Your toilet works hard. These six everyday habits are quietly working against it, and each one is free to fix.
Your toilet gets used more than any other fixture in your home, but most people don’t know much about how it works. That’s why some habits seem harmless, right up until you’re suddenly dealing with a flooded bathroom and searching for the plunger.
Here’s the short list of the
six worst toilet habits:
- Flushing “flushable” wipes
- Using chemical drain cleaners
- Flushing again when it’s clogged
- Ignoring a running toilet
- Putting bleach tablets in the tank
- Using too much toilet paper
Each one is easy to fix once you know
what’s really going on.
The Golden Rule
If it isn’t toilet paper or human waste, it doesn’t belong in your toilet. Everything below follows from that.
The Habits
Let’s look at how each habit affects your plumbing
Worst Offender
Trusting the Word “Flushable”
Toilet paper is made to break down in water within seconds. Wipes, on the other hand, are designed to stay strong when wet. That’s the whole reason people use them, but both things can’t be true for the same product. In fact, when Ryerson University tested 23 wipes labeled flushable, none of them broke down enough to safely move through a sewer system.
The same goes for cat litter, paper towels, cotton swabs, dental floss, and feminine hygiene products. Just because something disappears when you flush doesn’t mean it made it through your pipes. Most of these items get stuck a few feet in and start catching everything else that follows.
Do this instead
- Place a small lidded trash can next to every toilet
- All wipes go in the trash, no matter what the label says
Never Do This
Reaching for Chemical
Drain Cleaner
Liquid drain cleaners and toilets just don’t mix. Most chemical cleaners create heat to break up clogs, but that heat can crack porcelain, soften PVC pipes, and corrode older metal pipes. Plus, toilet clogs usually sit in the trap or just past it, so the chemicals often pool right where they can do the most harm. If the cleaner doesn’t work, you’re left with a toilet full of harsh chemicals for the next person who tries to plunge it.
Do this instead
- Use a flange plunger (the type with the extra rubber sleeve)
- If plunging fails, the clog is deeper in the line, and a professional drain clearing can actually save you money in the long run
Flood Risk
Flushing Again to
“Push the Clog Through”
Most of us have tried this: The water rises, pauses, and you think one more flush will fix it. It’s best not to take that chance.
Every flush sends about 1.6 gallons of water (in most modern toilets) toward a drain that’s already blocked. If the bowl is nearly full, that second flush is what causes water to spill onto your bathroom floor. Bathroom floods can get expensive fast, since water can seep into subfloors, baseboards, and even the ceiling below.
Do this instead
- If the flush seems weak or water starts rising, stop right away
- Take off the tank lid and press the flapper (the rubber disc at the bottom) closed
- Wait a few minutes, then use a plunger
Costs You Monthly
Ignoring a Running Toilet
A running toilet might just sound like background noise, but it’s actually like having an open faucet you can’t see. The EPA’s WaterSense program says household leaks waste almost 10,000 gallons of water a year in the average home, and a running toilet is one of the main reasons, sometimes wasting hundreds of gallons a day. You’ll see that extra water on your bill every month until you fix it.
Most of the time, the problem is a worn flapper or a fill valve that needs adjusting, and both are cheap to fix. What really costs you is waiting months and just jiggling the handle instead of making a quick repair.
Do this instead
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank
- Wait 15 minutes without flushing, then check the bowl
- If color shows up, water is leaking past the flapper and it’s time for a repair
Sneaky Damage
Dropping Bleach Tablets
in the Tank
This one catches most people off guard. Blue drop-in tank tablets keep your toilet looking clean, but they work by soaking every rubber and plastic part in your tank with strong bleach all the time. This causes flappers to warp, gaskets to become brittle, and seals to fail much sooner than they should. Many toilet manufacturers will even void your warranty if you use these tablets.
The twist is that a damaged flapper can cause the running toilet problem from habit #4, so using these tablets often leads to even more issues.
Do this instead
- Clean with a brush and a cleaner made for the bowl, not the tank
- Your flapper will last years longer
Easy Fix
Using Too Much
Toilet Paper at Once
Toilet paper does break down, but not right away. If you use a big wad, it can form a dense clump that’s hard to flush, especially in older homes or houses with long drain pipes. Ultra-plush, multi-ply paper is the worst for this because it’s made to stay together longer.
Do this instead
- If you need more paper, flush twice. Two smaller flushes beat one big one
- It’s a good habit to teach kids early
- Frequent clogs with normal paper use point to a problem deeper in your drain system, worth getting checked
The Math
What These Habits Cost If You Ignore Them
Fixing the Habit
About the cost of a decent flange plunger. Every habit on this list is free to change, no special tools or parts needed, just a few small adjustments starting today.
Ignoring the Habit
$100–$600+
Typical range for professional clog removal, depending on how deep the blockage is. A sewage backup or water damage to floors and walls can reach thousands.
With plumbing, small habits that go unchecked often turn into big expenses. If you want more tips, we’ve covered more ways to prevent toilet clogs on the blog.
Quick Answers
Toilet Habit FAQs
Are flushable wipes really flushable?
No. Independent testing has found that wipes labeled flushable do not break down like toilet paper and are a leading cause of home sewer clogs. Toss all wipes in the trash, regardless of the label.
Can I use Drano or liquid drain cleaner in a toilet?
No. Chemical drain cleaners can crack porcelain, damage pipes, and leave caustic water in the bowl. Use a flange plunger, and call a plumber if the clog won’t clear.
How much water does a running toilet waste?
A constantly running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons per day. Even a moderate leak adds up to thousands of gallons a year, all of it showing up on your water bill.
Why does my toilet keep clogging with normal use?
Frequent clogs with normal toilet paper use usually point to a partial blockage, a venting problem, or an aging low-flow toilet. A drain inspection can pinpoint the cause.
What should you never flush down a toilet?
Wipes of any kind, paper towels, cat litter, cotton swabs and balls, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, medications, and grease. Toilet paper and human waste only.
When a Habit Has Already Become a Problem
Don’t Fight the
Toilet Alone
If you’re already dealing with a clog, a leak, or a stubborn toilet, you don’t have to handle it by yourself. The plumbers at Peterman Brothers have seen it all, even the things people claim they never flushed, and we’ll explain your options with upfront pricing before any work begins. Plus, Peterman Protection Club members get free drain clearings, making it even easier to get help when drains slow down.
Upfront pricing. Options explained before any work begins.
Six small habits, all free to fix. Your pipes (and your water bill) will thank you.
