Dear Sir: You are owed a direct look in the eyes, a firm handshake/smile and a BIG THANK YOU! I now have a properly flushing toilet and know how to maintain the toilet. :)
I've been spending the last 3 days working on my toilet that had every conceivable problem there can be. In addition to hard water damage, having to flush twice to drain, the toilet that would run for about 5 seconds every once in awhile, not to mention that annoying water line ring in the bowl. I've replaced the refill valve, the flapper valve, ducktaped the rim jet holes and sent 30% vinegar down the refill tube, let it sit overnight, did the vinegar and baking soda trick to clean the bowl, barkeepers friend helped with the water line ring. and using small screwdriver to help unplug drain holes as you have. The things you learn from these videos and comments people leave ! I'm going to buy a paint can opener. What would we do without the internet. Good luck all. Thanks for your posting.
This one of the best instructional videos I have seen on UA-cam, He addresses a common problem and explains the root cause and multiple ways to address without buying expensive tools. Using a mustard bottle and 1/4 flexible tube, wire hanger, and brush. Showing the struggle and effort to pull out hard water deposit rather working on a pristine toilet in some other instructional videos. very impressed with this video and hope Kevin has answers to my water hammer issues as well. Dennis Alpharetta GA
Kevin - I just want to say thank you for saving me the cost of a new toilet!! I have had a flushing problem with my toilet for a while. I even have hired a professional plumber $$'s and they never looked at or discussed a calcium build up. He actually had me get the septic tank pumped out! You made this so simple and not sure why I've spent 'good' money on something that you took your time to help fix!! Both my wife and I thank you !!
OMG, seriously?? Come on Norm, were you even paying attention? Surely you must have caught on at some point during those 23+ grueling & rarely edited minutes, it's NOT a toilet...it's a COMMODE!!! Just giving you crap Kev(pun intended), it was a very instructional video, honestly...thank you!
Thank you Kevin. I am a single mom with one small income. I watched a lot of UA-cam videos and how to fix my toilet and you by far where the best. You were easy to understand very clear and explain things very well. Inexpensive tools. Thank you Thank you!!!
Thank you Kevin! Love your video! My husband looked at some other UA-cam video that must have said, pour vinegar into the bowl & tank, leave it sit while you sit down and drink beer for the rest of the day. Toilet down for over 4 days as he was going to call a plumber and get a new toilet. I did your UA-cam method (other than i couldn’t get a tube in the small holes and it worked like a charm!
This. Video. Is. A. Lifesaver especially for the new, non-handy homeowner in areas with hard water. You just saved me a call to a plumber that would have cost me $200 I don't have. THANK YOU so much.
Just came here to say what everyone else is saying... THANK YOU!! We had a plumber come out and left completely confused. Snaked the toilet. Would flush one time then not the next. Problem got worse and didnt "flush" at all unless there was plenty of waste. Watched your video and cleaned a TON of junk from the jet in the front. Now it works wonderfully!
Thanks so much for this video!!!!! I have been having this exact issue for literally 2 years in my master bath. I was actually going to buy a new toilet this weekend. I followed your steps and my expensive Kohler toilet is working perfectly now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm 66 and terrified to try. You've given me hope that I can do it, too. But my problem is a little different. The toilet bowl overflowed but water gushed onto the floor from underneath the toilet, too. I wonder if I need a new toilet? @KevinRobinson
@@shirleycolon403 . Sounds like you have two problems. 1. If the bowl overflowed, then you have an obstruction in the toilet outlet or in the drain pipe. 2. If water exits from under the toilet, you probably have a cracked toilet and/or a defective wax seal between the toilet and drain line.
Great video! Our toilet had been struggling for over a year. We removed the mineral buildup from the bottom hole and now it's like new again! We had been advised by another person's video to clean the bowl jets, but that wasn't enough. Thanks for being so thorough.
This is exactly what I needed to fix my poorly flushing toilet!!! Thank you! I didn't go as far as the ketchup bottle and tubing, but I did shut off water, empty bowl, put in CLR and then scrubbed a lot of the deposits out! Hooray!! It works great now!
Kevin, Thanks a million for this video! I just fixed the poorly flushing toilet in my 60 year old house using the product and technique you show in your video. I had no idea that the small hole in the bottom of the toilet was so important in the flush, and that it could be completely closed up by mineral deposits. The other two toilets in my house have not exhibited this behavior yet, but I will be clearing out the mineral deposits in them as a preventative measure. Thanks again - You 'da man!
I didnt have a clue and was skeptical but i did this and the toilet worked I found out Chicago had the hardest water in the country give this guy a Pabst blue ribbon !
Thank you for this excellent video. I have replaced toilets, unclogged toilets, and replaced valves.... never new most of this maintenance stuff you are describing. 👍
Great video. Useful information about hard water and deposits. Your toilet seems to be working better, but it gurgles. Gurgles can be a lack of Negative Pressure from Vent Pipe. You may want to check your VENT pipe that goes up to the roof for blockage. See if you have leaves, debris, or animals/nest inside. Thank you for your video & Good Luck!
The large flush hole down next to the drain in the bottom of my toilet was totally blocked with hard water deposits. The holes around the rim were the only ones working during a flush. If I hadn't seen your video, I never would have thought to check this out - you saved me the cost of an expensive service call and possibly a new toilet. Thank-you very much! I used a coat hanger, battery terminal wire brush and a paint can opener as suggested by Ben, and was able to totally clear the clog. There was a large piece of the deposit that could not fit through the hole. I was able to use the paint can opener to press down on this piece and break it into smaller pieces that came out when I flushed the toilet. Thanks again!
Thanks was trying to fix this for awhile finally found the right video! I had a huge deposit build up like you in the front hole at the bottom of the toilet . It was probably a little bigger than a quarter after breaking that up I used a large zip tie to put in there to break more up now it works like a charm!! You the man!!!
Great video, all made sense. One of the best parts is ruling out a clogged line by dumping bucket of water in bowl....That makes so much sense...Thanks, this helped me more than any other video.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO!!! It was recommended that I purchase a new toilet by plumber but I was not ready to replace my Toto toilet as they are expensive to replace. I watched your video, purchased the necessary tools and BAM! I have a working toilet again! I am so happy and my husband is amazed at my persistence to accomplish this 😊
Thank you so much Liz i am so glad i could help you out and save you from having to replace your toilet, good job you should be very proud of yourself.
