It’s your worst nightmare. You drop a deuce and realize there’s no running water. Maybe the water was turned off for maintenance or maybe your well has run dry. Either way you’ve got a big, brown problem. How do you get rid of the evidence without running water?
If you’re sitting on the toilet and searching on your phone for “how to flush a toilet without running water” you’re in luck. Toilet Travels is here to help.
You’ll be happy to know that it’s not the end of the world. In a few steps you can get rid of the ugly mess in the toilet without anyone knowing.
My Experience: Using Toilets That Didn’t Have Water
I’ve spent a lot of my life living overseas in challenging situations. Besides the usual hardships I’ve had to deal with different types of toilets that didn’t always work properly.
In most situations I was able to find a Western style toilet however there wasn’t always water available to flush the toilet. Many of the places I live required pumping water from a well up to a water tank above the house.
If the tank wasn’t filled, or if the well went dry, I wouldn’t have access to water and wouldn’t be able to flush my toilet. This happened all the time!
In the U.S. we rarely have this problem but there are occasions when the water is shut off. Sometimes nature calls when the water is shut off!
I learned what to do without running water and I learned to flush a toilet without running water. Believe it or not, it’s easy to flush a toilet without running water.
It’s best if you can plan ahead and fill up a bucket with grey water or water from a neighbor.
What Happens When You Flush The Toilet When The Water Is Shut Off
In the section below I’ll share how to flush the toilet when the water is off but first I want to address what happens when you flush the toilet and the water is off.
Once the water is turned off you’ll get one flush! The toilet tank will still be full and won’t be emptied until the toilet is flushed. Be careful how you use the flush. Toilet Travels recommends not flushing unless you have to. Our best management practices (BMP) are:
- Don’t flush urine
- If you live alone and aren’t expecting company you don’t need to flush number 2 (although if you pinch one off you probably won’t have to go again for some time)
- Keep the fan in the bathroom on (for urine or poo that isn’t flushed)
How To Flush A Toilet Without Running Water
You don’t have running water and you’ve got a toilet full of… What do you do? Below I’ll highlight 8 essential steps to take when trying to flush your toilet without running water.
Step 1: Plan Ahead
Most people have a bucket or large bowl laying around their house. If you don’t you should consider buying a bucket that can be used for carrying water or used for yard work.
When I lived in Africa I always filled up buckets with water in preparation of not having water – this occurred frequently and I was well prepared. The water was especially useful in the bathroom.
Step 2: Check The Toilet Tank And Make Sure the Water Is Turned On
The first thing you’ll want to do is to check the toilet tank. The tank is on the back of the toilet and holds water. Even when the water is turned off the tank should have water in it.
If there is no running water you’ll get 1 flush from the tank. Use that 1 flush wisely. I’d recommend not to flush urine while there’s no running water because the tank water should be save for number 2.
If the tank is already empty it means someone beat you to the toilet. The person before you used the tank water and you’re left without water.
There’s a chance the water line to the tank is turned off. Check the handle on the back of the tank to make sure the water is in the on position (turning counterclockwise opens the line).
You’ll also want to check water in the sink and in the bathtub/shower. If those water lines are on you’re in luck.
Step 3: Find Large Bucket Or Pot
You’ll need to leave the toilet to fetch a bucket or pot. The bucket needs to be large enough for a few gallons of water. If it has a handle to carry that’s even better.
Step 4: Find A Water Source Outside And Fill The Bucket (Shower Or Bathtub If Possible)
In most cases the water to the whole house will be turned off. If the sink or bathtub water is still on you’re in luck. If not, you’ll need to find a water source. Where you ask?
- Fountain
- Neighbor
- Pool
- Pond
- Lake
A pool is the easiest place, however most people don’t have access to a pool at their home. You can also fill your bucket in a fountain, ask a neighbor, or get water from a nearby pond or park.
As a last option you can also buy 2-3 gallon jugs of water from the store. This won’t cost much but it’s still an expense that most people don’t want.
If you purchase a few jugs of water make sure you combine them (2-3 gallons) in a bucket. All the water will be dumped into the toilet at one time. Pouring 3 1-gallon jugs in the toilet one-at-a-time won’t provide enough water pressure to flush the toilet.
Step 5: Raise the Toilet Seat
Once you’ve filled the large bucket with water you should prepare the area. Remove any bathroom mats or scales from around the toilet. If desired you can put a few towels down to absorb the splash of the water.
Raise the toilet seat so there is more room to dump the bucket of water.
Step 6: Dump A Small Amount Of Water
Skep this step if you’re confident the toilet isn’t clogged.
If you’re unsure whether it’s clogged you’ll want to dump a small amount of water in the toilet to make sure water exits the toilet.
Remember the water level in the toilet should stay the same. If you dump water into the toilet the extra water should exit to the sewage line. If you dump water into the toilet and the water level rises then you should stop. You don’t want overflow.
In most cases the toilet won’t be clogged and you can dump a bucket of water into the toilet without concern.
Step 7: If Not Clogged, Dump Full Bucket
The key to flushing the toilet with a bucket of water is volume. Pour a small amount into the toilet and it won’t work. It’s important to really dump that bucket into the toilet. Don’t be afraid of too much water as it will push out through the sewage line.
If you’re hesitant on your first bucket it may take another bucket of water to get rid of all the waste in the toilet.
Step 8: Clean Up Any Splash
If you’ve already put towels around the toilet you won’t have much to clean up. If not, there will likely be some splash back from the toilet – much like peeing standing up it depends on your aim.
After the toilet has been manually flushed it’s wise to keep a bucket of water near the toilet for the next person to use (standard practices in the underdeveloped world).
The bucket can be placed in the bathtub or shower until it’s ready to be used again!
Conclusion
How do you flush the toilet without running water? What happens when you flush the toilet without running water? We hope this article answered your question and guides you in the right direction.
It can be alarming if you’re on the john and realize there’s no water. Matters are even worse if you’re at a friend’s house or somewhere unfamiliar. If you’re at home then it’s a much better situation.
You’ll first want to check to see if there is water in the toilet tank, then check to see if there is water coming from the tap or from the shower. If not, you’ll want to go exploring outside. Is there a pool or fountain nearby? How about neighbors that have access to water.
Your last resort should be to buy water from the store. 3 gallons should suffice and you’ll want to combine all the bottles of water into one bucket.
Prepare the area accordingly and dump the whole bucket of water into the toilet. You need to utilize the force from a lot of water. There will be some splash but you can clean up later.
These steps are based on my experience living abroad without running water. Occasionally we’ll be in new situations and toilets can be intimidating. Hopefully this article helps you navigate your toilet troubles. Thanks for reading!