I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

remove the toilet and snake a towel up from the wax to the bowl thru
the built-in trap, this will remove the plastic item stuck there.
for solutions to your symptoms see:
http://www.fluidmaster.com/

pete wrote:
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

pete wrote:
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

I don't think I have ever heard that one before. I would not bother
with detergent, it might cause more problems than it fixed.

My first thought is the dreaded blue pill. If you have been using one
of those, in the tank, cleaners, I would guess that is your problem. Slow
flushes are the usual result of long term usage of them.

The only wear I can think of is if the trapway was originally glazed
(like the bowl, nice and shinny) and has worn so it is more like sandpaper.
However most toilets come that way because they fail to glaze them and
almost no one knows that it makes a difference or even that it is done.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

"pete" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old


Say what? It takes about an hour to remove every moving part from a toilet
and replace it. It takes a little longer to remove it from the floor and
replace the wax gasket. If you do all that, it should work "good as new."
You have exactly the same porcelain that the toilet came with.

Your problem is something other than your toilet. Something obstructing the
line, the trap, or the line between the trap and further.

Steve

In article .com, "pete" wrote:
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

Seriously, that diagnosis/treatment sounds nonsense.

The water is either slow to:

1. Enter the bowl. Or
2. Exit the bowl.

In case 1, you examine the flapper, water level etc.

In case 2, you start looking for a blockage or partial
blockage in the toilet and/or the drains to which it is
connected.

Even if the porcelain has lost its glaze and looks terrible,
it's not going to have any significant impact on the water
flow. However, it might make blockages rather more likely
and/or frequent. I suppose a little dishwashing liquid may
help avoid that problem. The Clorox toilet cleaner with
Telfon would probably do the same thing better.

But you didn't characterize the problem as being one of
frequent blockages -- just of poor flow.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On 19 Nov 2006 16:08:57 -0800, "pete" wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

If you get a new toilet take preventative measures to make sure it
doesn't wear out also. Stay away from whole grain and bran cereal.

"Malcolm Hoar" wrote in message
...
In article .com, "pete"
wrote:
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

Seriously, that diagnosis/treatment sounds nonsense.

The water is either slow to:

1. Enter the bowl. Or
2. Exit the bowl.

In case 1, you examine the flapper, water level etc.

In case 2, you start looking for a blockage or partial
blockage in the toilet and/or the drains to which it is
connected.

Even if the porcelain has lost its glaze and looks terrible,
it's not going to have any significant impact on the water
flow. However, it might make blockages rather more likely
and/or frequent. I suppose a little dishwashing liquid may
help avoid that problem. The Clorox toilet cleaner with
Telfon would probably do the same thing better.

But you didn't characterize the problem as being one of
frequent blockages -- just of poor flow.


The hydrolics of toilet flushing can be more complicated than
they might appear. Poor flushing can be caused by partial
blockage of the small holes under the rim (e.g. by the build-up
of hard water deposits). This can slow the inrush of water
enough to cause poor flushing. This may make a toilet
appear to be "worn out". Make sure that these holes are clear
and then see if your flushing improves.
Another cause of poor flush action is build-up in the throat
of the toilet. Make sure that this area is as clear and smooth
as possible.

I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn

--
Have a Great Week !

Check Winter Haven's Current Weather
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/...er+Haven+33881
"pete" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

pete wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

What's to wear out? (Other than items that would not cause that symptom.)

As the other poster suggested, there's probably an obstruction of some
sort somewhere in the system.

Our 25 year old toilets flush just fine.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

Try flushing solidswith a bucket of water........

Does it flush OK??

If so theres a quick easy cheap solution!!!

The Streets wrote:

The hydrolics of toilet flushing can be more complicated than
they might appear. Poor flushing can be caused by partial
blockage of the small holes under the rim (e.g. by the build-up
of hard water deposits). This can slow the inrush of water
enough to cause poor flushing. This may make a toilet
appear to be "worn out". Make sure that these holes are clear
and then see if your flushing improves.
Another cause of poor flush action is build-up in the throat
of the toilet. Make sure that this area is as clear and smooth
as possible.

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of water
they furnish the bowl is miniscule.

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of
water
they furnish the bowl is miniscule.

Sorry your wrong! Not long ago I fixed a friends toilet by giving it
some acid down the dip tube and in the bowl.

The crud that flowed out was amazing.

The rim holes add enough water to get the good flush going....

when you flush and see just a swirl sediment has likely plugged in
interior water passages.....