I took the easier route. Siphoned out the bowl. Poured 3 cups of CLR in the bowl. Let sit overnight. Came prepared to dig out what was left, but there was left attached. Flushed 3 times and called it a day. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for your clear hose idea with the CLR. One of our toilets has a weak flush so I have been cleaning it up then taping of the jets with masking tape and adding some cleaning enzymes from the hardware store, the flush was still weak but better so I did the same process using a quart of straight vinegar in the overflow tube, still weak but better, so I followed the same process using Zep lime and calcium remover in the over flow tube (one quart again), this time much better results and a strong flush. Removing hard water build up takes time and patience
Good job. I think most of the trouble was the plugged hole in the bottom. We had a toilet that I got so mad at that we replaced it. The new one flushed great. I threw the old one out on a junk pile and when I tossed it, it broke. That hole at the front was plugged except for one tiny little little hole. Funny story about the new toilet. I bought a new one and when I opened the box the bowl was broken, I drove back a half hour to get another. I complained to the customer service and hoped I might get even 10% off for my trouble. The boss was there and told the clerk to give me $50 back. The new one was $110 and there was a $45 mail in rebate so the toilet actually cost me $15 plus some gas and time.
Thank you, thank you for your video and steps to get our toilet to flush. My husband followed your suggestions and now the toilet works fine!! No plumber necessary...saved us money!!
Thanks for this! I read multiple plumbing sites that said it's a bad toilet and to just replace it. BUT, we have very hard water, so now I know how to fix it. A tip - you could also save an empty toilet cleaner bottle and fill it with the CLR.
Thanks for making this video. I really appreciate the tips about using CLR, and the plastic bottle and the hose to get the CLR where it needed to go, and the brushes and wire probes. You were pretty diligent in getting those hard water rocks out of there and cleaning the obstructions out of the rim jets. I had to remove one of my toilets tonight for another reason, but it also has blocked rim jets and some hard water stains which I will be cleaning up using some of your techniques while I can move the toilet around and get to everything pretty easily. Thanks again.
Just wanted to come back and thank you for this video. We used your method a few years ago and it worked perfectly! Had never in a million years considered that hard water would be the problem. Used the CLR the first time as you did. The next time we used hot white vinegar and it worked just as well. (Used to keep rabbits and boiling vinegar was the only thing that really cleaned the scale off their litter pans...so of course it worked on our "litter bowl" too.) Thanks again!
Thank you Kevin for this detailed explanation. I didn't have any CLR on hand but I was able to use a piece of coat hanger to clean the holes under the rim. The jet hole had a lot of mineral buildup. I broke up some of it with a straight blade screwdriver but found the most success using a paint can opener. That allowed me to push and pull against the calcium fragments. The largest piece I broke out was 3/4" long. I recommend taking the water out of the bowl like you did because the water can be pretty cold. It took me about 20 minutes to complete this job.
Hi Kevin, thanks for the very helpful video. I just wanted to suggest one thing to make your job easier. Go to the Dollar Tree and get a turkey baster. Removing that last few inches at the bottom of the bowl will be so much easier.
this is an awesome maintenance work that should be done i guess yearly....my toilet stopped flushing after some 18 years the house was built. great job and thanks for sharing.
Effective. After spending time and money on other solutions on my aged toilet, your solution with CLR and handyman's energy, my toilet flushes completely again.
Thanks for posting this video! It took some elbow grease along with the CLR but it worked. Plummer fees are not cheap, plus I'm a little proud of myself that i did it, thanks to your video!
@@drift03 im a single woman and just purchased 100 dollars worth of plumbing equipment and a full body suit, mask, goggles and augered out a jam. Also put chemicals in there for monthly maintenance. You gotta do what you gotta do! Cant wait on a man for everything. Even changed the flappers in the back. Thank God for youtube.
What a great video!!! TY!! We have a dug well lot's of hard water, can't afford to install a water softer system, nor replacing the toilet at this time. I will definitely try your instructions first. I appreciate your details, many videos out there that don't consider hard water or mineral deposits. My American Standard is 20 plus yrs old, 2 tank, but assume the procedure is the same.
this is a great video I had thought someone went down my toilet. But after watching this it I dumped a bucked of water down & the toilet flushed perfectly going to go to the store & get some clr
Good video my friend. I did my toilet years ago. With latex gloves on i got all the water out the with my hand right down and up in that hole ripping out scale it’s like grit like smashed up sea shells then with a wire coat hanging the I bunt over so not to scratch the toilet but keep raking out this water scale I must of got 3/4 of a cup full and I all so did all them holes but I was getting scale before I did the holes working my hand round right up under the toilet rim. But now I’ve got the same problem ware I live now so I need to do it again. Your video is bang on about getting the grit like scale out nice one my friend. All the best.👍🇬🇧
Hey Kevin. I’m experiencing the exact same problem. I was very puzzled why when I emptied a bucket of water in the toilet and it flushes just fine, but when I tried to flush it normally it just did not flush. After watching your video it never occurred to me that there might be a build up of this hard stuff plugging up the holes. My toilet isn’t that old either so I’m wondering how this much crap built up in the thing. Up in Toronto Canada where I live besides CLR they also sell extra strength cleaning vinegar not for eating so I’m going to get a couple of bottles of that and use it because vinegar has the potential to desolve that hard build up. I’ve used that type of vinegar before it it really worked great on heavy build up in the bottom of the bowl so I’m gonna give it a try. I’m thinking it would have been even better if there was some way to have plugged up those holes and dumped that stuff in the basin itself and let it fill up that area of the bowl and let it sit over night or longer that way it would get all that stuff out. All the same thanks for your vid cause I would not have imagined that was the problem and you saved me a ton of money on replacing the whole thing or on a Plummer. 🙏.
