Of all the plumbing issues a homeowner could experience, a blocked toilet must rate as the worst. Funnily enough, introducing kids to your household increases the risk of the dreaded blocked loo. Whether they’re chucking loo roll or toys down there, I can guarantee you you’ll have your hands down the toilet at least ten times in your parenting career.

Thankfully there are steps one can take to greatly reduce the chances of such an event occurring. If you would like to avoid having toilet troubles, here are some tips to reduce the chances of a blocked toilet.

Avoid putting miscellaneous things down the toilet

This might sound obvious, but it’s an all too common problem. The toilet is designed for human waste and absolutely nothing else (aside from toilet tissue), so avoid using it as a waste disposal option.. or indeed a swimming pool for ‘someone’s’ toy soldiers. Sanitary towels, baby wipes and small toys are a major cause of toilet blockages, and if you educate all family members about this, so much the better.

Regular Cleaning

Okay it’s the worst job out of all of them, but toilet bowls should be cleaned regularly. No need for fancy detergents either as vinegar or baking soda is ideal for this - so there’s no excuse for not getting it done.

Not only is a clean toilet more hygienic, it will prolong the life of your porcelain and lessen the chances of a blockage. Using a plunger often will also keep things flowing nicely, so search for a trusted plumbing supply store like Trading Depot and stock up on all the plumbing supplies you need. I imagine there’s nothing worse than having to leave a blocked toilet and nip to your nearest hardware store - far better to have these things handy at home for emergencies.

Hot Water Flushes

If you pour a few litres of hot water into the bowl and flush it, this helps eliminate any partial blockages and keep the inner surfaces smooth. It really isn’t a good idea to use chemicals, as they can have an adverse effect on waste water pipes. As odd as it might be, getting to know the inner workings of a toilet cistern really will hold you in good stead should the worst happen - you might be able to save the cost of calling out a plumber too.

Replacing worn components

If you take a look under the cistern cover, you will see the ballcock mechanism which turns the water on and off. Flush the toilet while looking into the cistern, and familiarise yourself with how various components work, including the ball stop valve, which should turn off the water when it reaches the line. Inspect this regularly to check for any minor malfunctions and you could save yourself a much more significant job later on.

There are online plumbing material suppliers who have an extensive inventory of parts, and all at trade prices too, so anything you need is easily ordered. Look on YouTube for tutorials and you should be able to replace the defective component yourself without a plumber.

Use a Bowl Brush

The traditional toilet brush should be used to good effect on a weekly basis, and all it involves is pushing the brush into the opening and moving it around, while flushing a few times. It won’t hurt to put a little disinfectant around the porcelain and rinse that through the system.

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If your home is a little on the old side, it might be that your plumbing pipes will eventually need to be replaced, but if you consider all of the above, the only toilet trouble you are likely to encounter is an upset stomach!