A functioning toilet is one of the most important parts of your home. So when problems arise, such as a weak flush, it can become a huge inconvenience. A toilet with a weak flush is not only stressful to deal with, but it also wastes water because it takes several attempts to successfully get rid of its contents.
Moreover, it can also be the cause of an unclean toilet bowl, thus, making it unhygienic as well. How to make toilet flush stronger, you ask? The solution to this problem is not very complicated.
7 Easy Steps to Increase Toilet Flush Power
Here are some significant measures that you can take to get your toilet working again at full power.
Step 1: Understanding the Root of the Problem
There are different reasons why your toilet’s flush is weak. Tackling a problem without understanding the root of it will be inefficient and could possibly lead to even bigger disasters.
Each problem has its customized solution, and while we will try to provide them, understanding what is causing the inefficiency in flushing in your toilet is very important.
Step 2: Unclog Your Toilet
If you are wondering, “Why does my toilet have a weak flush,” the answer might be that you have a clogged toilet. If your toilet is clogged, you will notice that the contents of the toilet remain in the toilet even after you flush it. Other telltale signs of a clogged toilet are gurgling sounds and overflows.
The easiest way to fix a clogged toilet is to use a plunger. And the pressure created by a plunger loosens the clog, and with sufficient pressure, it can even get rid of it entirely.
On the other hand, a more efficient way is to use the plumber auger as it will try to snag on the clog and eventually to unblock your drain.
Step 3: Adjust the Water Level
Check the water level within the tank. It should be in level with the predesigned line, which is usually easily distinguishable. If the level is not matching where it should be, the water tank assembly should be adjusted accordingly, usually located inside the tank. And if the water level is alright, move on to the next step.
Step 4: Clean Out Those Tiny Holes
For the fourth step, you may need to get your hands a little dirty, but we promise it will pay off! For most toilets, water during flushing comes out of tiny holes around the rim of the toilet bowl in a jet stream.
However, the holes are very tiny, and often debris can clog these holes, weakening the pressure of the jet stream; hence, weakening the force of your toilet flush.
Use any pins or small drill bits lying around the room and push them through these holes to remove the clogging and the debris. Test out the flush and repeat the process multiple times until you’re satisfied with the level of force your flushing exerts.
Step 5: Use Bleach to Clear out the Water Passage
Utilize the mighty power of bleach. Firstly, turn off the water connection to the toilet tank. There should be a pipe that’s connected to the toilet to either the wall or the floor containing the water supply valve. To entirely shut off the water supply, turn the knob in a rightward direction until you can feel it completely tightening.
After turning off the water supply, dump a gallon of bleach inside the toilet bowl and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes maximum. And after the recommended time, take a few moments to flush off the bleach.
This lets the bleach work its magic and clean the toilet through all the clogs with its alkalinity that has been till now blocking the pathway and weakening the flush of your toilet. After that, you can turn the knob earlier leftwards to allow the water supply valve to refill the toilet tank.
Lastly, repeat the flushing multiple times over the next 30-40 minutes to efficiently clean the bleach and unclog all the debris that was stuck.
Step 6: Soak Your Toilet Bowl with Vinegar
A vinegar soak is a smart and cheap move to improve flush strength. Open the toilet tank lid first. If the rubber filling tube is located above the overflow tube, remove the filling tube carefully.
Place a funnel inside your toilet tank on the drain. Take about a quarter of white vinegar and fill it with the funnel in the pan or the toilet bowl. The vinegar should rest for a minimum of two hours to help it disinfect and eliminate all the waste debris that was accumulated inside the toilet.
Step 7: Change the Toilet
The last step, if everything else fails, is buying a new toilet with better flushing strength and efficiency. There is a specific category of toilets that can hold water pressure, which leads to a powerful jet stream cleaning away all the debris and has a lower chance of clogging altogether.
Toilets with vacuum assist create a vacuum inside the tank so that when the water is released, it rushes out with a huge force. Thus investing in a toilet like this can be a long term solution to a recurring problem.
Final Words
A toilet with a weak flush is surely a headache for every household. However, if your toilet is still not functioning properly, even after going through all these steps, the problem might be more complicated than it seems.
In such a case, it is advisable to call up your trusted plumber or even to replace your toilet system when you can’t understand how you fix a weak flushing toilet.
On the other hand, after going through this guide, you must now know the answer to the question, “how to make toilet flush stronger?” Knowing how to fix your toilet’s flush yourself will help you avoid calling plumbers at the slightest inconvenience and will also help you save a couple of bucks.