I have heard where people have gotten a circulating pump and had it run constantly through the overfill for a while to kill mold that was up under the rim I'm sure you could do the same thing with the vinegar
I don't know if I really liked the video. But I sat here and watch the whole thing. And I think I really learned some cool stuff. I can't believe on a Sunday night I'm sitting here watching a video on how to clean out a commode so it will be a happy commode. Oh God help me. But thank you thank you
And i used vinigar and baking soda /dish soap n it finally went down ..but i hope i didnt mess up the inner lining of the toilet..thanks guy.i once used rust remover with the soap n let it sit n it went well too.
Once a week I use my toothbrush to maintain and clean out the calcium buildup in the commode. It fits just right. CLR keeps toilet and my teeth shiny clean.
I could kiss you right now. I had two separate plumbers come to my house because my toilet wouldn't flush properly. They both said I needed a new toilet. The second one gave me a quote of $700 dollars. They both came to that conclusion without doing anything but lifting the lid of the toilet off and saying "sorry you have a low flow toilet, they don't work properly." I thought that was funny considering the toilet flushed fine for 8 years even though it was low flow. I said "no thanks" and came on youtube and found your video. I have to tell you I wasn't excited about sticking my hand in the toilet bowl even with a glove on. But I bit the bullet and stuck my hand in the toilet siphon jet and there was a huge chunk of calcium there. The hole was almost completely blocked. How can two plumbers not know that a bit of calcium stuck in the siphon jet was the problem all along? I mean that's their specialty! Thank you!
Why would a plumber want to do what Kevin just did? It's dirty, messy work, and there's more profit in installing a new toilet. Plumbers have house payments and even boat payments too.
@@audiophileman7047 I didn't do everything Kevin did. I just cleaned out the toilet siphon jet. It took 5 minutes. The plumber could have took 5 minutes to do that and got his house call fee and he would have had a customer for life. But, because the plumber wasn't honest what he got was a bad review on google to scare away potential customers. My water heater needs replacing and guess who I won't be calling?
@@pokermel Check out yelp.com for reviews of plumbers and others you may wish to hire. I found a plumber and other great trades people who have five star ratings on both Yelp and Google Reviews. I wouldn't hire a trades person without checking yelp and google. Good luck and thanks for telling your story; we've all had to deal with crooked trades people!
Do you know a video on this? I already tried to adjust the chain, and float. Think Kevin's video will help for sure!!! However I also know my flap closes to fast. TY.
You can accomplish the same thing by opening your flapper and putting some down it as well as the stand pipe. Seems like you are creating a lot of work and possible acid exposure if the catsup lid/hose separate.
I love this guy! He's like my dad and the guys I knew growing up; no pretense, just get in there and do it! They don't make too many guys like this anymore. Guy's today are soyboys; they'll either call the plumber or buy the new toilet OR wait for the college educated country girl of the house to fix it because she refuses to pay a professional for something you can fix yourself. Thanks for the video. Who knows maybe my son will feel guilty and get off his devices long enough to help and maybe even learn something or maybe he'll just want to use the bathroom.
Antonella Rojas Back in the old days, one used a rubber plug in the bath tub drain in order to fill the tub to take a bath. Remember? I do. I had a toilet flushing problem and learned it was due to my toddler daughter having dropped the tub's drain plug in the toilet. I had to remove the toilet to find it.
You can also use pool acid to do this. Dilute the acid 50/50 with water first. It'll work a lot faster than CLR. We've got really nasty hard water here in Southern California and a pool acid treatment will remove the calcium/magnesium scale from all parts of the bowl pretty quickly.
Before viewing this I emptied the bowl to the extent practical and filled a quart of 30% vinegar, it removed all visible stain yet the plug described remained as did the flushing problem. I used a 6" length of heavy copper wire and slowly got it to penetrate the blockage, after that it was a breeze. Added 30% vinegar and let it stand for six hours. Toilet now flushes like new. I believe 30% vinegar is more effective that CLR and is safe for septic systems.
@@equate5 Vinegar that's available in stores has 5% concentration; however, stronger vinegar with 30% concentration (six times as powerful) is available from Amazon and other outlets. Be careful, and wear appropriate personnel protective equipment - it's strong stuff.
Check the water level in the tank. It looks like it isn't filling high enough. If that isn't the problem, then make sure all of the water is draining out of the tank during the flush. You may need to adjust the chain length or it's connection position on the flush arm. It's also probably easier to add about 1/2 gallon of HCL into the tank fill tube for about an hour to dissolve as much of the mineral build up as possible.
@@iasimov5960 -- Masking tape or otherwise close all exit holes (not sure what the best method is) then apply as Brian Rolshoven suggests. Cleaning agent will then reach all concealed passages cast in the toilet. Let soak then remove masking tape. Flushing toilet before "seated use" might be necessary to prevent skin contact with cleaning agent.
You could use a multi-stage water filter system instead of a water softener. I'm going this same problem with a 6 month old toliet now. The jets on mine are tiny. Coat hanger wire won't even fit in them. I really like your bottle and hose idea for the CLR.
If that is all you gained from this video? Think you maybe missing all the helpful info of his tutorial. Perhaps you have other synonyms to suggest aside from toilet?
In following your instructions, I used a mirror to check and whammo, so many holes are clogged up! I need to go get a bottle and piping (scavenger hunt? 😊). I'm wondering, can I put CLR in the overfill valve and have it soak through? I don't have a septic tank. I've seen folks pouring Dawn in the overfill valve. The holes are so clogged up, they blend into the porcelain ~ hiding. Please let me know; the calcium deposits are numerous and thick. Thank you so much!
Haha that's funny !!! BUT SERIOUSLY those low flow toilets seem to have more trouble than the regular toilets !! Not to mention that its alot more sanitary to have more water in the bowl !!
Helpful video. I've seen other videos where they put the CLR or other Calcium, Lime Remover/ Cleaners into the water fill pipe/tube inside the upper tank to get inside the bowls rim that lead to the water jets. Might be easier for those with not such a bad blockage situation as yours with that hard water coming out in huge chunks. Crazy
Never send a boy to do a man`s job.....I don`t like them low flush toilet and you would not give one to me....now.....first of there are many things that could do that and one of the things is the gasket under the toilet not sealing right so she does not get the pull of the water going away....second your vent could be blocked with leaves or debris from outside or you have now vent.....or your level in your tank is not high enough....take your pick cuz I still don`t like the way that flushes.....CHEERS
Gator what are you thinking Im a plumber The "gasket" you call ..we ole fellas call it wax ring has ZERO to do with anything flushing other then the gasket Seals the toilet to the closet flange on the floor, thats ALL it does. You make no sense on anything NOR do you pay attention t the vid. If there was a "clogged vent" He disproved that using the bucket to flush. Add many older system are wet vented.
