You’re not a dummy, and I bet you know how to flush a toilet. This article might illuminate a few tips that you may not know.
We use toilets every day of our life, so it’s safe to say that most people know how to flush. But sometimes we might run into trouble. There will be the occasional splashback, clog, and odorous stench that remains in the bowl after a flush.
This 14-point introduction to flushing will help solve those issues with a simple flush of your toilet!
Toilet Flushing For Dummies (Tips and Tricks For The Flush)
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The Toilet Is For Liquid and Solid Waste, As Well As Toilet Paper
The simplest of all points, the toilet is made for waste (liquid and solid) and toilet paper. We all know this, yet we still discard items in the toilet every day. Medicine, cotton swabs, paper towels, hair, and dental floss are all common items we flush down the toilet.
We quickly forget about them, but items like hair and dental floss can come back to haunt us in the form of clogs. They get caught in our pipes, then they catch other items that are flushed. Over time, our toilet loses its flush power and clogs become more frequent.
Place a small bin beside the toilet and resist the urge to use the toilet for a trash can.
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There Is Such Thing As Too Much Toilet Paper
Toilet paper used in excess will clog your toilet, especially if it’s a thicker 3-ply option. Most people use way too much toilet paper. If you’re having trouble with clogs, consider being more efficient with your toilet paper use.
>> my ranking of the best toilet paper
Instead of using a handful of toilet paper for each wipe, fold the same toilet paper in half to get a second wipe from it (seems gross to think about but it can cut down on overusing of paper without sacrificing clean up).
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Wet Wipes Are Not Toilet Paper and Will Come Back To Haunt You
Wet wipes are increasingly common for people to use on the go. I know many people who keep them in their bag so they don’t have to use the cheap toilet paper found in public.
While wet wipes are effective for cleaning up your booty, they have inorganic components that make it tough to break down in your pipes.
Ordinary toilet paper begins to break down into small pieces as soon as it touches the water. Not wet wipes. Wet wipes cause households millions, if not billions, of dollars in plumbing costs each year and they are problematic for waste treatment facilities as well!
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A Double Flush Can Help Reduce Clogs
Have you ever watched the toilet misfire on your flush? Maybe the waste was too substantial to push through the pipes so much of it remained in the bowl.
In most cases, there’s no need for concern. A second flush will do the trick.
Don’t bother breaking out the plunger until after a second flush. Hold down the handle to maximize the amount of water released into the bowl, which should provide a stronger flush.
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A Quick Flush Can Help Reduce Smell
If you’re a guest at a friend’s house, the quick flush can help reduce the smell. A quick flush is done while sitting on the toilet. The timing is important and should commence as the largest deposit of waste occurs.
This strategy is based on the premise that the longer the waste remains in the bowl, the more odor will release into the air.
A flush of the toilet also creates an air vacuum so it will swallow much of the air that is released on your main deposit (eliminates air and waste at the same time). Of course, the quick flush isn’t foolproof and some smell will remain.
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A Foot Flush Should Be Considered For Public Toilets
Everyone knows the foot flush, right? This is my go-to move in public toilets and it keeps your hands from touching the bacteria-ridden handle.
Most people who use public toilets are afraid of the toilet seat, but the majority of bacteria resides on the toilet handle, water faucet, and door handle. Use your foot, a knee, or an elbow to flush that public toilet and keep your hands germ free!
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A Toilet Paper Flush Can Help Reduce Transmission of Germs
If you’re at a swanky party a foot flush may not be appropriate. Even if you think you can dance, our feet are clumsy and could break something on the toilet or make a mark.
You’ll need to get creative. Using a piece of toilet paper or a paper towel can prevent contact between our skin and the handle. The toilet paper or towel can be placed in the bin afterward, however, I’d use the same toilet paper to use the faucet and open the bathroom door!
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Putting The Toilet Lid Down Will Quiet The Flush
Self-conscious about other people knowing your went doo-doo? I know a few of those people. They pee on the side of the toilet so there’s no splash and they turn on the sink and fan to reduce the sound of waste bombing the toilet water.
>> check out the best heated toilet seats
I get it. You don’t want other people to hear you doing your business. Closing the toilet lid before flushing will help you drown out the sound, and of course, you can turn on the sink and fan as well.
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A Layer Of Toilet Paper On Top Of The Water Will Reduce Backsplash
Worried about backsplash when you’re dropping logs into the water. Backsplash isn’t a welcome feeling but if you’re a big guy, who drops big logs, it might cause rough waters in the bowl.
An easy bathroom hack is to place a layer of toilet paper in the bowl before going number 2. This will help reduce the chance of splashback and calm the waters.
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A Weak Flush Might Mean The Water Level Is Set Too Low
I’ve had a few toilets that had a persistently weak flush. The house was new so I was confident the pipes weren’t clogged. But why wasn’t there any power behind the flush?
As it turned out, the water level in the tank was set to a low level. The low level of water helped reduce the amount of water I used and it helped my water bill, but it didn’t do a good job with flushing my waste.
It’s easy to fix the water level in a tank by adjusting the float. Moving the water level higher a half-inch will help a lot. It matters why type of float you have, so do some investigating.
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You Can Save Water By Not Flushing Liquid Waste
Want to save a few bucks? Want to save the world’s freshwater? Then go without flushing urine. Sure it doesn’t look great but most of our trips to the bathroom are for urine and it has never clogged a toilet.
You can make a house rule that says: “If it’s yellow let it mellow. If it’s brown flush it down”.
>> check out the top water saving toilets
If I’m home alone I’ll let the urine remain in the bowl, but it’s not something I’d recommend with guests (unless there are major drought areas in your region).
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Hold Down The Handle To Maximize The Flush
If you have a stubborn handle, it might not hold your flapper up long enough for the tank to empty. The result is a half-flush or weak flush, which may leave leftovers in the toilet.
I’m sure you’ve had an experience where you need to flush a second time. On the second try you made a point to hold down the handle to maximize the water flow.
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Dual Flush Toilets Have Can Help Save Water and Your Money
Have a new dual flush toilet? They are great but they can also be confusing. The two flushes are meant to save water. One flush is used for liquid waste while the other is used for solid waste.
You’ll find both button and handle options for dual flush toilets. Both work the same way but the handle is usually pulled up for liquid flush and pushed down for larger waste.
>> my article on the top dual flush toilets
Dual flush toilets (or a converter) will save water but also save money on your water bill. Remodels and new homes must be built according to water-saving regulations however the dual flush option is an added bonus that goes above and beyond the regulation.
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A Toilet That Won’t Flush May Mean The Water Is Off
Does your toilet not flush? That means the tank isn’t being refilled.
Chances are, someone tightened the valve behind the toilet and turned the water off. It happens quite a bit when people are working on the house, especially with the water.
If your tank won’t refill, look behind the toilet and turn the nozzle to the left to allow water to refill the tank (you should hear it). Once the tank is filled you’ll be able to flush again!
Conclusion
You’re no dummy, but you may be in need of a few toilet-flushing tips. The flush seems like such a simple action but there are ways to maximize your flush. You can flush for many things like:
- Smell
- Clogs
- Quietness
- Water conservation
- Financial savings
- Less splash
- Fewer germs
- And more…
I hope this list helps guide you to proper flushing technique in every situation your encounter. The toilet may seem like a complex technology, but it’s relatively simple and straightforward.
Once you know how it works, a toilet is relatively easy to work with. Check out the Toilet Travels homepage for more information, tips, and toilets.