Last Updated on November 29, 2022 by acechapman
It is possible to repair or replace your toilet, or just clean it up. To do any of these, you will need to drain or empty your toilet bowl. How can you do that?
To completely empty the bowl of water, you can use a sponge. First, flush the toilet. Next, hold down the button until the water stops. The sponge can now be used to soak up any remaining water, squeezing it into a bucket as the sponge fills.
Why the Toilet Bowl Keeps Water
A toilet operates by siphon action. The flush is initiated by the siphon action. The tank water is released into the bowl when you push the lever to flush the toilet. This is because the hole in the tank’s bottom curves back upwards.
It’s a mechanism that creates a barrier that water must cross to reach the sewer. This barrier is crest when you drain the water from the tank into a bowl.
The draining water fills the pipe, which seals it from the air below and leaves behind a low-pressure zone. This draws water from the bowl behind it into the drain pipe.
Once the water is low enough, this low-pressure area will be broken down. This is when the water in the bowl starts to evaporate and the water stops flowing. This causes a gurgling sound, which is why water remains in the bowl after flushing.
Why Does This Matter?
Water will always be available if you need to take out your toilet, no matter if it is to fix or replace it. No matter how many times you flush, there would still be water. You could pull it off with no further action, and water would still be leaking from the bowl.
How To Drain A Toilet Bowl?
You will need these materials before you can drain the toilet bowl.
- Rubber gloves
- Toilet plunger
- Flexible hose
- Cup or small bowl
- Sponge
- Bucket
- Vacuum for wet-dry shops
- Hose
Turn Off The Water And Flush The Toilet
Turn off the water supply to your toilet and flush it. This will drain most of the water from both the tank and bowl. You can only do this if your toilet is clean. If the toilet has a blockage, you can move on to plunging your toilet bowl.
The shutoff valve is a small, football-shaped valve. It is located at the location where the water supply pipe runs from the wall or floor. It will often be connected to the supply tube that runs to the tank’s bottom left. Turn the shutoff valve clockwise until it stops.
Next, flush the toilet by holding the flush lever down until the tank is empty. Remove any water remaining in the toilet bowl, sponging is also an option.
Plunge The Toilet
You can use a plunger to empty most of a toilet, regardless of whether the toilet has clogs or blockages. However, this tool is particularly useful for clogged toilets. Grab a plunger, and continue to plunge the toilet until it is almost empty. It should work. However, it may take some time.
You could also find some toilet paper scraps if the toilet wasn’t clean before you began. You can use paper towels to clean up any leftovers and then throw them away.
Use A Hose To Drain The Toilet Bowl
- Get your supplies. A bucket, a hose, and gloves are all you will need.
- Wear gloves. Protect your hands from the soiled water.
- Add water to the bucket. Add water to the bucket, but not more than the toilet water.
- Add water to the hose. Add water to the hose, and then plug both ends using your fingers.
- Place the hose. Place one end of the hose in the bucket and the other in the toilet while you hold the ends.
- Drain the toilet. Let go of the ends of your hose once they are in the water. Water will drain until it reaches the bucket.
Take The Water Out By Scooping
You can also scoop out the water from the toilet bowl. Start by taking out the water using a cup or bowl. Continue doing this until you are unable to scoop anymore.
Next, use a sponge or rag to remove any remaining water.
Use A Sponge To Empty The Toilet
It is possible to empty any remaining water without clogging, provided you are willing and able to reach the toilet water. There are many ways you can do this, but the easiest is to use a sponge or a bucket.
These steps will help you empty your toilet bowl using a sponge.
- Wear gloves if you are going to come in contact with septic water.
- Turn the water off by turning the knob clockwise on the wall behind the toilet.
- To flush the toilet, Keep the lever down until the water stops moving.
- You can then clean up the soiled areas. Let the sponge soak up as much water as possible.
- You can squeeze it out into any container, but it is best to use a big enough one. It is important that you don’t allow toilet water to spill everywhere as you pour it out.
- Continue to do this until you drain out all the water.
- If you are only removing the bowl, you can now close it. If you wish to completely remove the toilet, then do the same with the water remaining in the tank.
Vacuum Out The Remaining Water
The wet-dry vacuum is quick and easy to drain a toilet. However, it is not recommended unless the toilet water is clean. To prepare the vacuum for “wet” mode, make sure you remove the filter from the vacuum. Also, don’t fill the vacuum with too much water. It’s not a good idea to walk around with a large vacuum bag full of toilet water.
How much water should your toilet bowl hold?
There are many factors that affect the amount of water needed for your toilet. The amount of water that a toilet needs per flush will determine how much water between flushes it holds.
Because newer toilets require less water per flush, federal regulations mean that the tank uses less water. A modern toilet can only use 1.6 gallons of water per flush.
An older toilet might use up to 7 gallons per flush. These toilets require a lot of water every flush.
Look for a line inside your tank to determine how much water is in it. This will indicate the water level. If the line is not visible, the water level should be approximately 1″ below the overflow tube.
The overflow tube is located in the middle tank. The toilet will not stop running if the water level is above the tube. You could also risk your toilet clogging or blocking if the water level is too low.
Wrapping up
It is important to drain a toilet bowl for repairs or replacement of the whole fixture. You now know how to do this yourself.
It can be difficult to remove your toilet from your home. The plumbing could also get damaged. Call for a plumber to help you with any toilet repair or replacement.
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