The world in which Gaytard lives- my theory is it was shortly after noon when you wrote this and had already sucked down roughly a 12-pack of PBR. Were you in school long enough to pass 5th grade English?
CLR is not strong enough. It used to be a great cleaner when it first came out. Get some the Works toilet bowl cleaner. Has 25% hydrochloric acid inside.
Jim davidson. Are you crazy. Average people who don't know about chemical reactions. Will kill themselves with this stuff. They'll mix it with ammonia or something like that & the gases 8will kill them. Maybe just send them to the hospital. CLR is fine to use. It really won't hurt your hands or breathing it won't kill anyone.
Very nice video Kevin! One of the best parts of this video is how you explain whether it's plugged holes in the toilet or down in the line. Thank you for a great video, sir!
@@Robinson-Homestead It did very much. I figured out that it was in the line. I decided to use Liquid Lightning (concentrated sufuric acid) to open up the slow flushing line. It worked very well, but the stuff is very hazardous. You have to use gloves and goggles, because it's so corrosive. It also fumes, so you have to turn on the bathroom fan and close the door and stay away to avoid breathing it for about 20 minutes to let it work. Other than that, Liquid Lightning is the bomb when the line is slow or has a clog!
Dear Sir: You are owed a direct look in the eyes, a firm handshake/smile and a BIG THANK YOU! I now have a properly flushing toilet and know how to maintain the toilet. :)
Thank you very much i am glad i could help.
I've been spending the last 3 days working on my toilet that had every conceivable problem there can be. In addition to hard water damage, having to flush twice to drain, the toilet that would run for about 5 seconds every once in awhile, not to mention that annoying water line ring in the bowl. I've replaced the refill valve, the flapper valve, ducktaped the rim jet holes and sent 30% vinegar down the refill tube, let it sit overnight, did the vinegar and baking soda trick to clean the bowl, barkeepers friend helped with the water line ring. and using small screwdriver to help unplug drain holes as you have. The things you learn from these videos and comments people leave ! I'm going to buy a paint can opener. What would we do without the internet. Good luck all. Thanks for your posting.
Spencer, that sounded like a nightmare toilet lol, i'm glad you got it all fixed up. Thanks for watching.
This one of the best instructional videos I have seen on UA-cam, He addresses a common problem and explains the root cause and multiple ways to address without buying expensive tools. Using a mustard bottle and 1/4 flexible tube, wire hanger, and brush. Showing the struggle and effort to pull out hard water deposit rather working on a pristine toilet in some other instructional videos. very impressed with this video and hope Kevin has answers to my water hammer issues as well. Dennis Alpharetta GA
Thanks for the comment Dennis.
Agree!
Kevin, you are amazing .... I'm an old man and in 10 min you told me more than the last 30 yrs w these "commodes"... thanks bro
Thank you for watching I'm glad to help.
Kevin - I just want to say thank you for saving me the cost of a new toilet!! I have had a flushing problem with my toilet for a while. I even have hired a professional plumber $$'s and they never looked at or discussed a calcium build up. He actually had me get the septic tank pumped out!
You made this so simple and not sure why I've spent 'good' money on something that you took your time to help fix!!
Both my wife and I thank you !!
OMG, seriously?? Come on Norm, were you even paying attention? Surely you must have caught on at some point during those 23+ grueling & rarely edited minutes, it's NOT a toilet...it's a COMMODE!!!
Just giving you crap Kev(pun intended), it was a very instructional video, honestly...thank you!
Thank you Kevin. I am a single mom with one small income. I watched a lot of UA-cam videos and how to fix my toilet and you by far where the best. You were easy to understand very clear and explain things very well. Inexpensive tools. Thank you Thank you!!!
You are so welcome glad i could help you out.
Thank you Kevin! Love your video! My husband looked at some other UA-cam video that must have said, pour vinegar into the bowl & tank, leave it sit while you sit down and drink beer for the rest of the day. Toilet down for over 4 days as he was going to call a plumber and get a new toilet. I did your UA-cam method (other than i couldn’t get a tube in the small holes and it worked like a charm!
Thank you for the comment Ronda glad to help you.
Thank you, Sir, saved my grandma money and made me look like a superstar!
Glad I could help!
Thank you so much for sharing my friend.
would sure likezto see what that jet is supposed to look,like
This. Video. Is. A. Lifesaver especially for the new, non-handy homeowner in areas with hard water. You just saved me a call to a plumber that would have cost me $200 I don't have. THANK YOU so much.
You are so welcome glad i could help.
Just came here to say what everyone else is saying... THANK YOU!! We had a plumber come out and left completely confused. Snaked the toilet. Would flush one time then not the next. Problem got worse and didnt "flush" at all unless there was plenty of waste. Watched your video and cleaned a TON of junk from the jet in the front. Now it works wonderfully!
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help you.
I'm glad for people like you , I learned new things every day, thanks
Thanks so much for this video!!!!! I have been having this exact issue for literally 2 years in my master bath. I was actually going to buy a new toilet this weekend. I followed your steps and my expensive Kohler toilet is working perfectly now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help.
I fixed my comode!! Thank You! I'm 72 female...if I can do this anyone can!
Great info here!
That's right I'm glad to help and thank you for the comment Sherry.
I'm 66 and terrified to try. You've given me hope that I can do it, too. But my problem is a little different. The toilet bowl overflowed but water gushed onto the floor from underneath the toilet, too. I wonder if I need a new toilet? @KevinRobinson
See if this video helps ua-cam.com/video/dft5CqpKTUk/v-deo.html
@@shirleycolon403 . Sounds like you have two problems.
1. If the bowl overflowed, then you have an obstruction in the toilet outlet or in the drain pipe.
2. If water exits from under the toilet, you probably have a cracked toilet and/or a defective wax seal between the toilet and drain line.
