Caring for Your New Toilet
Some simple straightforward suggestions to extend the life of your toilet and keeping it look like new for years to come.
- Never use your toilet as a ladder. This may cause damage not only to the toilet, but to the flange that the toilet sits on. (To learn about the flange and other plumbing in your home, click on the i-House on the bottom right-hand side of our Home Page at plumbperfect.ca). Also take care not to put any pressure on the tank by leaning on it as it may loosen the tank-to-bowl seal or crack the tank.
- Don’t store heavy items above the toilet to minimize the risk of them falling and cracking the tank or bowl. Smaller items falling into the toilet, such as hairbrushes, make-up and hygiene products, can get stuck inside the toilet and cannot be dislodged, which means the toilet may have to be replaced.
- Do use natural cleaning products to keep your toilet looking like new. Abrasive and caustic cleaners damage the glazing on the porcelain toilet leading to more frequent cleaning and, in most cases, even void toilet manufacturer warranties. Nylon brushes can also damage the glazing. Worn toilet brushes should be replaced before the metal is exposed causing scratches in the toilet bowl.
- Never pour hot water or liquids into the tank or bowl as it may crack due to the cold water and porcelain. Mixing different cleaning products together can have the same result and be harmful to your health. It can even be dangerous.
- Avoid using your toilet as a garbage can. Toilet paper is designed in size and density to easily break down. Paper towels, facial tissue and flushable wipes and tampons are more dense and may clog the toilet and even your sewer line. Just because it says it’s flushable doesn’t mean it won’t clog!
- Don’t flush waste such as fats, grease, wax and starch as they can clog the toilet and make water treatment more difficult. Prescription medications are actually hazardous waste and municipal sewage treatment plants are not engineered for pharmaceutical removal. Most pass through the system and are released into our lakes and rivers or end up in the treated wastewater ready to be sent back to our homes. They also harm the beneficial bacteria needed to break down waste in septic systems.
- Any components inside the toilet tank should be replaced with exact brand name parts to keep your toilet operating at peak efficiency. For example, if your American Standard Cadet flapper was replaced with a universal flapper, you could actually be using up to three times more water with every flush!
For Expert Plumbing Service Please Call Plumb Perfect Ltd. 1.888.458.1979