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We have all come to take our toilets for granted, and can’t even imagine a scenario where we would have to leave the house to do our business.
As precious as they are, toilets also tend to cause a fair few headaches. For example, their handles may break or a toilet won’t stop running.
If you find yourself using a toilet with a broken handle, here is how you can flush it.
How to Flush a Toilet Without a Handle?
The simplest way to flush a toilet without a handle is to pour water directly into the bowl. You will need at least 4 litres to make sure all the waste is flushed away.
If the broken handle is still attached to the chain inside the tank, you should be able to flush fairly easily. All you have to do is pull and twist enough to get the chain to pull the flapper up and release water from the tank into the bowl.
If you can’t seem to make this work, you can lift the lid of the toilet tank and lift the flapper from there. The flapper is the rubber stopper that is plugging the bottom of the tank. It has a chain attached to it that should be connected to your handle.
By lifting this flapper, you can get your toilet to flush as it normally would, even if the handle is broken.
If the chain is no longer connected to the flapper, you will need to lift the flapper with your hand. Don’t worry, the water in your toilet tank is clean, and there is no waste in it. Do wash your hands afterwards though.
If the toilet tank is empty, you will need to discover why it’s not filling. However, for the time being, you can just pour water into it, and flush your toilet as described above, by lifting the flapper.
If you don’t want to be bothered with the toilet tank lid and the flapper, you can fill a bucket with water and pour it into the bowl. Use at least four litres to make sure everything is flushed away in one go.
You want to pour the water quickly, but without actually splashing any around or overfilling the bowl. Aim to empty your bucket in 5-10 seconds, which should provide plenty of pressure for the toilet to flush.
If you want to replace the entire toilet tank, instead of just the handle, bear in mind that toilet tanks are not universal, so you will need to find a model that specifically fits your toilet bowl.
Can You Manually Flush a Toilet?
Yes, you can flush a toilet manually. All you have to do is pour a large amount of water (around 4 litres) into it with relative speed.
Toilets are very simple devices. They rely on gravity to carry the water and waste into the pipes below it. When you pour a lot of water into it, basic physics will kick in, and you will be able to flush your toilet even when there is no water, or if the handle is broken.
Remember that there are things you should never flush down the toilet, including condoms, tampons and cigarettes. Even paper towels are a no go, as is hair.
Cat litter and poop should also not be flushed. If you are a dog owner though, you can flush dog poop.
How Do You Flush a Toilet When the Chain Breaks?
If the chain of your toilet is broken, you can either pour a bucket of water into the bowl to flush it, or remove the toilet tank lid and lift the flapper to pour the water from the tank into the bowl.
Once the lid is off, you will quickly be able to tell if the chain inside the tank is still connected to the handle and the flapper. If not, you will need to replace it. Make sure you get the length right, as a short chain will cause water to trickle from the tank into the bowl constantly, while a chain that is too long won’t be able to lift the flapper.
Empty the tank and turn the water supply to it off if you are replacing this chain, as it will be much easier with a dry tank.
If only the chain on the outside of the tank is broken, you can push the handle down with your hand, if you can reach it, or install a temporary chain replacement in the form of a string.
Wrapping It Up
Flushing a toilet without a handle isn’t too difficult. All you have to do is determine how much effort you want involved. The simplest course of action is to fetch a bucket and pour some water down the bowl, careful not to splash it all around the bathroom.