Fixing A Slow-Flushing Toilet: How To Remove Mineral Buildup Inside The Rim Jets
If your toilet flushes slowly, its rim jets are likely clogged with mineral buildup caused by hard water. Rim jets are located underneath the inside of the rim of your toilet bowl. Water exits from them into the bowl, which then creates the pressure that causes a toilet to flush. If they're clogged, water will flow into the bowl slowly, and this reduces the amount of pressure that builds up in the bowl.
When your rim jets are clogged, you may have to flush your toilet multiple times or it may clog easily due to its slow flush, and this can be quite an annoyance. Thankfully, it's easy to remove the mineral deposits in your toilet rim jets. To find out how, read on.
Get Rid of the Water in the Toilet Tank
Vinegar can be used to help clean your toilet's rim jets since the acidity of the vinegar will make the mineral deposits easier to remove. You'll need to remove all the water from the toilet tank first, though, in order to prevent the vinegar from becoming too diluted.
Turn off the water supply to your toilet by turning the valve between the toilet and the plumbing pipe in your wall, and then flush the toilet. It's normal for some water to remain in the bottom of the toilet, this creates a water barrier that prevents gases from your sewer line from entering your bathroom. However, the water in the bottom of your toilet won't prevent you from cleaning the rim jets.
Use Vinegar to Soften the Mineral Deposits Inside the Rim Jets
Once the toilet tank is empty, use a small mirror to look underneath your toilet's rim, which will let you see the location of the rim jets. Tape them closed with plumber's tape or duct tape. This keeps the vinegar inside the rim jets, allowing it to dissolve the mineral deposits.
After taping the rim jets closed, open up your toilet tank and lift up the flapper. This exposes the flush valve, which is the pipe that the water sitting in the tank exits through in order to reach the toilet bowl. Pour vinegar down the flush valve and let it sit for a few minutes, which will give the acid time to eat away at the mineral deposits.
Clean the Rim Holes With a Vinyl-Coated Wire Hanger or Zip Tie
After fifteen minutes, remove the tape from the rim jet openings. Take a strong zip tie or vinyl-coated wire hanger and insert it into a rim jet opening. Avoid using a tool made of metal since the metal will scratch the porcelain. Scratching the porcelain inside the rim jets gives them a rough surface that will cause mineral deposits to build up quicker.
Rotate the tool you're using around the inside of the rim jet in order to scrape away all of the built-up minerals. Repeat the process with each one of your toilet's rim jets in order to clean them all out.
Once the rim jets have been cleaned, turn the supply valve to your toilet back on, wait for the tank to fill with water, and then flush it. Cleaning the rim jets allows water to enter the toilet bowl faster, creating additional pressure that helps it flush more forcefully.
If your toilet is still flushing slowly after cleaning the rim jets, call a plumbing company to have it inspected. While clogged rim jets are the most common cause of a slow flushing toilet, slow flushing can also be caused by a small clog within the toilet trap. A plumbing contractor can remove any clogs stuck in your toilet trap, speeding up the flow of water as it exits the bowl.