Clogged toilets are an obvious nuisance in the home, but they can also be costly and time consuming to fix. Homeowners who do not want to deal with this plumbing issue can prevent it by following these tips.

Flushing properly

Flushing the toilet is a simple, everyday action that many people take for granted because they don't know just how important it is in ensuring toilet drains remain clog free. A single flush of the toilet is not always sufficient to clear a bowel movement — it might only be effective when the toilet is being used to answer a short call. It is a good idea to flush the toilet at least two times to ensure solid human excreta is effectively cleared.

Avoiding excess use of toilet paper

Virtually every Australian family is aware that only two things are supposed to be flushed down the toilet — human waste and toilet paper. Though toilet paper is designed to easily disintegrate when it is flushed down the toilet drains, too much of it can actually cause clogging in the toilet drains. Homeowners should ask their families to avoid flushing an excess of toilet paper down the toilet drains. This will minimise the potential for clogging in the toilet drains due to a buildup of toilet paper.

Placing a special-purpose garbage bin in the toilet

If it isn't human excreta or used toilet paper, then it should be thrown into a garbage bin and not flushed down the toilet. Despite knowing that things like used female sanitary towels and baby wipes and nappies shouldn't be allowed to go down the toilet drains, many people still flush the unwanted waste items down their toilets. The sanitary waste can't possibly be put in waste bins used in other parts of the home like kitchens and the yard because they are unhygienic and often produce an unpleasant odour.

Making sure there is special-purpose waste bin in the toilet will eliminate the need for family members to throw sanitary waste in the toilet, thus minimise the risk of a clogged toilet.

No matter what you do to keep your toilet from clogging, someone might flush a glut of toilet paper down your drains, small children might throw small toys in the toilet, or you might drop something in the toilet by accident. If that happens, you should know how to use the toilet plunger or be in a position to call an emergency plumber you trust at businesses like Sam's Local Plumbing.