Your toilet is one of those fixtures in the home that you hardly ever think about—until it stops working, at which point you can’t think about anything else. Seriously, is there anything worse than a toilet that all of a sudden won’t flush?
Here’s the thing any plumber will tell you: most problems develop slowly over time, rather than all at once—just like the famous Ernest Hemingway line about bankruptcy, and how it happens “gradually and then suddenly.” The good news is that a watchful eye can nip most toilet issues in the bud before they turn catastrophic.
Here are three things to avoid to keep your toilet well-maintained, according to our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab.
1. Not checking for leaks
A running toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Given the rising cost of water, that’s literally pouring money down the drain!
To check for leaks, remove the toilet tank cover and add a drop of food coloring to the tank. Wait ten minutes. If any color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak. Don’t forget to flush immediately after the test to avoid staining the bowl and tank.
A worn flapper is the most likely culprit of your running toilet. It’s usually an easy DIY fix. First, remove the flapper and the chain that’s connecting it to the flush lever. Take both items with you to the hardware store or home center to make sure you buy the right replacement kit; most cost about $15. Once back home, turn off the toilet water at the shutoff valve behind the toilet. Install the new flapper and chain. Turn the water back on. It’s a good idea to run a second food-coloring test to confirm the leak is gone.
2. Ignoring signs of clogs
The most obvious sign of a clog is when you flush the toilet, and the water in the bowl (plus everything in it!) starts to rise quickly towards the rim, instead of disappearing down the trap. Before you get to this point, there will probably be other warning signs, including slower water draining after each flush. Look out as well for gurgling noises and foul odors coming from sink or shower drains; your home’s plumbing is a connected system, so these could be caused by a backup with your toilet.
To deal with the clog, first check whether anything has fallen into the toilet, such as a child's toy. The last thing you want to do is force it farther down with a flush, since it could get lodged in the 100- to 200-foot section of plumbing line leading out of your house. Instead, try to fish it out with a hanger.
Next, reach for the plunger. This is the best tool for dislodging wads of toilet paper and other stuck objects. Cover the bowl drain with the plunger and push down slowly until it compresses. Then pull the plunger up and down quickly and forcefully, keeping a seal between the plunger and the drain. You'll feel some resistance and suction until the clog is released.
If a plunger gets you nowhere, try a drain cleaner. Note that many products sold online, at supermarkets and at home centers are not toilet-safe, as their harsh chemicals can crack a toilet’s porcelain bowl or trap. Instead, reach for an enzyme-based drain cleaner, like Green Gobbler Drain Opening Pacs, which our experts have found to be easy to use and effective. The enzymes act more slowly than chemical agents, so you might need to leave the powder overnight for a stubborn toilet clog.
3. Flushing things that aren’t toilet paper
Toilet paper is the only thing you should flush down the toilet (not counting bodily waste, of course). Paper towels and tampons are big no-nos because their fibers don’t dissolve quickly in water, which can lead to clogs. Despite the name, flushable wipes often get stuck in the home’s plumbing, too. Even if they make it out of your home, they can cause costly damage downstream to public sewer systems and treatment plants.
If you live in an old house or are on a septic system, you even need to be careful about which toilet paper you choose. Some ultra-plush toilet papers are hard on a home’s plumbing, even if they’re easier on bums.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
