(BPT)-Although your toilet needs regular maintenance to keep it flowing, many of us don’t know the basics of caring for a porcelain throne. Fortunately, learning how to maintain your toilet is as easy as following some simple tips, stock up on the right products, and find a good plumber to intervene when needed.
Roger Wakefield, LEED AP, Green Certified Plumber, has more than 40 years of experience and shared five plumbing tips on how to maintain a bathroom as a homeowner.
What many people don’t realize is that you don’t always need to be a plumber or use special tools to fix the toilet. If you want to avoid congestion, don’t be afraid! Remove the lid of the toilet tank, turn off the water, pour half a gallon of vinegar into the flush valve (where the baffle is), and let it sit for 30 minutes. It will fill the edges, clean and decompose the accumulated hard water to rinse it away. Turn on the water again and rinse it. It should rinse better.
Although many wipes look the same, they are made differently, and many wipes are not meant to be rinsed off. Many people rinse disposable cleaning wipes, baby wipes, or other wipes. These wipes will not decompose after rinsing and can cause serious damage to your pipes. This is why I only recommend Cottonelle Flushable Wipes because they contain 100% biodegradable, plastic-free and designed to immediately start breaking down in water. This means you can wash them away with confidence. They are currently the only wipes that are approved for safe washing by waste water utilities. In addition to being approved for flushing, they also help refresh and clean with your toilet paper.
Check the label before flushing and ask yourself “Can this be flushed?” Cottonelle Flushable Wipes is safe, as stated on the packaging. Forensic studies by the sewer agency show that at least 98% of the material collected from the processing plant screens are baby wipes, hard surface cleaning wipes, paper towels, tampons and other sanitary products marked “Do not rinse.” Just one minute of reading can save you a lot of money.
Many problems can be traced back to outdated plumbing materials, which is why I always tell my customers and potential homeowners about the installation time of the plumbing. If you live in a house built before the 70s and 80s, I suggest you check and possibly replace cast iron, steel and lead pipes. Over the years, all these materials will corrode and crack, causing many expensive repair costs in your future. Also, if you have a polybutylene pipe, keep an eye on your water bill, as the cost may help indicate a potential leak.
In addition to paying more attention to the contents of the toilet (for example, flushing non-flushable wipes), you may also need to use a “double flush.” This may mean rinsing once before throwing toilet paper or washable wipes into the bowl, and then rinsing again to ensure that the material has drained into the drain. Another preventive measure is to immediately solve the problem of weak flushing or slow drainage. If you do nothing, the situation may not get better, so either check it yourself and clear it, or call your plumber.
Keeping the toilet and pipes unblocked can avoid many troubles in the future. For more information on the importance of using the right wipes for your toilet, please visit Cottonelle.com/Flushability, follow social media and follow Roger Wakefield on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.
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Post time: Aug-26-2021