Easily fixed with acid in well under a half hour

"The Streets" wrote in message
...
The hydrolics of toilet flushing can be more complicated than
they might appear. Poor flushing can be caused by partial
blockage of the small holes under the rim (e.g. by the build-up
of hard water deposits). This can slow the inrush of water
enough to cause poor flushing. This may make a toilet
appear to be "worn out". Make sure that these holes are clear
and then see if your flushing improves.

My first thought as well, if the flapper is working correctly and
the sewer drain is clear. My house had three 30 year old toilets
slow on the flush. With our hard city water, mineral buildup
had caused a slower inrush of water thru the bowl rim. Cleaning
these out with a piece of coat hanger wire (about 8 inches long)
with a slight curve loosened a bunch of crud.

Another cause of poor flush action is build-up in the throat
of the toilet. Make sure that this area is as clear and smooth
as possible.

Right again. Clean these with the coat hanger until no
more deposits and till smooth to the touch.

In my case, this cleaning let me keep my old three gallon
flushers.

lee

On 19 Nov 2006 16:08:57 -0800, "pete" wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

I have heard that calcium builds up in the toilet throat (part you
can't see) over time and reduces the size of the opening. I have
cleaned many toilets in my rentals by putting a lot of swimming pool
acid into them to dissolve the stains. It would also dissolve any
calcium build up in the throat. I don't measure but I would guess I
put about 2 cups of acid into the bowl at a time and let it work and
then flush. This creates a lot of fumes after a while so you need to
have ventilation. Swimming pool acid does a great job of cleaning
calcium build up off of shower doors and tiles too. You don't want to
spill any on yourself. It is hard on the grout so you don't want to
do it very often or use it straight.

Or go for white vinegar down the overflow tube to get the rim holes.
Let it set in there overnight every so often. I use a .22 caliber gun-
cleaning brush for the rim holes if they seem to need cleaning if
the vinegar doesn't help.
Remember that vinegar is an acid, just not as aggressive as others.


Ashton Crusher wrote:
On 19 Nov 2006 16:08:57 -0800, "pete" wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

I have heard that calcium builds up in the toilet throat (part you
can't see) over time and reduces the size of the opening. I have
cleaned many toilets in my rentals by putting a lot of swimming pool
acid into them to dissolve the stains. It would also dissolve any
calcium build up in the throat. I don't measure but I would guess I
put about 2 cups of acid into the bowl at a time and let it work and
then flush. This creates a lot of fumes after a while so you need to
have ventilation. Swimming pool acid does a great job of cleaning
calcium build up off of shower doors and tiles too. You don't want to
spill any on yourself. It is hard on the grout so you don't want to
do it very often or use it straight.

HeyBub wrote:
...

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of
water they furnish the bowl is miniscule.

That was likely true in the old 5 gallon flush days, but today every oz
of water counts.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

Question. Does the water flow slowly from the tank to the bowl?

Or, does the bowl fill up rapidly, and then drain slowly?

These are two different symptoms, and indicate two different problems.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"pete" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

On Sun, 19 Nov 2006 16:42:53 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:


"pete" wrote in message
roups.com...
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old


Say what? It takes about an hour to remove every moving part from a toilet
and replace it. It takes a little longer to remove it from the floor and
replace the wax gasket. If you do all that, it should work "good as new."
You have exactly the same porcelain that the toilet came with.

Your problem is something other than your toilet. Something obstructing the
line, the trap, or the line between the trap and further.

Or constricting the flow between the cistern and the bowl.
Does it flush slowly with a bucket? or only when you
pull the handle?

Stormy, tell the OP to use stool softener.


"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Question. Does the water flow slowly from the tank to the bowl?

Or, does the bowl fill up rapidly, and then drain slowly?

These are two different symptoms, and indicate two different problems.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

"pete" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old

replying to , JH wrote:
hallerb wrote:

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of
water
Sorry your wrong! Not long ago I fixed a friends toilet by giving it
some acid down the dip tube and in the bowl.
The crud that flowed out was amazing.
The rim holes add enough water to get the good flush going....
when you flush and see just a swirl sediment has likely plugged in
interior water passages.....
Easily fixed with acid in well under a half hour


Can you tell me what type of acid to use and how much? Also how should I
use it?

--

On Thursday, December 11, 2014 10:44:08 PM UTC-6, JH wrote:

replying to , JH wrote:
hallerb wrote:

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of
water
Sorry your wrong! Not long ago I fixed a friends toilet by giving it
some acid down the dip tube and in the bowl.
The crud that flowed out was amazing.
The rim holes add enough water to get the good flush going....
when you flush and see just a swirl sediment has likely plugged in
interior water passages.....
Easily fixed with acid in well under a half hour


Can you tell me what type of acid to use and how much? Also how should I
use it?


