Families continue to try to save money wherever they can despite the high cost of living. However, one good thing that has resulted from families having to make ends meet is that there has been a significant increase in people sharing their tiny and simple hacks that can significantly lower household expenditures.
There may be lesser tricks that you haven’t tried, even though you may already be aware of how to conserve water (opens in new tab), such as using Martin Lewis’ quick check to lower your bills (opens in new tab). In April 2023, many people’s water bills increased, making it even more crucial for them to utilize water efficiently and make savings where they can.
TikTok Toilet Tip
Kyle, also known as @ThatPropertyGuy, uploaded a video with some quick and simple recommendations to assist families minimize how much water they use and, if they are on a water meter, reduce how much they pay on his TikTok channel, which has around 500k subscribers.
However, the video’s toilet flushing trick in particular caught our attention. Kyle explains that using the smaller flush button on a dual flush toilet instead of the larger one can dramatically cut down on the amount of water you consume.
This hack from TikTok’s @ThatPropertyGuy is amazing and not one that many people consider, according to bathroom expert Warren Kinloch of high-quality bathroom supplier Bathroom Deal(opens in new tab). When using the small or large buttons on a dual flush, there is a significant discrepancy in the amount of water used and the amount you are paid each month.
“The larger button can consume up to 9 liters per flush, whilst the smaller button uses only 4 to 6 liters per flush.
You are not alone if you have a dual flush toilet and are unsure of the functions of the various buttons. The larger button delivers a longer flush for solid waste, whereas the smaller button offers a shorter flush for liquid waste.
How Much Can You Actually Save with This Toilet Hack?
By using this trick and altering how you flush your toilet, you may save over $60 per year, but how much you actually save will ultimately depend on the type of toilet you have, how frequently you use it, where you live, and how many people reside in your home.
The average family of four uses 308 cubic meters of water annually (including wastewater), or 308,000 liters, at a cost of around 612, according to data from Southern Water(opens in new tab). Approximately $1.99 per cubic meter of water is how that works out.
If everyone in this household flushed the large button (9L) each time they used the restroom six times per day, it would cost 157.21 a year. Additionally, you would use 79 cubic meters of water annually.
Instead, if you simply used the smaller button each time you flushed, you could use 35 cubic meters less water per year while still paying only 69.65 (a savings of over 87). However, this type of flush may not be appropriate for solid waste, causing you to flush the toilet more frequently and use the same amount of water as when you used the larger flush button.
However, if you were particularly careful to press the correct button for the appropriate kind of trash, for instance, if each person pressed the smaller button four times per day and the larger button twice per day, you’d use about 49 cubic meters of water a year at a cost of 97.51, saving almost 60!