@@Robinson-Homestead out
Great video! Our toilet had been struggling for over a year. We removed the mineral buildup from the bottom hole and now it's like new again! We had been advised by another person's video to clean the bowl jets, but that wasn't enough. Thanks for being so thorough.
You are welcome glad i could help.
This is exactly what I needed to fix my poorly flushing toilet!!! Thank you! I didn't go as far as the ketchup bottle and tubing, but I did shut off water, empty bowl, put in CLR and then scrubbed a lot of the deposits out! Hooray!! It works great now!
Julie, im glad i could help.
Kevin, Thanks a million for this video! I just fixed the poorly flushing toilet in my 60 year old house using the product and technique you show in your video. I had no idea that the small hole in the bottom of the toilet was so important in the flush, and that it could be completely closed up by mineral deposits. The other two toilets in my house have not exhibited this behavior yet, but I will be clearing out the mineral deposits in them as a preventative measure. Thanks again - You 'da man!
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help you.
I didnt have a clue and was skeptical but i did this and the toilet worked I found out Chicago had the hardest water in the country give this guy a Pabst blue ribbon !
Thanks for the comment glad to help.
Thank you for this excellent video. I have replaced toilets, unclogged toilets, and replaced valves.... never new most of this maintenance stuff you are describing. 👍
Glad it helped.
Thank you so much for the comment and watching.
Great video. Useful information about hard water and deposits. Your toilet seems to be working better, but it gurgles. Gurgles can be a lack of Negative Pressure from Vent Pipe. You may want to check your VENT pipe that goes up to the roof for blockage. See if you have leaves, debris, or animals/nest inside. Thank you for your video & Good Luck!
Thanks for the tips!
The large flush hole down next to the drain in the bottom of my toilet was totally blocked with hard water deposits. The holes around the rim were the only ones working during a flush. If I hadn't seen your video, I never would have thought to check this out - you saved me the cost of an expensive service call and possibly a new toilet. Thank-you very much! I used a coat hanger, battery terminal wire brush and a paint can opener as suggested by Ben, and was able to totally clear the clog. There was a large piece of the deposit that could not fit through the hole. I was able to use the paint can opener to press down on this piece and break it into smaller pieces that came out when I flushed the toilet. Thanks again!
Bob, i am so glad i could i could help, i had a lot of problems with hard water all the time and had to clean my toilet quite a few times.
Sometimes a toilet needs an enema ! Thanks for the video, great content.
Thanks was trying to fix this for awhile finally found the right video! I had a huge deposit build up like you in the front hole at the bottom of the toilet . It was probably a little bigger than a quarter after breaking that up I used a large zip tie to put in there to break more up now it works like a charm!! You the man!!!
Glad I could help you.
Thanks for the comment and watching.
Great video, all made sense. One of the best parts is ruling out a clogged line by dumping bucket of water in bowl....That makes so much sense...Thanks, this helped me more than any other video.
Thank you for the comment and watching glad to help.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO!!! It was recommended that I purchase a new toilet by plumber but I was not ready to replace my Toto toilet as they are expensive to replace. I watched your video, purchased the necessary tools and BAM! I have a working toilet again! I am so happy and my husband is amazed at my persistence to accomplish this 😊
Thank you so much Liz i am so glad i could help you out and save you from having to replace your toilet, good job you should be very proud of yourself.
I took the easier route. Siphoned out the bowl. Poured 3 cups of CLR in the bowl. Let sit overnight. Came prepared to dig out what was left, but there was left attached. Flushed 3 times and called it a day. Thanks for the video.
thats easier said than done. Whenzyou got ten bodies using the commode you dont leavezit sit unused all night
Thanks for your clear hose idea with the CLR. One of our toilets has a weak flush so I have been cleaning it up then taping of the jets with masking tape and adding some cleaning enzymes from the hardware store, the flush was still weak but better so I did the same process using a quart of straight vinegar in the overflow tube, still weak but better, so I followed the same process using Zep lime and calcium remover in the over flow tube (one quart again), this time much better results and a strong flush. Removing hard water build up takes time and patience
Thank you for sharing.
Good job. I think most of the trouble was the plugged hole in the bottom. We had a toilet that I got so mad at that we replaced it. The new one flushed great. I threw the old one out on a junk pile and when I tossed it, it broke. That hole at the front was plugged except for one tiny little little hole. Funny story about the new toilet. I bought a new one and when I opened the box the bowl was broken, I drove back a half hour to get another. I complained to the customer service and hoped I might get even 10% off for my trouble. The boss was there and told the clerk to give me $50 back. The new one was $110 and there was a $45 mail in rebate so the toilet actually cost me $15 plus some gas and time.
whoa!
Thanks!
Thank you so much if can help with a how to video let me know.
Thank you, thank you for your video and steps to get our toilet to flush. My husband followed your suggestions and now the toilet works fine!! No plumber necessary...saved us money!!
Thank you I am glad to help and thank you for the comment Grandma B.
Thanks for this! I read multiple plumbing sites that said it's a bad toilet and to just replace it. BUT, we have very hard water, so now I know how to fix it. A tip - you could also save an empty toilet cleaner bottle and fill it with the CLR.
Thanks for the comment Anna.
Thanks for making this video. I really appreciate the tips about using CLR, and the plastic bottle and the hose to get the CLR where it needed to go, and the brushes and wire probes. You were pretty diligent in getting those hard water rocks out of there and cleaning the obstructions out of the rim jets. I had to remove one of my toilets tonight for another reason, but it also has blocked rim jets and some hard water stains which I will be cleaning up using some of your techniques while I can move the toilet around and get to everything pretty easily. Thanks again.
Thank you for the comment and watching.
Just wanted to come back and thank you for this video. We used your method a few years ago and it worked perfectly! Had never in a million years considered that hard water would be the problem. Used the CLR the first time as you did. The next time we used hot white vinegar and it worked just as well. (Used to keep rabbits and boiling vinegar was the only thing that really cleaned the scale off their litter pans...so of course it worked on our "litter bowl" too.) Thanks again!
Thanks for the feedback! Glad it worked for you, I appreciate it.
Kevin - I loved your video. So calm and so patiently explaining everything. Thank you from Australia.
Thank you for the comment and watching.
