Toilets serve one purpose. Our toilet is something we take for granted. Until it stops working. Nothing is more frustrating that pressing down on the handle to flush the toilet only to discover it doesn’t work. An unfunctioning toilet can lead to unpleasant odours and constant anxiety.
If your toilet doesn’t flush, there are usually one or more of the following causes:
- Clogged toilet
- The tank water level is too low
- Lift chain doesn’t work
- The rubber flapper inside the toilet is not sealing tightly enough
If your toilet isn’t flushing and you don’t have the time or resources to fix it, you will need to know how you can flush it manually. The good news? Manually flushing a toilet can be done easily, and even if your water supply is cut off, you can still flush it.
There are 3 ways to flush a toilet manually
To keep your bathroom running smoothly, these are three manual flushing options:
1. Toss a bucket of water into the toilet bowl
A bucket of water can be used to manually flush the toilet. Only a gallon of water will suffice. For older toilets, you may need to add 3-5 gallons water to begin the flushing process.
To manually flush your toilet
- Fill a bucket with at minimum one gallon water
- You will begin by slowly pouring water into a bowl. Then, gradually increase your speed.
- If the water is used correctly, it should push the waste through the pipes. Your toilet will then flush.
2. Get water into the toilet tank
Many toilet problems can be attributed to a problem with the toilet tank. There may be an issue with your water tank if your toilet won’t flush. The solution is to manually flush the toilet tank by pouring water in.
A bucket of water is required to flush the toilet. To flush the toilet,
- The toilet tank cover should be removed.
- Fill the tank with water until the tank reaches the waterline, or 1 inch below the edge. The model of toilet in your home will affect the amount of water needed to flush.
- Push the flush lever. If the toilet won’t flush, go to the next step.
3. Pull the Rubber Flapper from the Toilet Tank
Your toilet tank’s rubber flapper is crucial in flushing the toilet. The toilet flapper should be replaced if the handle of your toilet doesn’t flush when you press it. You can also pull it up manually to flush your toilet before you replace the flapper.
Do this:
- The toilet tank lid should be removed.
- Grab the loose end and slide the link onto the hook at either end of the handle. Press the flush handle once more.
- If that doesn’t fix the issue, then check to see if the flapper is securely seated over the tank’s bottom. If it isn’t, then you will notice water refilling your tank.
- If the tank doesn’t have enough water, check to make certain that the flapper is still attached. The chain should be reattached if it is loose.
If your toilet won’t flush automatically after these steps, your flapper may need to replaced.