If you'll be gone several weeks or more, stretch a layer of plastic wrap over the toilet bowls to keep water from evaporating. If the toilets dry up, sewer odors may seep in and bugs may crawl up the pipes. It can also dry out the seal between the toilet and floor, which will make your toilets leak around the base.
Cling film is one of the many ways you can try and unblock your toilet (weird we know, but it works). Here's how you do it: Cover your toilet bowl in 2-3 layers of cling film, until it's airtight. When you're sure the entire bowl is covered in cling film and won't move, flush the toilet.
Put baking soda in your toilets.
Stagnant water can give off a strange smell, but if you put baking soda in your toilet bowl, you won't come home to a musty bathroom.
Treat with baking soda.
Sprinkle baking soda at the end of the day after everyone has gone to sleep. Swish it with the toilet brush to get it above the water line and leave overnight with the closed lid. Just flush in the morning.
Tip #2 – Leave the toilet seat up and open when away for an extended time. Why? Because air can then circulate in the toilet bowl, reducing the chance of built-up scum.
Closing the lid when you flush is a good habit to get into.
Closing the lid before flushing can definitely curb the spread of some aerosolized microbes that would otherwise be sprinkled throughout the bathroom, says Marilyn Roberts, Ph.
Details: Toilets can collect bacteria, which can cause stains. Short-term: Pour a half cup of chlorine into the bowl (not the tank). Long-term: Do the same. Have a friend periodically flush the toilets while you are gone.
Using either disinfecting wipes or a combination of disinfecting spray and a rag, paper towels, or a sponge (that you reserve just for this task), wipe down all of the external surfaces of the toilet, paying special attention to any areas you touch regularly such as the seat and the flushing handle.
First, flush the toilet and then pour a quarter of a cup of Borax into it, using your toilet brush to swish it around. Next, add one to two cups of vinegar and let the mixture sit for 20-30 minutes. You should be able to scrub the stains away and flush the toilet to reveal a fresh, and clean bowl.
Here are some things to do if you have a bathroom that does not get used that often: The main thing is to run water in the sink, shower and flush the toilet at least once a week. This will keep the traps full. A trap that has evaporated will let sewer gas into your home causing odor.
Most plumbers actually recommend using rock salt to eliminate clogs and maintain the toilet drain after unclogging it. To use this product, take a cup of the rock salt and put it in a bucket. Add two gallons of hot water. Allow the salt to get dissolved completely.
Unblocking your toilet using washing up liquid
Start by squeezing in about half a bottle of the washing up liquid, which will then sink to the bottom of the toilet bowl. Next, pour in the bucket of water to flush the washing up liquid down the u-bend. With a bit of luck, this will clear the blockage.
As it turns out, you can actually unclog a toilet with dish soap instead of turning to a harsh, toxic bowl cleaner. Just as natural dish soap helps break down dirt, grease, and food that may be stuck on dishes and utensils, it can help break down what's in your toilet bowl.
Bacteria and Smells
Along with the smell from the clog, you may smell bacteria as it grows. The sitting water gives bacteria ample time to set up shop. Not only is this gross, but it also makes dealing with the clog in the morning less sanitary too.
For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging. If your toilet remains clogged or continues to get clogged, this may be an indication of plumbing problems such as mineral buildup or pressure issues.
You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet. Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight.
Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.
Because water deposits build up under a toilet's rim, it can take only 24-48 hours for colonies to start breeding. As it grows, you will see what looks like black debris or rings inside the bowl. This can cause respiratory problems for people as the mold and mildew release tiny spores into the air.
Make sure you do not wet the toilet seat. Do not throw water on the floor as someone might slip and get hurt. Females should always sit on the toilet seat while peeing. Male employees should always stand a little close to the toilet seat to avoid dripping. Never forget to use flush once you are done.
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the toilet bowl, let stand a few minutes, brush, and flush. If you have hard water, let the vinegar sit for an hour, and you may have to do some light scrubbing. To remove stains, add 1/2 cup borax to the water, swish it around, and let it soak overnight.
A bidet is a plumbing fixture that is installed as a separate unit in the bathroom besides toilet, shower and sink, which users have to straddle. Some bidets resemble a large hand basin, with taps and a stopper so they can be filled up; other designs have a nozzle that squirts a jet of water to aid in cleansing.
Leaving pee in the bowl instead of flushing it away seems gross and unsanitary to some. However, the science says that flushing every time actually spreads more germs. Yup. Meet 'toilet plume' – the spray caused by that blast of water when flushing.
"If you overstretch the bladder, it loses its proper tone and contraction," Dr Farrell says. "You may get urine staying in the bladder because it doesn't empty properly, and that can increase the risk of a UTI.