clean toilet rim jets - hand with glove showing thumb up sign against clean toilet

If your toilet has been flushing more slowly, it may be time for you to clean its rim jet holes. We take a safe alternative for unclogging them.

What are Toilet Rim Jets?

Toilet rim jets (as well called siphon holes or rim holes) are literally tiny holes under the rim of your toilet basin.

When you affluent, water siphons down from the tank through the rim jet holes. This creates a swirling motion that adds to your toilet's flushing power. The holes also aid clean your toilet after every utilise.

Sometimes, the siphon holes get clogged. Less water swirling into the bowl means less flushing ability. That'south why your toilet flushes more slowly and appears less clean.

PRO TIP: The toilet rim jets are different than the siphon jet, which is one larger hole at the lesser of the bowl. The siphon jet hole allows a larger rush of water to propel the swirling h2o from the rim jets down the drain.

clean toilet rim jets - diagram of toilet siphon jet holes
The toilet rim jets are different than the siphon jet. All the same, they work together to create an efficient swirling motion and flush.

Table of Contents

  • What are Toilet Rim Jets?
  • How Do Toilet Rim Jets Get Clogged?
  • What You lot Need to Clean Toilet Rim Jets
  • How to Make clean Toilet Rim Jets with White Vinegar
    • Cleaning Instructions
    • What if That Doesn't Work?
  • Final Thoughts
  • Call one-Tom-Plumber

How Do Toilet Rim Jets Become Clogged?

The almost common reason is difficult water.

If your drinking glasses are cloudy or filmy, you probably alive in an area with hard water, which contains dissolved minerals. The same mineral buildup you see on those glasses will build up on and clog the small-scale rinse holes nether the rim of your toilet bowl.

Dissolving those hard water minerals is a unproblematic chore.

clean toilet rim jets - inset photo on toilet that shows dirty rim jet holes
Toilet rim jets are tiny and located nether the rim where we tin't easily come across them. When they tin can get clogged by calcium buildup (from hard water), they demand to be cleaned to ensure an efficient affluent.

What Y'all Need to Make clean Toilet Rim Jets

This solution for cleaning out the jet holes is easy. It only requires the following materials and tools:

  • Paper towels
  • Plumber'southward putty
  • 1 gallon of white vinegar
  • Wire coat hanger
  • Safety gloves
  • Cutting pliers (for the coat hanger)
  • Mirror (optional)

How to Clean Toilet Rim Jets with White Vinegar

Before you get started, consider these two items.

  • Is information technology really chock-full rim jets that are slowing your affluent? You can bank check this by pouring a five-gallon bucket into your toilet bowl. Start slowly, then quickly add the rest. The toilet volition flush on its ain. If it does so slowly, then the problem is not your rim jets.
  • Practise you use difficult water in your domicile? It's likely if yous're not using a whole-business firm water softener. Most areas of the state supply hard water to residences. It leaves calcium buildup on your pipes and other fixtures, including glassware from your dishwasher. If you lot have hard h2o, information technology's a clue that your toilet rim jets might exist clogged.

Cleaning Instructions

  1. Turn off the water supply shutoff valve nether the toilet.
  2. Affluent the tank to empty it.
  3. Roll single sheets of paper towel into tight, half-inch-diameter rolls. Press the paper towel rolls upwards nether the rim of the bowl and stick them in that location with plumber's putty.
  4. Remove the tank cover, lift the stopper by the lift wire or chain, and pour a gallon of white vinegar downward the flush valve outlet in the tank.
  5. Wait most 8 hours.
  6. Put on your rubber gloves and remove the plumber'due south putty and paper towels from under the toilet bowl rim.
  7. Throw them abroad and wash your easily immediately. Although the white vinegar that poured out of the at present clean toilet rim jet holes is natural, it is acidic enough to burn down the skin if left there for too long.
  8. Turn the h2o supply valve dorsum on and flush the toilet.
clean toilet rim jets - pour white vinegar into flush outlet tube in tank
Using a funnel can help you pour white vinegar into the tank's outlet tube without splashing it everywhere. But don't worry if you go some in the water tank. It won't be a trouble.

What if That Doesn't Work?

Here's one final instruction for how to clean toilet rim jets if the above did non solve the problem.

Use a tool like the cutting pliers to cut a six-inch length from a wire glaze hanger. Endeavor cutting the wire hanger at an angle so the finish y'all stick into the holes is pointy.

Work the wire hanger in and around each of the rinse holes to articulate them. If you need to come across what you're doing, concord a mirror under the rim. This will be like how a dentist uses a mirror to await backside your teeth.

Once done cleaning out all the holes, affluent over again and you should exist all set.

clean toilet jet rims - pouring white vinegar into inlet tube of toilet tank
Place the end of your cut wire hanger into each hole. Move in and out and all around until you experience it has been cleaned of harder-to-deliquesce debris.

Final Thoughts

Making sure you have make clean toilet rim jets is a simple process.

Though information technology takes time for the white vinegar to practice its job, it's a modest price to pay for not having to replace your toilet with a plush new 1.

Phone call 1-Tom-Plumber

Don't hesitate to contact us here or phone call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if y'all need help with any toilet repair, replacement, or new installation.

1-Tom-Plumber'south certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to whatsoever emergency plumbing, drain, or water damage problem, including excavation of undercover h2o lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is bachelor every day and night of the yr, even on holidays.