Lohmeyer’s Top Ten Toilet Tips

When it comes to toilets, there are way too many people trying to get too creative on treating, cleaning, dressing up, locations, designs, needing electricity, light, heated seats, and much much more. Here is another angle on tips for the old flusher.
  1.  Don't carpet around a toilet.  (Boys of all ages miss!)
  2. A plunger should be findable.
  3. Toilets do need to be cleaned with a scrubbing brush of some sort, and on a regular basis.  There is no magic potion or recipe for this- sorry internet.
  4. Regular vinegar (white or cleaning vinegar) will help clean the rim jets in the toilet bowl improving the "flush" process.  Pouring the vinegar in the fill tube in the tank is a good way to treat the rim jet area.
  5. Don't put cleaners in the toilet tank.  They are often chemicals that will shorten the life of the soft seals in the tank like the flapper, the tank mounting gaskets, and some of the metal items.  Although the replacement of these items creates business for plumbers, there are better approaches.
  6. The water in the toilet tank is from the same water source as your drinking water, so it is not "yucky" (unless you have a gray water system).
  7. The first edition 1.6 gallon per flush toilets do not flush well compared to products today.  Their useful life until replacement should be considered.  There have been great advances in flushing technology.  A waterless flush toilet has already been invented- an outhouse!
  8. The toilet should be reset about every 10 years to ensure the toilet seal, wax, or other is working.
  9. If you want to caulk around the base of the toilet at the floor, leave a small area at the back of the toilet bowl where water can escape to alert you of a seal failure prior to potential major issues with odors, subfloor, ceiling below, or other unpleasant indicators.
  10. The quickest way to get the toilet fixed in the men's restroom is for the men to want to use the women's restroom.