Since you are replying to an 8 year old thread, let's hope ol' Bob comes back and tells you what type of acid you should use.

On Friday, December 12, 2014 4:49:29 AM UTC-5, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:
On Thursday, December 11, 2014 10:44:08 PM UTC-6, JH wrote:

replying to , JH wrote:
hallerb wrote:

Nah, the holes under the rim are for rinsing the sides. The amount of
water
Sorry your wrong! Not long ago I fixed a friends toilet by giving it
some acid down the dip tube and in the bowl.
The crud that flowed out was amazing.
The rim holes add enough water to get the good flush going....
when you flush and see just a swirl sediment has likely plugged in
interior water passages.....
Easily fixed with acid in well under a half hour


Can you tell me what type of acid to use and how much? Also how should I
use it?


Since you are replying to an 8 year old thread, let's hope ol' Bob comes back and tells you what type of acid you should use.

Hydrochloric/Muriatic, available at HD, hardware stores, etc.

On 12/12/2014 4:49 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:
On Thursday, December 11, 2014 10:44:08 PM UTC-6, JH wrote:

replying to , JH wrote:
hallerb wrote:


Can you tell me what type of acid to use and how much? Also how should I
use it?


Since you are replying to an 8 year old thread,
let's hope ol' Bob comes back and tells you what
type of acid you should use.


Glacial acetic, maybe?

-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

pete wrote: "I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old"


I *thought* this was a repair forum, according to it's name, but anywho...


One thing nobody mentioned on he The possibility of mineral build-up inside the rim jets of the toilet bowl itself. This is especially true with a very old fixture or if your local water supply is particularly hard. A small wire brush might be used to carefully clear out those rim jets and restore some of the original flushing power.

Using a plumber's snake to clear any drain obstacles, as mentioned earlier on here, is common sense, but should not require pulling up the toilet.

Finally, make sure your tank is refilling up to the full line inside, not 2 inches or so beneath it, so you are using the specified water amount per flush.

replying to pete, shutterbug wrote:
jlguth wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old


I was told the same thing today. Apparently, the water is forced into the
drain so that the flushing action can take place. Carbon build-up can
slow that forced water stream, neutralizing the flushing action. Go
figure.


--

On 11/25/2015 12:44 AM, shutterbug wrote:
replying to pete, shutterbug wrote:
jlguth wrote:

I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old


I was told the same thing today. Apparently, the water is forced into the
drain so that the flushing action can take place. Carbon build-up can
slow that forced water stream, neutralizing the flushing action. Go
figure.


Toilets can deteriorate. Under the rim is a series of holes for the
water to come into the bowl for the flush. Over time, depending on your
water, they will get plugged and performance slowly degrades. The trap
can build up too.

If you are going to replace the toilet, get the comfort height. Easier
on the knees as you get older. There are some very good toilets that are
reasonably priced from Kohler, Amer. Standard, Toto

| I have been told my toilet is"worn out" and that is why the water
| flushes so slowly......that the porcelian is worn
| out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
| plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
| days.....would improve but not much
| ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old
|
|
| I was told the same thing today. Apparently, the water is forced into the
| drain so that the flushing action can take place. Carbon build-up can
| slow that forced water stream, neutralizing the flushing action. Go
| figure.
|

Sounds to me like an urban legend, maybe perpetrated
by dish soap makers. Try filling a rough wooden bowl
with water and then tipping it. Do you find that the water
suddenly acts colloidal, resisting tipping out of the bowl
because of friction? I doubt that will happen.

Before the 1.6 gallon flush law it was common not to
even glaze the inner s-tube section of toilets. (I can't
recall the name for that.)

On the other hand, more modern toilets have been
designed with surprisingly powerful flushes. So maybe
the person who told you that yours is anemic is simply
comparing it to theirs. If it works then it doesn't need
to be fixed. It certainly doesn't need more dish soap added
to sewer waste that then has to be treated.

shutterbug posted for all of us...


Subject: "worn out" toilet
From: shutterbug

replying to pete, shutterbug wrote:
[quoted text muted]
out.................have not heard of that before......suggestion by a
plumber was to pour dishwashing soap in bowl every couple of
days.....would improve but not much
ANy ideas??? Toilet might be 20 years old


I was told the same thing today. Apparently, the water is forced into the
drain so that the flushing action can take place. Carbon build-up can
slow that forced water stream, neutralizing the flushing action. Go
figure.


I don't think it's "carbon buildup" but rather mineral buildup. A good
product which I use and recommended here was Worx. It does... DAGS as to
application and usage. You may save $$$ having to replace the terlet vs the
work.

--
Tekkie