Whether you need to install a brand-new toilet suite, replace a cracked cistern, or finally clear a stubborn, deep-seated plumbing blockage, knowing how to drain a toilet completely is a fundamental skill every homeowner should know.
Luckily, the ol’ toilet drain isn’t difficult at all! And that’s especially true if you follow these simple steps from your trusted Gold Coast plumbers:
Six steps to success
1. Prepare the toilet
Before getting stuck in, let’s make sure we don’t add any more water to the system and start by finding and then closing the water shut-off valve. This is typically a small chrome tap located on the wall behind or beneath the toilet pan, often referred to by plumbers as a mini-stop cock. Turn it firmly clockwise to isolate the fixture. If the valve is rusted stiff or missing entirely, turn off your property’s main water meter completely at the front boundary line.
2. Prepare the bathroom
It’s also a good idea to put some old towels or newspapers down on the floor around the base of the toilet pan so that any accidental spills don’t spoil your day. Now, prepare yourself by protecting your hands with a heavy-duty pair of long rubber gloves that cover your wrists.
3. Remove the water from the cistern
First, flush the toilet. That will empty the contents of the cistern into the toilet bowl, with the isolated shut-off valve safely preventing the tank from automatically refilling itself. Now, carefully lift off the porcelain top lid of the cistern, set it aside somewhere safe, and press down manually on the flush valve mechanism or flapper. This will ensure that any left-over puddles of water are flushed completely out of the tank. If there’s still a small pool sitting at the very bottom, use a large car-washing sponge to soak it up and squeeze it out.
4. Flush the water from the bowl
Fill up a big plastic bucket with roughly 10 to 15 litres of water. You’re going to simulate a highly pressurised toilet flush in order to get rid of all the water that is currently trapped in the bowl’s trap way. As for how to drain a toilet bowl, that’s simple: hold the bucket about 30-40 centimetres directly above the water level, and start pouring it straight down the waste hole in a swift, continuous motion. As you pour, slightly increase the height and distance from the bucket to the bowl to fully simulate a strong gravitational flush, creating a siphon effect that will send the bulk of the bowl’s water tumbling straight down the drain line.
Related reading: 5 Things to Consider if Your Toilet Won’t Flush
5. Use the sponge again
As was the case with the cistern, there will probably be a stubborn pool of left-over water sitting right at the very bottom of the U-bend trap. Grab that large sponge again and push it deep into the throat of the toilet bowl to soak it all up manually, wringing it out into your empty bucket until the porcelain surface is completely bone-dry.
6. Having trouble?
If the simulated flush with a bucket didn’t do the trick to complete the toilet drain process, it is highly likely that you have an obstruction down the line. Modern dual-flush toilet traps are tightly engineered and easily choked by non-flushable wet wipes or foreign objects. If the water simply refuses to recede, there are a couple of alternative techniques you can try:
- Use a plunger: This may be necessary to drain the toilet bowl if you’ve been suffering from a blocked toilet on the Gold Coast. Ensure you create an airtight seal over the throat before plunging firmly to dislodge the mass.
- Bail it out: Another effective way to remove the water is simply to bail it out manually using a small plastic disposable cup or an old spray can lid to scoop out the liquid block by block.
- Siphon the water: Fill a short length of garden hose entirely with water and use your thumbs to seal both openings. Put one end firmly into the toilet water and drop the other end down into a sizeable bucket situated on the floor below the water level of the pan, releasing your thumbs to let gravity draw the fluid out.
Get your Gold Coast toilet drained today
If you’ve followed all the steps and your toilet still refuses to drain, or if you notice nasty sewer smells rising up from the dry pipes, it means the blockage sits much deeper within your main boundary lines.
Don’t risk cracking your porcelain or flooding your bathroom tiles by forcing it. Speak to the team at Gold Coast Plumbing Experts. Our licensed local specialists carry advanced high-pressure hydro-jetting equipment and plumbing augers that can clear structural obstructions safely. Get in touch with our friendly team today to restore your home comfort!
