One Flush Doesn't Do The Trick? Ways To Improve Toilet Flush Power

One Flush Doesn’t Do The Trick? Ways To Improve Toilet Flush Power

Have you ever used a toilet that didn’t flush well? Stuck with the embarrassing obligation of waiting in the bathroom until you are able to flush the toilet again? This problem makes it harder to keep your toilet bowl clean and wastes water since you have to flush more than one time. Here are some home remedies that will help improve the overall power of your toilet flush!

Step #1: Figure out if your toilet is clogged. You can do this by pouring a gallon of water into your toilet and flushing it. If the toilet doesn’t flush efficiently then you most likely have a clogged toilet. You can unclog a toilet with a standard plunger or snake. If you don’t have either of these, you can check out our previous post on how to unclog a toilet without one. However, if the toilet does seem to flush properly than you can move on.

Step #2: Remove the toilet tank cover. Check to see if the water level in the tank is even with the designated line. If the water level isn’t matched up then you must use your water tank float assembly (located in your toilet tank) to adjust the water level accordingly.

Step #3: Check the toilet flush holes located around the rim of your toilet bowl. You may have to get on your hands and knees for this one. Sometimes these small holes that shoot water out during a flush can get clogged. This decreases the pressure of the water stream when you flush. Try using a bobby pin, coat hanger or a small drill bit and push it through these holes to clear up any blockage that may exist. Finally, flush the toilet and check for improvement in power of the water pressure.

Step #4: Clean out your toilet using bleach. Before you do this, make sure to turn off your toilet’s water tank supply. A tube coming out from either the wall or the floor should contain the water supply valve. Turn the knob of the valve to the right to completely shut off the water. Next, pour a gallon of bleach into your toilet bowl and let it sit for 15-20 minutes max. After you let the bleach sit, go ahead and flush the toilet. This allows the bleach to naturally work its way through your toilet system, cleaning out any built up blockage that has been reducing the flushing efficiency of your toilet. You may then turn the toilet water supply back on (allowing the tank to fill back up). Over the next 30 minutes, flush your toilet a few more times to thoroughly wash the bleach and unclog the blockage.

Step #5: The last step to improving flush power is a vinegar soak. First, open the lid of your toilet tank. If there is a rubber fill hose on top of the overflow tube, carefully remove the fill hose. Use a funnel and place it on the tube inside of your toilet tank. Take about a quart of white vinegar and pour it in the tube through the funnel. Let the vinegar sit for at least 2 hours. The vinegar disinfects and helps to relieve junk deposits that have been building up in your toilet system.

Taking the time to go through these five steps should improve the overall flushing power of your toilet. If you don’t see a difference after completing these steps and are still experiencing weak toilet flushes, you may want to consider replacing your toilet system. Old toilets are harder to fix on your own and may require a complete replacement or the help of a professional plumber.