There are many causes for a slow flushing toilet—your tank may have a low water level, a toilet or pipe clog or calcium and hard mineral buildup.
Sediment Buildup in Rim Jets
A toilet that overflows and then drains completely is a telltale sign that it's not the big hole on the bottom of your toilet that's the problem, but the little holes around the rim of the toilet you don't see.
An obstruction in the pipes can still slow down the water without fully blocking or clogging the drain. A firm seal with the plunger can often dislodge this obstruction, or you can send a toilet auger or snake down the drain hole. If the problem persists after your efforts, it may be caused by something else.
Here are some of the most common: Obstructions in the pipes: A clogged toilet drains more slowly. Blockage is often caused by flushing the wrong things down a toilet. Items like wet wipes, tampons, pads, nappies, or cotton buds are not designed to be flushed, and won't break down like toilet paper.
You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets. For clogged or slow-running drains, apply the product and let it work 15 minutes, then flush with hot water.
A toilet bowl gurgles because of negative air pressure in the drain due to a blockage. The water and debris no longer flow freely, so gurgling is the result. The toilet may be clogged, a drain line may be clogged, a vent stack on the roof may be blocked or the municipal main line may have a major blockage.
Unclog with dish soap
Pour some dish soap into your toilet, and wait for about an hour for it to settle and make its way through the drain. After you've let it sit, pour a pan of hot water into the tank. Let this sit for another hour. After you've waited an hour, try flushing your toilet.
There is only one Drano® product recommended for use in slow-running toilets: Drano® Max Build-Up Remover. It contains microorganisms that break down organic matter in pipes that can slow water flow.
When a toilet has a clog made of water-soluble materials, it has a chance of slowly dissolving in the water and freeing up the toilet to work properly again. So, clogs that are primarily made of toilet paper can clear themselves.
Make your own drain cleaner by pouring one cup of baking soda and two cups of vinegar into the toilet and adding a half gallon of hot water. Dish soap can also help loosen some obstructions.
Caustic soda is a nasty chemical that can burn, but it's very effective for unclogging toilets. To use this chemical, you need to get some rubber gloves and eye protection. You can pick the chemical from the local hardware or grocery stores. Pour a ¾ gallon of cold water into a bucket, and add 3 cups of caustic soda.
It is important to address a blocked drain as soon as possible to prevent these issues. To fix this problem, you'll need to unclog the drain. You can try using a plunger or a toilet auger to remove the blockage, or you may need to call a plumber to clear the drain.
If the clog still seems to be intact, start over at step 1 and repeat the process a couple of times. For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging.
Hydrogen Peroxide – Mix 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 quart of water. Pour this mixture down your clogged drain and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Be especially careful as this chemical can cause burns.
Surprise! Coke or Pepsi are great for vanquishing a clog! Everyone's heard about how a nail will dissolve in a glass of coke over time, and although most of us know this is a stretch, coke is arguably better than many commercial chemical clog removers because of its strong dissolving agents!
Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is a strong acid that is commonly used to dissolve clogs in drains. This acid works by breaking down organic materials such as hair, grease, and soap scum that can accumulate in pipes and cause blockages.
Using a plunger is one of the most effective methods used for unblocking a toilet as it can unclog a wide variety of waste pipes.
The water level will go down after 15 minutes, so pour more hot water into the bowl to restart the lubrication process. After another 15 minutes of waiting, you can flush the toilet and the clog will be gone!
You might want to see if the clog works itself out in time. If you have another toilet you can use, let the clogged one set overnight. The water pressure that builds up in the bowl might actually cause the toilet to unclog itself. After a day's wait, flush the toilet again.
Clogs increase the risk of an overflowing toilet, which can cause damage to your home and affect your health. The contents of your toilet and sewer line are far from sanitary. Once these contents come out of your toilet and are exposed to air, they create foul odours and health concerns.
Stop Flushing!
If your toilet doesn't flush properly the first time, the last thing you want to do is try flushing again. The clog will prevent the water from going down the drain, meaning it will overflow the toilet and get all over the floor. This can create a much bigger (and must smellier) mess.
Using too much toilet paper
This is probably the most common reason toilets get clogged — and often the easiest to deal with. If we're honest, most of us are probably guilty of this one. If you're one of the many people who use a lot of toilet paper when you use the bathroom, here are a few tips!