• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Disclaimer:  We’re supported by our readers. We earn a commission from product purchases using affiliate links on our site. Learn more about the  affiliate program

Toiletable

Toiletable

Your Trustworthy Toilet Guide

  • Home
  • Toilets
  • Brands
    • American Standard Toilets
      • American Standard Cadet 3
      • American Standard Champion 4
      • American Standard H2Option
      • American Standard Optum VorMax
      • American Standard Boulevard
      • American Standard Fairfield
      • American Standard Colony
      • American Standard Edgemere
    • Kohler Toilets
      • Kohler Highline
      • Kohler Santa Rosa
      • Kohler San Raphael
      • Kohler Memoirs
      • Kohler Cimarron
      • Kohler Wellworth
      • Kohler Tresham
      • Kohler Archer
      • Kohler Gabrielle
      • Kohler Corbelle
      • Kohler Devonshire
    • TOTO Toilets
      • TOTO Aquia IV Washlet
      • TOTO Ultramax-II
      • TOTO Supreme
      • TOTO Carlyle-II
      • TOTO Eco Soiree
      • TOTO Vespin II
      • TOTO Aimes
      • TOTO Washlet
  • Types
    • Best Dual Flush Toilets
    • Best Flushing Toilets
    • Best One Piece Toilets
    • Best Upflush Toilets
    • Best Portable Toilets
    • Best Compact Toilets
    • Best ADA Toilets
  • Accessories
    • Toilet Seats
      • Padded Seats
      • Heated Seats
      • Bidet Seats
      • Seat Risers
    • Handicap Accessories
    • Toilet Plungers
    • Toilet Bowl Cleaners
    • Toilet Brushes
    • Bidet Sprayers
  • Tips & Guides
    • Clogs
    • Fix & Repair
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Installations
    • Measuring
  • Resources
    • Comparisons
    • History
    • Calculators
    • Water Saving
  • About Us
    • FTC & Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Contact Us – We Value Your Feedback
    • Privacy Policy

7 Water Conservation Tips for Toilets – Help Save Water

Last updated: Jul 17th, 2022 by Katie Powell

The toilet is one of the most water-intensive fixtures in your house, accounting for almost 30 percent of your household water consumption. Toilet flushing makes up about 80 percent of your toilet’s water usage, meaning if you want to save water, you first need to target your flushing habits.

Table of Contents

  • Toilet Water Conservation
    • 1. Flush with a Purpose
    • 2. Install a Low-Flush Toilet
    • 3. Wipe with a Towel
    • 4. Use Less Toilet Paper
    • 5. Put a Brick in the Tank
    • 6. Fix Leaks Immediately
    • 7. Fix Fixtures that Don’t Work Properly
  • Final Thoughts

Water being flushed down on a toilet

Toilet Water Conservation

Here are several simple tips to help you reduce the amount of water you use while still maintaining good hygiene.

1. Flush with a Purpose

Pointer finger pushing a toilet flush

When you flush the toilet, think about what you’re flushing down. If it’s just urine or solid waste, there’s no need to flush twice! If you’re going number two, try to rinse before you flush to prevent waste from getting stuck on the toilet bowl.

Frivolous flushing wastes gallons of water per day, so make sure you’re only flushing when absolutely necessary.

Make sure that you’re properly disposing of trash as well. Feminine hygiene products, like tampons and pads, must be disposed of in the trash, not the toilet. Improper disposal can lead to disastrous clogging, expensive repairs, and potential health hazards.

2. Install a Low-Flush Toilet

A small white toilet with small tank

Low-flush toilets use less than half as much water as older models; nowadays the US federal maximum standard for toilets is 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to older models whose water usage could reach up to 6 gallons per flush.

EPA Water-Sense certified toilets are a great choice for cutting down water usage as they tend to use at most 1.28 gallons per flush.

You can also install a dual-flush toilet, which uses less water for liquid waste than solid waste. Typically, dual-flush toilets will use 1 gallon per flush for smaller waste loads, and 1.6 for larger ones, averaging about 1.28 gallons per flush overall.

3. Wipe with a Towel

Hand with rubber gloves wiping with towel

Toilet paper manufacturing generally requires twice as much water as other paper products.

Therefore, another habit for a more eco-friendly bathroom experience is swapping toilet paper for reusable cloths. Reusable cloths, or wipes, reduce your toilet paper usage by half, saving you both money and water. These wipes can also be gentler on your skin and even be homemade from leftover materials in your house.

4. Use Less Toilet Paper

Basket of toilet papers on a table

You don’t need to use a full sheet of toilet paper every time you go to the bathroom. A single sheet can be enough for many people, especially if you use a bidet or wash with soap and water instead of relying on toilet paper alone.

If you do want to use two sheets, consider switching to two-ply paper, which uses about half as much paper per sheet as single-ply paper does.

5. Put a Brick in the Tank

A red brick on white background

If you have an older toilet with an exposed tank as opposed to being concealed inside the wall, consider putting a brick or other object in the tank to reduce its capacity and force you to flush less often. This will also help prevent overflow accidents if someone overfills the bowl by mistake.

6. Fix Leaks Immediately

Lady plumber holding a wrench

If you notice that your toilet is leaking, make sure to fix it right away. This can be done by shutting off the water supply valve behind your toilet tank or in your home’s main line using an adjustable wrench or pliers.

Flush your toilet repeatedly until the tank refills completely with water to check for leaks. If there’s still a leak, you may need new parts or tools to repair it properly.

7. Fix Fixtures that Don’t Work Properly

You might think that it doesn’t matter if your toilet or sink isn’t working properly because they only use a little bit of water at a time — but they still use more than they should if they aren’t working properly!

If there’s something wrong with one of these fixtures, fix it as soon as possible so that you don’t waste any more water than necessary.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of ways you can save water in your home, from leaving the tap off while you brush your teeth to turning off the shower when you’re done.

Focusing first on your toilet usage can help eliminate bad habits and save you more money and water in the long run.

Category iconResources,  Water Saving

Primary Sidebar

Brand Reviews

TOTO Brands TOTO Toilets
Kohler Brands Kohler Toilets
American Standard Brands American Standard Toilets

Type Reviews

flushing toilets Best Flushing Toilets
small compact toilets Compact Toilets
dual flush toilets Dual Flush Toilets
one-piece toilets One Piece Toilets
portable toilets for travel Portable Toilets
toilet seats Toilet Seats
ada compliant toilets ADA Compliant Toilets

Footer

Footer logo

Toiletable.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.



Privacy Policy
 
FTC & Affiliate Disclaimer

Contact Us

© Toiletable - 2022