Plumber speaks out: Nobody wants to see what's collecting in the pipes behind your toilet — and it's the real reason for blocked toilets
He's repaired over 15,000 toilets. What he finds in the sewer pipes turns even his stomach. Now he reveals why most blockages don't happen suddenly at all — and how a German cleaning powder solves the problem exactly where no tool can reach.
The gross truth your plumber never tells you
Does your toilet look clean? Is the bowl sparkling? No bad smells?
Then take a closer look. Or even better: look right where you can't see.
Right behind your toilet begins a pipe system that you never get to see. A dark, damp maze of drain pipes, bends, and joints. And that is exactly where something is unfolding that most people never discover in their lifetime — until it's too late.
Before the toilet one day simply won't flush anymore.
Steve Harrison knows this better than anyone. The master plumber from Brisbane has repaired over 15,000 blocked toilets in his 28 years on the job. In private households, hotels, offices, and aged care facilities.
"People call me and say: The toilet's suddenly blocked. But that's almost never true. A toilet doesn't just block suddenly. The problem builds up over months and years. Deep down in the pipes where you can't see it and can't smell it — until it is too late."
What actually happens in your pipes (and why you don't notice it)
Every time you flush, water flows through your pipes. So far, so good. But what very few people know:
Not everything gets flushed away.
On the inside of your drain pipes, a paper-thin layer is left behind with every flush. Grease, limescale, soap scum, organic residue, cellulose from toilet paper. On its own, it can hardly be measured. But over weeks and months, this film thickens into a tough, sticky coating.
Steve Harrison calls it "The Biofilm Armour."
"Imagine your pipes are like arteries. And this biofilm is like cholesterol. It builds up layer by layer. Slowly. Invisibly. And eventually, the pipe is so narrowed that nothing can get through anymore."
And now it gets seriously gross:
This biofilm isn't just dirt. It is a living ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms. In an average toilet drain pipe, there are more bacteria per square centimetre than on a public toilet seat.
And the worst part of it all: When you clean your toilet — with Duck, bleach, tablets, or the toilet brush — you are only cleaning the ceramic bowl. The visible surface. The pipes behind it? You don't reach them. Not with a brush. Not with a gel. Not with a tablet.
You're polishing the front door while the rats are breeding in the basement.
The 3 phases of a blocked pipe (and why phase 1 and 2 are invisible)
Steve Harrison explains how a blockage really develops:
The invisible build-up (Months 1-12)
The biofilm begins to deposit on the inside of the pipes. Thin as a membrane. Invisible. Odourless. Your toilet works flawlessly. You notice nothing. But: The pipe's diameter is already narrowing. From 100 mm to 90 mm. Then 80 mm. Imperceptibly.
The first warning signs (Months 12-24)
The water drains a little slower. Sometimes it gurgles. Occasionally, an unpleasant smell rises — especially in warm weather. Most people think: "She'll be right." Or they pour some drain cleaner down. The drain cleaner dissolves the top layer. But the biofilm underneath? It stays put. The smell returns two weeks later.
The blockage (sudden, but predictable)
The pipe's diameter is now so narrow that a single, slightly larger piece of toilet paper, a wet wipe, or a somewhat firmer stool blocks the rest of the passage. The water rises. Panic. Plunging back and forth. An emergency after-hours plumber on a Sunday night. $300 to $600 out of pocket.
"And then I tell people: This didn't have to happen. If they had just cleaned their pipes regularly — not the toilet, but the pipes — this would never have happened."
Why ordinary cleaning products don't solve the problem (and often make it worse)
Steve Harrison has seen it all during his 28 years. And he has a very clear stance on common methods:
Duck, Bleach, and the like (Liquid toilet cleaners): "They make the ceramic clean. Full stop. The liquid runs through the pipes when you flush, but it has no contact time. The biofilm in the pipes isn't even touched. You can use Duck every single day — your pipes will still be full of filth."
Chemical drain cleaners (Drano, Mr Muscle): "They are aggressive, yes. They dissolve the top layer of the blockage. But the biofilm that has built up over months sits so firmly that even caustic soda won't clear it completely. And the worst part: These chemicals attack your pipes."
Plunger: "Works for light blockages. But it just pushes the plug further down. The biofilm stays. The next blockage is guaranteed to come."
Plumber's snake: "Drills a hole through the blockage. Fair enough. But the biofilm on the inside of the pipes? The snake doesn't reach it. You drill a tunnel through the muck instead of removing it."
Emergency plumber: "Of course, I solve the problem. But it costs between $300 and $600. And I tell every customer: I'm happy to come out. But if you just maintained your pipes, you'd never need to call me again."
The discovery that made Steve Harrison sceptical — and then won him over
"A mate from Holland told me about a cleaning powder. You pour it into the toilet, and the foam crawls down the pipes by itself. Dissolves the biofilm. Clears blockages. Without any tools."
Steve laughed.
"I've been doing this for 28 years. If a miracle cure like that existed, I'd know about it."
His colleague sent him a video. Steve watched as the powder, upon contact with water, swelled into a dense foam that expanded downwards into the pipe. After 20 minutes: a clear drain. Without lifting a finger.
"I watched the video three times. Then I ordered it."
The product: FizzClean.
Why FizzClean works where everything else fails — deep down in your pipes
FizzClean is not a liquid cleaner. It is a concentrated powder with a special micro-foam technology. And right here lies the crucial difference:
- Liquid cleaning products flow downwards — past the insides of the pipe.
