One of the most disgusting plumbing problems you can face at home or office is a toilet that won’t flush all the waste at once. Besides being highly inconvenient, it also presents a sanitation hazard. If your toilet flushes but poop stays in the bowl, then you have quite a stinky problem to deal with. In this guide, I will show you all the possible reasons that might happen and the various solutions to this unsightly issue.
Why Poop Remains After Flushing the Toilet
There are many reasons why a toilet won’t flush fully. Start by examining the toilet tank. If it doesn’t fill all the way, you’ll need to figure out what is causing the problem and make a plan to fix it. If you can’t get the water inside your toilet tank to fill it completely, there will be a weak flush that doesn’t get rid of all the waste. But if you see that the toilet tank is full, it could be a clog in the drain or other problems.
Check the chain and handle on the toilet for broken parts. If nothing happens when you push the toilet handle or if it swings freely when you press it, that could be a sign that the toilet handle or the chain that holds it to the flapper is broken. Check the spouts of your toilet, and if a part of the chain or the handle is damaged, repair it.
Here are other reasons your toilet might be flushing partially and how to fix the problem.
1: Clogged Toilet
Clogs in toilets cause water to not flow normally, and this is one of the most common reasons why toilets don’t flush fully. Clogs in toilets can cause partial or full blockage. Wipes and other paper items can also build up in sewer lines, causing the toilet to run slowly and not flush all the way.
If your toilet doesn’t flush fully due to a clog, you might try using a plunger or toilet auger to unclog it and make it flush more easily. If you use flange-style plungers, ensure they meet the bowl well. Use a plunger to loosen up any debris that could cause a clog in a toilet. Try flushing the toilet to check if it’s working better. If it does begin to work better, you may have to use the plunger again to break through the blockage.
When using an augur to unclog the toilet, follow the directions on the tube. Try flushing the toilet to check if the clog is gone. If there is no object causing the blockage, you can try using hot water to force the clog through the drain. Some people find that using hot water temporarily solves their problems. However, it is important to never overheat the water as it can cause problems with the plumbing system.
2: Flapper Problem
Flappers are typically installed at the bottom of the toilet tank. They seal very securely when closed. If the flappers aren’t sealing well, it can affect the way your toilet flushes. Remove a cover from the bottom of your toilet and examine the flapper to see if it’s sealing correctly. If your toilet frequently runs, it may mean that the flapper is not sealing completely. If this is the case, you can order a new flapper from a local hardware store.
3: Issues with the Overflow Tube
An overflow tube is a small tube that sits in the center of a toilet tank and helps you empty the water that is in it. It allows water to drain from your toilet tank to avoid overflow. Over time, the tubes can become cracked and cause the water to leak into the toilet bowl. This causes the tank to be less full and drain less water. This causes a slow, sluggish flushing of the water in the tank. If there are cracks in the overfill tube, it is very important that you replace it.
4: Fill Valve Assembly Problems
If the toilet doesn’t fill the tank fully, it could be that the fill valve is clogged. Check the float that keeps water in the fill valve from overfilling the tank. It could be something that looks like a large bulb that mounts to the end of a solid metal rod, or it could be a small round float that fits around the fill valve to prevent water from rising too high. This float enables you to stop filling your tank when the water in the tank reaches a certain level. If a float on top of a fill valve is incorrectly adjusted or is stuck, the water level in the tank will be impacted.
When the fill valve is clogged, it can cause the tank to be underfilled. Flush the toilet and check that water is flowing from the tank to the bowl. Let the water run off of the tank, and then watch the fill valve to see if water is rushing into the tank as it is supposed to.
5: Blocked Inlet Holes
When it is time to flush the toilet system, water drains from the tank into a small spout on the underside of the toilet bowl, where there are small holes to let water pass. If inlet holes in toilet bowls become blocked, water will flow slowly down the toilet and over the rim of the toilet, causing a slow flush that doesn’t flush the toilet bowl completely. Check for the following signs that indicate if inlet holes in the toilet are clogged:
- Your tank drains too slowly when flushed.
- Water flows into the bowl and goes down from the rim instead of taking a diagonal direction.
- Areas in the bowl aren’t receiving any water flow at all when you flush.
Any of these signs could be a sign of clogged jets. Use a scrubber, toothpick, or brush to clean mineral buildup from the inside of the jets to get water flowing again.
6: A Low-Flow Toilet
If all of your poop is not flinging down the drain, the cause could be as simple as a toilet that does not flow perfectly. Modern toilet systems are built to use minimal water and help you save money and the environment.
But if there is a lot of waste in the toilet bowl, a toilet that uses very little water may not do the job. While it is possible to easily modify toilets to use more water, the only really effective way to do that is to buy a modern, efficient flushing toilet.
7: Bad Plumbing
Your plumbing system may be old and unreliable, so it cannot handle a lot of water and other waste at once. If it seems like something is wrong with your plumbing, you really need to call a plumber for help. You may need to replace the pipes in your house with pipes that are much larger so that you can flush out more waste at once.
8: Excessive Amounts of Waste
Another cause of partial flushing is that there is simply way too much waste in the toilet for it to cope with. There is no real solution here apart from buying a more powerful, non-clog toilet or limiting your food intake.
How to Dissolve Poop in Toilet
So if you’ve got a big pile of poop in your toilet you want to get rid of, there are various methods you can use. They include:
1: Coke
Dark-colored sodas, like Coca-Cola, contain chemicals that can help you easily break down poop in the toilet bowl.
2: Hot Water and Detergent
Also, you could place a couple of cups of dish detergent in your toilet, and then pour a gallon of hot water on the top of that. It will dislodge all the poop that you may have accumulated in your toilet.
3: Baking Soda and Vinegar
You can easily dissolve excessive poop in your toilet bowl using baking soda and vinegar. Just add a few drops of white vinegar and a couple of teaspoons of baking soda to your toilet bowl. The reaction that you are doing will produce a lot of oxygen that breaks down the poop and allow it to flush down the toilet.
4: Green Gobbler
You can also use a product that will help you dispose of all the poop right in the bowl. Green Gobbler is one option that many people like.
Summary
If you find that the poop in your toilet doesn’t go down the drain like it should, you now know all the possible causes and how to fix them. If none of those causes work, you can try trying a different toilet model. In the event that some poop appears to be stuck in your toilet bowl and isn’t able to get out easily, try out the tips we’ve discussed here. If nothing fixes the problem, you may need to contact in a plumber or perhaps replace the toilet.
