One of the most frustrating and annoying household issues many homeowners encounter is a clogged toilet. Imagine if you’re currently feeling the urge to pee or do your business in the bathroom. Then, as you’re about to wrap up and flush, the toilet has clogged, and the water has started overflowing on the floor. The whole scenario can be disgusting and time-consuming as you need to spend a few more minutes to unclog and get the water to stop overflowing. And in the worst cases, you might have to call and wait for a plumber to get it fixed.
Furthermore, toilet clogs can damage your plumbing pipes and floors, especially when not repaired immediately. At best, if your toilet is clogged, it may not cause much concern since it can sometimes happen due to the build-up of debris and sediments. Pouring baking soda may help dissolve the blockage and unclog the toilet. But if your toilet keeps clogging even if you just peed, then you might have to adjust your flushing habits to avoid this from happening.
So, what should you do to keep this frustrating problem from happening again in the future? Here are five ways to keep your toilet from getting clogged.
- Regularly Check Your Toilet’s Inner Workings
Just like how you regularly maintain the other aspects of your home, you must also do the same for your toilet. As much as possible, regularly check your toilet’s inner parts to ensure everything is functional and working properly. You don’t need to wait for your toilet bowl to clog before you start inspecting.
For your toilet inspection, remove the tank cover and flush the toilet. While doing this, look for any signs of damage or malfunction (e.g., faulty fill valve, leaks). If your toilet is not clogged, but if you’ve noticed that the water drains or flushes too slowly, call a professional plumber to do the necessary repairs.
There’s a possibility that something’s clogging the pipes, causing the water to drain slowly. You may click here and check out trusted plumbing repair service websites to schedule an appointment. Remember, it’s better to keep up with your toilet’s regular maintenance than deal with a clogged or damaged toilet later.
- Practice Proper Flushing
It may seem unbelievable, but many people don’t know how to flush properly. They would stuff down the tissue they used together with their waste and flush them out altogether. Unfortunately, doing this may cause toilet clogs in the long run. Thankfully, there’s still another way you can flush your toilet properly that prevents the risk of clogs. So, how is proper flushing done?
Here’s how to do it. After disposing of your waste, flush the toilet once to get rid of it first. Make sure no toilet paper is mixed with your waste when flushing. After the first flush, stuff down the toilet paper you used earlier and flush it for the second time. If you’ve consumed too many tissues, it’s best to split them in two, so you can flush them separately into two flushing rounds.
- Never Throw Non-Flushable Items In The Toilet Bowl
Even if you currently have a robust flushing system, your sewage pipes can only manage a certain number of items and substances, mostly human waste, water, and a few toilet papers. Flushing items, other than the ones mentioned above, can cause your toilet bowl to clog. Thus, always remind everyone in the household to never stuff down non-flushable items.
Here are some of the non-flushable items you should never throw in your toilet bowl:
- Menstrual pads, cups, and tampons – These feminine items are mostly made of plastic which can take a long time to dissolve or decompose in the water or the sewer pipes. When trapped in the pipes, they can cause toilet clogs and even damage the pipes. So, it’s best to throw them safely in a trash bin.
- Cleaning wipes, wet wipes, baby wipes, and paper towels – They may look flushable, and some brands may even claim they’re ‘flushable.’ But as much as possible, avoid flushing them down the toilet bowl. They don’t decompose or break down as quickly as toilet paper, which can also put your toilet bowl at risk for clogs.
- Cotton balls and Q-tips – These items often form clumps when they get wet, possibly clogging your sewer pipes.
Overall, never treat your toilet bowl as a trash can wherein you can just throw down anything and flush it. Toilet bowls were mainly designed to only deal with human waste, liquid, and toilet paper, so it’s best to keep it that way.
- Keep The Toilet Lid Close
Sometimes, toilet clogs can happen due to unintentional events such as accidentally dropping and flushing an object into the toilet. To prevent this, keep the toilet lid closed at all times when not in use. If your toilet bowl doesn’t have a lid, ensure no objects are placed near or around the toilet bowl that could easily fall down and cause clogs.
- Watch Out For Tree Roots
If you happen to have large trees planted in your yard or near your bathroom, there’s a possibility that their roots could grow, damage sewer pipes in their way, and cause clogging. So, consult your trusted plumber and let them check if the roots in your yard could cause a potential clog. If they confirm, hire a professional tree remover to keep the roots under control.
Wrapping Up
Toilet clogs may happen from time to time, especially when non-flushable items are thrown and accidentally flushed down in them. Fortunately, the tips above and a little vigilance can help minimize clogging problems. Doing this will help you save time and money from costly repairs or toilet replacements.