 posts 路 1 vote

Hi all,

Recently purchased an investment property and have to remove this toilet and clean the area. Any ideas on how to go about doing this? Pour bleach on it? The property was part of an estate and no one has used it in years. Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.

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Erik B.
Rental Property Investor 路 Amityville, NY 路 Member since 2018 路 351 posts 路 441 votes
7y

Hahaha it's just a toilet not a biological weapon. 

Turn off the water supply if needed 

Flush the toilet and try to remove as much water as you can

brake the toilet around the bolts and bag or place on tarp and carry out.

Looks like theres more to worry about besides the toilet

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  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 路 15k+ posts 路 11k+ votes
    7y

    @Leo Varghese  Spray it with bleach, put some gloves on and if possible wrap a garbage bag over it when you carry it out.

    5Reply
  • Marc Winter
    Real Estate Broker 路 Northeast PA 路 Member since 2017 路 2k+ posts 路 2k+ votes
    7y

    Pick up the phone and call a cleanout service.  

    5Reply
  • Erik B.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Amityville, NY 路 Member since 2018 路 351 posts 路 441 votes
    7y

    Hahaha it's just a toilet not a biological weapon. 

    Turn off the water supply if needed 

    Flush the toilet and try to remove as much water as you can

    brake the toilet around the bolts and bag or place on tarp and carry out.

    Looks like theres more to worry about besides the toilet

    7Reply
  • Leo Varghese
    OP
    Member since 2019 路 3 posts 路 1 vote
    7y

    @Erik B. haha thanks. No water in there, but I'll turn the water supply off. I was just concerned about whatever is on the toilet (black mold, etc). It's been sitting there for atleast 10 years, so no smell or anything. Also didn't know you can just break the toilet around the bolts without potentially breaking the whole thing. Seems easy enough then. Thanks! 

    0Reply
  • Leo Varghese
    OP
    Member since 2019 路 3 posts 路 1 vote
    7y

    @Theresa Harris Thanks, will definitely wear gloves/mask and wrap it up before taking it out.  

    1Reply
  • Vern M.
    Property Manager 路 Bowie, MD 路 Member since 2017 路 120 posts 路 67 votes
    7y

    Just like @Erik B. said, " break the foot of the bowl by the bolts". Pretty sure you don't want to get your face close enough to unscrew.

    4Reply
  • Erik B.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Amityville, NY 路 Member since 2018 路 351 posts 路 441 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Leo Varghese:

    @Erik B. haha thanks. No water in there, but I'll turn the water supply off. I was just concerned about whatever is on the toilet (black mold, etc). It's been sitting there for atleast 10 years, so no smell or anything. Also didn't know you can just break the toilet around the bolts without potentially breaking the whole thing. Seems easy enough then. Thanks! 

     Most of the time the bolts will be corroded or rusted and it's just easier to break the ceramic in those areas. If there is no water in it at all you can sledge the whole thing to make it more manageable. Good luck

    3Reply
  • Jim K.
    Handyman 路 Pittsburgh, PA 路 Member since 2018 路 5k+ posts 路 13k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Leo Varghese:

    Hi all,

    Recently purchased an investment property and have to remove this toilet and clean the area. Any ideas on how to go about doing this? Pour bleach on it? The property was part of an estate and no one has used it in years. Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.

     One for the file! Can someone tag James Wise?

    2Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Leo Varghese:

    Hi all,

    Recently purchased an investment property and have to remove this toilet and clean the area. Any ideas on how to go about doing this? Pour bleach on it? The property was part of an estate and no one has used it in years. Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.

     That is a glorious photo. Well done! Now I've gotta go through the files and see if I can jump on this train and share some horribleness with you.

    3Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Jim K.:
    Originally posted by @Leo Varghese:

    Hi all,

    Recently purchased an investment property and have to remove this toilet and clean the area. Any ideas on how to go about doing this? Pour bleach on it? The property was part of an estate and no one has used it in years. Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.

     One for the file! Can someone tag James Wise?

    Ya'll trying to share some horrible toilets? Cause I am down to share some horrible toilets.

    3Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    1Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    1Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    2Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Vern M.:

    Just like @Erik B. said, " break the foot of the bowl by the bolts". Pretty sure you don't want to get your face close enough to unscrew.

     Throw an M80 in the bowl then walk upstairs yo.

