A slow flushing toilet is a nuisance because the waste isn’t disposed of immediately and properly. Who wants to wait forever for everything to flush properly?
You can’t leave the washroom until it has been flushed because you wouldn’t want the next person coming into the washroom to see all that mess!
Well, slow flushing is a common problem in many households. And there are various reasons for it. But there are also simple ways to get rid of the problem from the very root without consulting a plumber!
Remedy 1: Get the Wastes out using a plunger
One reason for slow flushing is clogging. We often are guilty of throwing toilet paper into the toilet and flushing it away. But too much toilet paper in the toilet has its consequences and will give you a slow-flushing problem.
The cure is simple. Just grab a plunger and use it over the drain. Pump it into the drain and keep doing it until the drain opens and water can rush in. Then flush your toilet. This should do the trick.
The problem can also arise if your toilet’s S-strap is clogged, not the drain itself. You can use a plunger for this as well. For this:
- Leave 2 inches of water in the toilet bowl.
- Place the plunger on the toilet drain and keep pumping slowly until the S-strap unclogs.
Remedy 2: Unclog the Jet Holes
The Jet holes are where the water comes out to flush the waste. When they get clogged, not enough water will come out of the jet holes, so the toilet will flush very slowly. These holes clog if hard water residues like minerals accumulate on the jet holes over time.
The hard water residues gradually accumulate over time. There may also be a bacteria or dirt buildup on the jet holes that cause this problem. To tackle this issue, follow the steps below:
To remove bacterial growth, you will have to use bleach and water.
1. Mix about eight parts of water with one part of bleach. Feel free to move towards ten parts water for a more dilute and safe mix if you feel like it’s too much bleach.
2. Pour the solution into the jet tube and let it sit there for 10 minutes or so. The bleach will disinfect it and cleanse the hole of any bacteria.
3. Flush the toilet and use a brush or a metal wire to further clean the whole. Also, clean the rim’s underside with a toilet cleaner.
4. Just keep brushing and cleaning until you’re sure there aren’t any stuck materials in the toilet. After that, simply flush the toilet, and you’re good to go! With no impurities stuck, the jet holes will be spewing water efficiently.
However, it’s a different story if there are hard water deposits stuck to your jet holes.
1. Heat a cup of vinegar but not boil it.
2. Pour the vinegar into the jet holes and overflow tube.
3. Wait for a few hours before flushing. We suggest leaving the solution on for several hours before flushing it. But if you’ve only got one toilet in the house and really have to go, then one hour is the minimum time for leaving the solution on, and then you can flush it.
4. Use the same brush and wire technique again. Clean the holes with a scrub and wire to effectively wipe out all the mineral deposits on them.
Remedy 3: Filling the Tank
A known cause of slow flushing is a low level of water in the tank. Of course, if there is not enough water in the tank, then how ample water will fill the water bowl when flushed?
While it sounds like a serious problem that would have something to do with your water supply, it isn’t really a serious one.
The fix is super easy. Just life the lid pour water into the water tank! Just make sure you don’t fill it all the way up because you don’t want water reaching the top of the overflow tube.
So fill it until the water reaches half an inch from the top of the overflow tube. Once there is a distance of half an inch between the overflow tube top and the water level, that’s when you stop.
Remedy 4: Removal of the broken fill tube
There’s a rubber tube inside the water tank of your toilet. Now while small, this tube plays an important role in flushing. It’s shifts water from the water tank to the toilet bowl. But when it’s damaged or broken, it might not be able to do this properly.
Whether the damage comes from wear and tear or shock damage, it would need to be replaced to stop the slow flushing problem. So the simple solution is to get a new fill tube and replace the older one.
Remedy 5: Unblocking Sewer Lines
Now the above four remedies were pretty simple and could be done yourself without the need of a plumber. However, when your sewer line vents are blocked, it leads to a more serious problem. Sometimes dead animals or dirt accumulate in these vents, and they don’t function properly.
If you can get rid of the stuck materials yourself, good on you, but if you can’t, get a plumber to clear it out for you! Seeing a clog may not be easy, so make sure you carry a flashlight.
Remedy 6: Get a new toilet!
If your toilet is very old, then it probably has a pretty weak flushing system. The components inside that do all the work can get damaged over time. Also, an old toilet might have cracks in the toilet bowl that could also cause slow flushing.
So to get rid of the problem from the root (if your water drains are completely fine), just get a brand new toilet. They’re not that expensive, and you can get a low-budget, standard toilet installed for under $250!
Hello there! My name is Sourav Biswas and this is my blog. For the last 8 years, I’ve worked as a plumber. So in this area, I may state that my knowledge is top-notch.
Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to write. It looks like a fantastic way to bring my passions together and share my information with others. So, I am a publisher on Amazon & Medium.
After considering all of this, I decided to compile my own reviews on items with which I have prior expertise. In my opinion, providing consumers with a wealth of information will assist them in making better decisions when purchasing goods for themselves.