You nailed it! A coat hanger and I poked the hole in the back/bottom and all sort of ‘gravel’ came our and toilet is flushing well again. Thank you!
Thank you for the comment and watching glad to help.
Thank you Kevin for this detailed explanation. I didn't have any CLR on hand but I was able to use a piece of coat hanger to clean the holes under the rim. The jet hole had a lot of mineral buildup. I broke up some of it with a straight blade screwdriver but found the most success using a paint can opener. That allowed me to push and pull against the calcium fragments. The largest piece I broke out was 3/4" long. I recommend taking the water out of the bowl like you did because the water can be pretty cold. It took me about 20 minutes to complete this job.
Thank you for watching I am glad to help.
Your video is the most helpful video I have watched on UA-cam. Even better and explained more than the pros.
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help.
Hi Kevin, thanks for the very helpful video. I just wanted to suggest one thing to make your job easier. Go to the Dollar Tree and get a turkey baster. Removing that last few inches at the bottom of the bowl will be so much easier.
Thanks for the information that helps.
Great idea!!
Just use a wet vac....much easier, if you have one of course.
this is an awesome maintenance work that should be done i guess yearly....my toilet stopped flushing after some 18 years the house was built. great job and thanks for sharing.
once every 18 years for sure it should be done...once every 4-5 years should be enough depending on your water...
Effective. After spending time and money on other solutions on my aged toilet, your solution with CLR and handyman's energy, my toilet flushes completely again.
Glad to help thank you so much for the comment.
This was exactly what I needed after plumbers told me that my toilet needed to be replaced. It worked perfectly. Thank you.
Same thing happened to me Michael I wish I would have seen this before I got 2 new toilets
Thanks for posting this video! It took some elbow grease along with the CLR but it worked. Plummer fees are not cheap, plus I'm a little proud of myself that i did it, thanks to your video!
That's great Wanda, i'm glad i could help.
"Somebody's gotta do it"... looks like it's going to have to be me for my household :). Great video. Think I'm going to wear a mask, just in case.
I hope it works out thanks for watching.
Thank you for giving me the power to not settle for less. Not kidding here, you have given me control of my throne. I’m grateful 😊 .
Great advice. I knew this and had completely forgotten to even look at that. Saved me hundreds!
Thanks for watching glad to help.
Wow I'm super thankful for finding your video. I actually thought my septic was going to hell! I feel like an idiot but dang this is great!
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help.
Hats off to you Sir!
"Great Job, somebody has to do it"
That usually means "Dad" I know!
"Cheers from Chicago"
You are right there Thanks Jose.
Most of the time if Dad doesn't do it, it won't get done. Am I right??!
@@drift03 im a single woman and just purchased 100 dollars worth of plumbing equipment and a full body suit, mask, goggles and augered out a jam. Also put chemicals in there for monthly maintenance. You gotta do what you gotta do! Cant wait on a man for everything. Even changed the flappers in the back. Thank God for youtube.
Im a 75 yr older lady. Do t know how i could do this myself. But great video and adventure advice!
You can do it with no problem it is pretty simple, thanks for watching.
Practical, precise, pretty helpful. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! thank you for watching.
The last few seconds of the video about knowing the difference between a problem with the pipe or commode was the best.
Thank you I hope it helps.
Great advice. I've been practicing my PLO skills, recently. Andy Griffith would be proud of me.
LOL thanks for the comment.
What a great video!!! TY!! We have a dug well lot's of hard water, can't afford to install a water softer system, nor replacing the toilet at this time. I will definitely try your instructions first. I appreciate your details, many videos out there that don't consider hard water or mineral deposits. My American Standard is 20 plus yrs old, 2 tank, but assume the procedure is the same.
If you need more help let me know.
@@Robinson-Homestead TY again !
Some great advice and tips there Kevin! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching Paul.
Thank you Kevin you are a wise man and for that you have my respect!!!
Thank you so much for the comment I like helping people.
this is a great video I had thought someone went down my toilet. But after watching this it I dumped a bucked of water down & the toilet flushed perfectly going to go to the store & get some clr
Good video my friend. I did my toilet years ago. With latex gloves on i got all the water out the with my hand right down and up in that hole ripping out scale it’s like grit like smashed up sea shells then with a wire coat hanging the I bunt over so not to scratch the toilet but keep raking out this water scale I must of got 3/4 of a cup full and I all so did all them holes but I was getting scale before I did the holes working my hand round right up under the toilet rim. But now I’ve got the same problem ware I live now so I need to do it again. Your video is bang on about getting the grit like scale out nice one my friend. All the best.👍🇬🇧
Thank you so much for the comment glad to help.
Hey Kevin. I’m experiencing the exact same problem. I was very puzzled why when I emptied a bucket of water in the toilet and it flushes just fine, but when I tried to flush it normally it just did not flush. After watching your video it never occurred to me that there might be a build up of this hard stuff plugging up the holes. My toilet isn’t that old either so I’m wondering how this much crap built up in the thing. Up in Toronto Canada where I live besides CLR they also sell extra strength cleaning vinegar not for eating so I’m going to get a couple of bottles of that and use it because vinegar has the potential to desolve that hard build up. I’ve used that type of vinegar before it it really worked great on heavy build up in the bottom of the bowl so I’m gonna give it a try. I’m thinking it would have been even better if there was some way to have plugged up those holes and dumped that stuff in the basin itself and let it fill up that area of the bowl and let it sit over night or longer that way it would get all that stuff out. All the same thanks for your vid cause I would not have imagined that was the problem and you saved me a ton of money on replacing the whole thing or on a Plummer. 🙏.
Thank you so much for the comment and watching glad to help you.
Use duct tape it will stick for the duration. Kevin, thank you very much for your detailed explanation.
I have heard where people have gotten a circulating pump and had it run constantly through the overfill for a while to kill mold that was up under the rim I'm sure you could do the same thing with the vinegar
I don't know if I really liked the video. But I sat here and watch the whole thing. And I think I really learned some cool stuff. I can't believe on a Sunday night I'm sitting here watching a video on how to clean out a commode so it will be a happy commode. Oh God help me. But thank you thank you
Thank you for Watching Gail Remp.
Brilliant advice! Thank you very much! Worked PERFECTLY!!!