    1Reply
  • Mike S.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Huntsville, AL 路 Member since 2013 路 419 posts 路 323 votes
    7y
    There are places, I think mostly in the northeast, that had toilets in the basement solely for sewage backups. They weren't meant to even be used as toilets. Edit: They were named the Pittsburgh Potty, although they were found in other pre WW2 cities.
    1Reply
  • Erik B.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Amityville, NY 路 Member since 2018 路 351 posts 路 441 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @James Wise:

     This post went down the wrong path lol

    0Reply
  • Jim K.
    Handyman 路 Pittsburgh, PA 路 Member since 2018 路 5k+ posts 路 13k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Mike S.:

    There are places, I think mostly in the northeast, that had toilets in the basement solely for sewage backups. They weren't meant to even be used as toilets.

    There's a tradition in Pittsburgh for a lot of the 1890-1920s city houses to have been built with a toilet and a vanity in the basement, a "Pittsburgh potty." The idea was that the steelworker husband would come home filthy from the mills and clean up down in the basement before he was allowed in the home upstairs.

    But yes, a huge benefit was if there was a city sewer backup, it would enter the house through the fixture lowest to the ground. The toilet in the basement would overflow, not the rest of the house upstairs.

    2Reply
  • Mike S.
    Rental Property Investor 路 Huntsville, AL 路 Member since 2013 路 419 posts 路 323 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Jim K.:
    Originally posted by @Mike S.:

    There are places, I think mostly in the northeast, that had toilets in the basement solely for sewage backups. They weren't meant to even be used as toilets.

    There's a tradition in Pittsburgh for a lot of the 1890-1920s city houses to have been built with a toilet and a vanity in the basement, a "Pittsburgh potty." The idea was that the steelworker husband would come home filthy from the mills and clean up down in the basement before he was allowed in the home upstairs.

    But yes, a huge benefit was if there was a city sewer backup, it would enter the house through the fixture lowest to the ground. The toilet in the basement would overflow, not the rest of the house upstairs.


    The source I read said that the steel worker/clean up idea was just what some people came up with to explain them. The real reason was the overflow since piping systems were poor at the time. Sometimes even being made out of organic materials. Easier to clean a basement than a master bath.
    1Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Erik B.:
    Originally posted by @James Wise:

     This post went down the wrong path lol

    I give the people what they want.

    0Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Mike S.:
    Originally posted by @Jim K.:
    Originally posted by @Mike S.:

    There are places, I think mostly in the northeast, that had toilets in the basement solely for sewage backups. They weren't meant to even be used as toilets.


    There's a tradition in Pittsburgh for a lot of the 1890-1920s city houses to have been built with a toilet and a vanity in the basement, a "Pittsburgh potty." The idea was that the steelworker husband would come home filthy from the mills and clean up down in the basement before he was allowed in the home upstairs.

    But yes, a huge benefit was if there was a city sewer backup, it would enter the house through the fixture lowest to the ground. The toilet in the basement would overflow, not the rest of the house upstairs.


    The source I read said that the steel worker/clean up idea was just what some people came up with to explain them. The real reason was the overflow since piping systems were poor at the time. Sometimes even being made out of organic materials. Easier to clean a basement than a master bath.

     Pittsburgh toilets were for the steel workers to wash up right when they came home. Come home and immediately go downstairs before tracking grime through the home. We have a lot of them in old Cleveland homes as well.

    2Reply
  • Marc Winter
    Real Estate Broker 路 Northeast PA 路 Member since 2017 路 2k+ posts 路 2k+ votes
    7y

    @James Wise, thanks for sharing the very homey photos--brings back into focus the graphic nightmares of tenants that have departed.  Many tenants are ok-to-good; some are downright crappy.

    2Reply
  • Russell Cooley
    Contractor 路 Greeley, CO 路 Member since 2019 路 5 posts 路 1 vote
    7y

    @Leo Varghese

    Look messy also looks like category 3 water loss I鈥檓 an adjuster and environmental contractor knowing that, that is only the being of the problems that could be I would have to refer you a good buddy of mine also a BiggerPockets member @Carlos Ramirez owner of Relion Restoration wish you the best of luck.

    1Reply
  • Andrew B.
    Rockaway, NJ 路 Member since 2016 路 2k+ posts 路 2k+ votes
    7y
    Opening this thread, while eating my lunch, was a very bad idea.
    3Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker 路 Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH 路 Member since 2013 路 31k+ posts 路 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Andrew B.:

    Opening this thread, while eating my lunch, was a very bad idea.

    At least you didn't eat it in this kitchen.

    0Reply
  • Russ B.
    Investor 路 Cleveland, OH 路 Member since 2017 路 319 posts 路 330 votes
    7y

    I dunno.. That looks like my toilet after I've had too many ghost peppers 馃槃

    Being serious, my guess is that the sewer was backed up, and the drains upstairs flowed out of there for a while. 

    1Reply
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