- FizzClean foam expands — and presses outwards against the insides of the pipe.
As soon as the powder touches water, millions of microscopic foam bubbles are created. This foam actively expands and fills the entire pipe — 360 degrees, from wall to wall.
Here's what happens in the 20 minutes that follow:
Step 1: The foam encloses the biofilm. The micro-bubbles press against the pipe walls, embracing the years of accumulated biofilm from all sides.
Step 2: Enzymes break down the biofilm from the inside. The formula contains specially developed enzymes that dissolve organic deposits — grease, limescale, cellulose, bacterial colonies — on a molecular level.
Step 3: The foam carries it all away. When you flush, the foam takes all the dissolved biofilm, bacteria, and deposits with it. Leaving behind: clean, exposed pipe walls. Full diameter. Free-flowing drainage.
What very few people know: Your pipes are a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria
And now we get to the part that is seriously concerning.
The biofilm in your pipes isn't just the cause of blockages. It is also a massive hygiene problem.
"People clean their toilet every single day," says Steve Harrison. "The bowl sparkles. But right behind it, inside the pipe, sits a centimetre-thick layer of bacteria. And every time they flush, microscopic particles from this biofilm get violently launched upwards."
The phenomenon is called "Toilet Plume." During flushing, the finest drops of water are propelled up to 1.8 metres into the air. These droplets contain bacteria from the pipe — not just from the toilet bowl itself.
That means: Even if your ceramic bowl is sparkling clean — the bacteria from the biofilm deep in your pipes are landing on your towels, your toothbrush, and your bathroom floor.
You can clean the toilet like crazy. As long as the biofilm sits inside the pipes, your bathroom isn't truly clean.
FizzClean doesn't just clear blockages — it clears the entire biofilm inside the pipe. The source of the bacteria is eliminated. Not masked, not covered up — eliminated.
And as an added bonus: The foam also cleans the toilet bowl itself on its way through the pipe — including the spots up under the rim where no brush can reach. Limescale, uric acid stains, discolouration — everything is dissolved and flushed away.
What users are reporting after their first time
"Our toilet had been draining slowly for months. Slower and slower. My wife was ready to call a plumber. I poured FizzClean in, waited 20 minutes, and flushed. The water drained away like there was no tomorrow. And the smell that had been wafting from the drain for weeks — totally gone. My wife said: That's the best $20 you've ever spent."
— Warren K., Sydney
"I used to have the plumber over twice a year. Always the same spot, always the same blockage. $350 every single time. My grandson gave me FizzClean as a gift. I now use it as a preventative measure once a month. It's been 8 months without a single blockage. The plumber is probably wondering why I haven't called."
— Margaret S., Adelaide
"I'd tried everything. Plungers, drain cleaners, even boiling water. Nothing helped long term. FizzClean was something else entirely. You can actually see how the foam works in the pipe. After 20 minutes, everything was clear. And the best part: it hasn't come back. Because all the gunk in the pipes is gone, not just the plug itself."
— Henry B., Gold Coast
"It was the hygiene aspect that convinced me. My daughter is a nurse, and she explained to me what collects in the pipes. Since then, I've used FizzClean every two weeks. Not because it's blocked — but specifically so it never gets to that point. And the smell in the bathroom? Completely vanished. It doesn't smell like anything. And that is exactly how it should be."
— Ingrid W., Hobart
"Emergency after-hours plumber on a Sunday night. $500. Just because the toilet was blocked. My son said: Mum, that's not happening to you again. So he ordered FizzClean for me. That was 6 months ago. Since then: Zero problems. Zero dollars to the plumber."
— Erica D., Melbourne
FizzClean works everywhere pipes can get blocked
What many don't realise: FizzClean doesn't just work in the toilet.
Bathroom sinks: Hair, soap, toothpaste — the exact same biofilm layer builds up here too. Powder in, add water, wait 20 minutes. Free-flowing drain.
Shower and bathtub: Blocked shower drains due to hair and soap scum? FizzClean dissolves the plug and the biofilm behind it.
Kitchen sink: Grease build-up in the drain? The foam crawls through the pipes and dissolves it all. No more stench.
Washing machine drain: Lint, detergent residue, bacteria — everything is dissolved.
"I used to have five different cleaning products in the house," says Steve Harrison. "Now I only recommend one thing to my customers: FizzClean. For anything to do with pipes."
Where can you buy the original? (Beware of fakes)
Due to its enormous success, there is currently an increasing number of knock-offs appearing on Amazon and eBay. These products lack the patented micro-foam technology.
The original is available exclusively direct from the factory via the official online shop.
Why can't you buy it at Woolies or Bunnings?
"If we sold them through supermarkets, we would have to double the price. My goal was to make professional quality accessible to everyone. Therefore, we ship the product directly to your door."
Your advantages when you order direct:
- Best Price Guarantee: No extra markups for middlemen
- Freshness Guarantee: Stock from the latest production directly from Germany
- Buyer Protection: Secure shipping and direct customer service from the manufacturer
UPDATE: Up to 70% off — strictly while stocks last
Due to the change of season, the manufacturer has launched an exclusive Spring offer.
- The Offer: Up to 70% discount on all packages.
- The Deadline: The offer is valid today only and ends as soon as stock runs out.
- Guarantee: It is only via the official shop that you get the original FizzClean formula at the promotional price.
Check here if the 70% discount code is still active for your region:
Check Availability And Apply Discount