Glad I could help thank you for the comment.
And i used vinigar and baking soda /dish soap n it finally went down ..but i hope i didnt mess up the inner lining of the toilet..thanks guy.i once used rust remover with the soap n let it sit n it went well too.
Thank you for your video, it was the only one I watched that made sense. Tried it and it worked like a dream.
Just moved into a new place and the toilet flushes just like this one did. Can't wait to go home and try this out
Let me know if it works if not I maybe able to help you.
Just let me know.
Once a week I use my toothbrush to maintain and clean out the calcium buildup in the commode. It fits just right. CLR keeps toilet and my teeth shiny clean.
I hope you don't brush your teeth with your toothbrush after you clean your commode! :) Or maybe you do! lol.
Nice Video. Use a wet/dry vac to vac out waste water and debris, much easier of you have one. Wet/dry vac a must have for DIY'rs.
Thanks for the info and thanks for watching Don M.
I could kiss you right now. I had two separate plumbers come to my house because my toilet wouldn't flush properly. They both said I needed a new toilet. The second one gave me a quote of $700 dollars. They both came to that conclusion without doing anything but lifting the lid of the toilet off and saying "sorry you have a low flow toilet, they don't work properly." I thought that was funny considering the toilet flushed fine for 8 years even though it was low flow. I said "no thanks" and came on youtube and found your video. I have to tell you I wasn't excited about sticking my hand in the toilet bowl even with a glove on. But I bit the bullet and stuck my hand in the toilet siphon jet and there was a huge chunk of calcium there. The hole was almost completely blocked. How can two plumbers not know that a bit of calcium stuck in the siphon jet was the problem all along? I mean that's their specialty! Thank you!
Glad that I could Help save that money.
Why would a plumber want to do what Kevin just did? It's dirty, messy work, and there's more profit in installing a new toilet. Plumbers have house payments and even boat payments too.
@@audiophileman7047 I didn't do everything Kevin did. I just cleaned out the toilet siphon jet. It took 5 minutes. The plumber could have took 5 minutes to do that and got his house call fee and he would have had a customer for life. But, because the plumber wasn't honest what he got was a bad review on google to scare away potential customers. My water heater needs replacing and guess who I won't be calling?
@@pokermel Check out yelp.com for reviews of plumbers and others you may wish to hire. I found a plumber and other great trades people who have five star ratings on both Yelp and Google Reviews. I wouldn't hire a trades person without checking yelp and google. Good luck and thanks for telling your story; we've all had to deal with crooked trades people!
@JaCky,SuIOx LestYeah, I know, and they're not getting it.
Well done ! This is a problem that can baffle the heck out of people who just don't know !
Sometimes the flapper in the tank close too fast there is a chain in there you can adjust
Do you know a video on this? I already tried to adjust the chain, and float. Think Kevin's video will help for sure!!! However I also know my flap closes to fast. TY.
We have lots of hard water and the toilet is 52 years old. I followed the actions shown on your video. Great results. Flushes great now.
Thanks for sharing glad to help Gary save that money my friend.
If I can't fix my damn toilet after this class, I'm gonna have to buy a commode. Subbed.
A tip: watch movies on flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching loads of movies during the lockdown.
@Soren Maximilian yea, I've been watching on flixzone for since december myself :)
Let the CLR sit in the bottom but above the water hole for a bit to dissolve the calcium. Your suggestions worked great. Thanks
You can accomplish the same thing by opening your flapper and putting some down it as well as the stand pipe. Seems like you are creating a lot of work and possible acid exposure if the catsup lid/hose separate.
Thanks for your comment.
Bro u just made him realize how bad he wasted his time 😂
I will wrap duct tape around to make sure they wo'n't separate. I have been having trouble with my toilet for a couple of months.
@@lydiahubbell6278 what kind of troubles. What kind of toilet?
Name brand?
He stated he did not want that inside his septic tank
Thank you for the information, I'm on the verge of buying a new toilet but I'm gonna try this.
Let me know how it works out.
I love this guy! He's like my dad and the guys I knew growing up; no pretense, just get in there and do it! They don't make too many guys like this anymore. Guy's today are soyboys; they'll either call the plumber or buy the new toilet OR wait for the college educated country girl of the house to fix it because she refuses to pay a professional for something you can fix yourself. Thanks for the video. Who knows maybe my son will feel guilty and get off his devices long enough to help and maybe even learn something or maybe he'll just want to use the bathroom.
Thank you for the comment. Somebody has to do it.
I totally agree.
Great explanation for us rookie toilet people !!
Thanks for the comment David hope the video helps
I have the same issue, water doesn’t flush but my toilet is brand NEW so I don’t have calcium build up. What can be the reason in my case?
Q tips will block your toilet. you will have to pull it and check underneath
Antonella Rojas Back in the old days, one used a rubber plug in the bath tub drain in order to fill the tub to take a bath. Remember? I do. I had a toilet flushing problem and learned it was due to my toddler daughter having dropped the tub's drain plug in the toilet. I had to remove the toilet to find it.
Your toilet is cheap modern garbage that is supposed to save water. That's my answer.
You can also use pool acid to do this. Dilute the acid 50/50 with water first. It'll work a lot faster than CLR. We've got really nasty hard water here in Southern California and a pool acid treatment will remove the calcium/magnesium scale from all parts of the bowl pretty quickly.
Thank you for the info.
Wouldn't another option be to just pour it in the fill tube? Same concept I believe..
You could Matt.
Before viewing this I emptied the bowl to the extent practical and filled a quart of 30% vinegar, it removed all visible stain yet the plug described remained as did the flushing problem. I used a 6" length of heavy copper wire and slowly got it to penetrate the blockage, after that it was a breeze. Added 30% vinegar and let it stand for six hours. Toilet now flushes like new. I believe 30% vinegar is more effective that CLR and is safe for septic systems.
what is 30% vinegar mean?
@@equate5 Vinegar that's available in stores has 5% concentration; however, stronger vinegar with 30% concentration (six times as powerful) is available from Amazon and other outlets. Be careful, and wear appropriate personnel protective equipment - it's strong stuff.
Very impressed. Thank you. You have a very lucky wife.
Thank you kindly.
I already replaced the toilet and it still won’t flush. Do I just snake it?
as he explained then its not your toilet it is the pipe so yes. Snake time. I rent good shakes from Home Depot.
worked like a charm. Learned something new.
Thanks George glad i could help
Check the water level in the tank. It looks like it isn't filling high enough.
If that isn't the problem, then make sure all of the water is draining out of the tank during the flush. You may need to adjust the chain length or it's connection position on the flush arm.
It's also probably easier to add about 1/2 gallon of HCL into the tank fill tube for about an hour to dissolve as much of the mineral build up as possible.
Thanks for the comment.
No it's these crappy low water flush miracle toilets we all THINK we have to have.
I tried this and it worked like a charm!! Thank you so very much.
Glad I could help thanks for watching
why use the hose..just add it to the drip tube under the lid.
Thanks for watching.
Brian Rolshoven Because most of the CLR will run down the side of the bowl without accomplishing anything.
@@iasimov5960 -- Masking tape or otherwise close all exit holes (not sure what the best method is) then apply as Brian Rolshoven suggests. Cleaning agent will then reach all concealed passages cast in the toilet.
Let soak then remove masking tape. Flushing toilet before "seated use" might be necessary to prevent skin contact with cleaning agent.
Great job Kevin, thanks.
Your welcome.
DRINKING GAME: have a shot every time he says "commode". Damn, I got a good buzz.
Did he say “commode?”
That is a bad drinking game. He didn't even say it once.
As in Frasier 😊
You could use a multi-stage water filter system instead of a water softener. I'm going this same problem with a 6 month old toliet now. The jets on mine are tiny. Coat hanger wire won't even fit in them. I really like your bottle and hose idea for the CLR.
Thank you for watching and for the good tip.
What’s that thing called again?
Oh yeah! A commode!
You got it thanks for watching.
Thanks. I have the same expensive toilet and hard water. Never knew this could happen. Gotta go now and clean the toilet!
Thank you for the comment M D.
I'm glade we didn't see any "plumber's crack" LOL.
Maybe next time LOL.
Whats wrong with you!!!! That's the best part!!!!
Seeing plumber crack,! Cracks me up! Get it!?
Say no to crack
You guys are cracking me up.
Don't you know that crack is whack??
I did not actually us the acid, but your video put me on the right track. Thank you. I chunked mine out with a screwdriver
Thanks for the comment Doug.
This is the best video ever 😂😂😂😂
Thanks Kevin I actually fix my toilet today 😊
Thank you glad I could help.
If I got a dollar every time this dude said “commode” I’d have $474.
Thanks for watching.
If that is all you gained from this video? Think you maybe missing all the helpful info of his tutorial. Perhaps you have other synonyms to suggest aside from toilet?
In following your instructions, I used a mirror to check and whammo, so many holes are clogged up!
I need to go get a bottle and piping (scavenger hunt? 😊). I'm wondering, can I put CLR in the overfill valve and have it soak through? I don't have a septic tank. I've seen folks pouring Dawn in the overfill valve. The holes are so clogged up, they blend into the porcelain ~ hiding.
Please let me know; the calcium deposits are numerous and thick. Thank you so much!
It won't hurt to try my friend.
Forget CLR, you need a stick of dynamite to get that hard water issue fixed.
Haha that's funny !!! BUT SERIOUSLY those low flow toilets seem to have more trouble than the regular toilets !! Not to mention that its alot more sanitary to have more water in the bowl !!
@@stanleywheeler404 I had a 50s toilet with about a pound of calcium in it. New toilets not so much.
You just save me dear thanks so much ,such a usuful vid after all this years. love from colombia
Glad it helped! Thank you for the comment and watching.
Helpful video. I've seen other videos where they put the CLR or other Calcium, Lime Remover/ Cleaners into the water fill pipe/tube inside the upper tank to get inside the bowls rim that lead to the water jets. Might be easier for those with not such a bad blockage situation as yours with that hard water coming out in huge chunks. Crazy
Thanks for the comment and watching.
Never send a boy to do a man`s job.....I don`t like them low flush toilet and you would not give one to me....now.....first of there are many things that could do that and one of the things is the gasket under the toilet not sealing right so she does not get the pull of the water going away....second your vent could be blocked with leaves or debris from outside or you have now vent.....or your level in your tank is not high enough....take your pick cuz I still don`t like the way that flushes.....CHEERS
At the start, that`s not an insult to you but I compare a boy to the low flush toilet
All good here gator I don't like it either I'm with you my friend.
Gator what are you thinking Im a plumber The "gasket" you call ..we ole fellas call it wax ring has ZERO to do with anything flushing other then the gasket Seals the toilet to the closet flange on the floor, thats ALL it does. You make no sense on anything NOR do you pay attention t the vid. If there was a "clogged vent" He disproved that using the bucket to flush. Add many older system are wet vented.
The world in which Gaytard lives- my theory is it was shortly after noon when you wrote this and had already sucked down roughly a 12-pack of PBR. Were you in school long enough to pass 5th grade English?
Thank you Sir, this was driving me crazy!
Thanks for the comment John glad to help.
CLR is not strong enough. It used to be a great cleaner when it first came out. Get some the Works toilet bowl cleaner. Has 25% hydrochloric acid inside.
Thanks for the comment.
Jim davidson. Are you crazy. Average people who don't know about chemical reactions. Will kill themselves with this stuff. They'll mix it with ammonia or something like that & the gases 8will kill them. Maybe just send them to the hospital.
CLR is fine to use. It really won't hurt your hands or breathing it won't kill anyone.
Very nice video Kevin! One of the best parts of this video is how you explain whether it's plugged holes in the toilet or down in the line. Thank you for a great video, sir!
Thank you for watching I hope it helps.
@@Robinson-Homestead It did very much. I figured out that it was in the line. I decided to use Liquid Lightning (concentrated sufuric acid) to open up the slow flushing line. It worked very well, but the stuff is very hazardous. You have to use gloves and goggles, because it's so corrosive. It also fumes, so you have to turn on the bathroom fan and close the door and stay away to avoid breathing it for about 20 minutes to let it work. Other than that, Liquid Lightning is the bomb when the line is slow or has a clog!