How to Empty a Toilet Bowl for Cleaning, Repair, or Removal

Drain your toilet easily with our expert-approved DIY guide

Co-authored by James Schuelke and Eric McClure

Last Updated: July 14, 2024 Fact Checked

You may need to drain a toilet to give the bowl or tank a thorough cleaning, especially if you need to do repairs. Fortunately, you can drain a toilet in only a few minutes. All you need to do is shut off the water and flush the toilet to get it to drain. You can then work on or clean the toilet without worrying about excess water. To help you out, we spoke with professional plumber James Schuelke to get expert guidance on getting water out of your toilet the right way.

How to Drain a Toilet

Turn the knob on your supply line counterclockwise to stop your water supply.
Flush the toilet to empty the water in the tank.
Pour around 3 gallons (11 L) of water into the bowl to force flush it.
Use a sponge, wet vac, or turkey baster to remove any remaining water.
If you’re disassembling the toilet, sponge-dry the inside of the tank.

1

Turn off the water supply to your toilet.

Download Article

Shut off the water supply to make sure no more water flows into your toilet. Find the supply line leading away from the tank and into the floor or wall, instructs Schuelke. Look for the valve, which is generally a small knob found on the wall or floor near the toilet. Turn the knob completely counterclockwise to turn off the water supply and allow the toilet to drain.
- Be careful not to break the valve or the pipe if you’re in a really old house. Hold the base of the valve with one hand and turn it with the other.

2

Flush the toilet to drain the water.

Download Article

Flushing the toilet should clear water out of your toilet tank. Schuelke says you just press down on the handle the same way you normally would when flushing. Hold down and keep pressing on the flush valve until all the water drains from your toilet tank.
- If the water starts refilling, double-check that you’ve fully rotated the shutoff valve. Make sure you twist it as far as you can (in a counterclockwise direction) to switch off the water supply.
- If the toilet knob will not shut off properly, try temporarily shutting off the water supply to your house.

3

Soak up any remaining tank water.

Download Article

Getting rid of residual tank water can save you extra clean-up later. There will be a very thin layer of water at the bottom of the tank. If you do want the tank 100% empty, grab a big sponge or dry towel and blot all of the water up.
- You can skip this step if you’re replacing the entire toilet (the little bit of water left in the tank will evaporate over time). If you’re disassembling the toilet, though, you’ll save a bit of cleanup time by soaking the water up.

4

Get some towels and a bucket.

Download Article

There’s always a little bit of a mess when you drain the bowl. This is one of those simple DIY jobs that’s going to involve a little cleanup—no matter how careful you are, the process can be a little messy. Lay down a tarp or some old towels near the base of the toilet. This will soak up any water that spills out during the process.
- Throw some rubber gloves on, too. Getting toilet water on your hands is a little icky—even if the toilet is relatively clean.

5

Pour water into the bowl to force flush the toilet.

Download Article

Force flushing is the easiest way to remove most of the water. Pour 3 gallons (11 L) of water into the bowl. It may seem counterproductive, but pouring a few gallons of water from the sink or tub will force the water through the drain. Lift the lid of the toilet and slowly pour the water into the bowl, lifting the bucket as you pour. This method will draw the water out of the bowl.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If pouring slowly doesn’t do the trick, quickly dump the remaining water in the bucket into the bowl, as sudden action can help the water drain.

6

Remove leftover water with a sponge or wet vac.

Download Article

The force flush may leave some residual water pooled in the bowl. Grab a wad of paper towels or a sponge. Press this on the bottom of the bowl to soak up any remaining water.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You can also plunge the water down the drain by using a traditional plunger.
- A turkey baster can also remove all of the water if you’re in a pinch.
- If you are 100% dedicated to not touching any water, use a garden hose to siphon the water into a bucket. Put your finger on the end of a hose, insert the other end into the bowl, and remove your thumb once the hose is over a bucket to drain it out.
EXPERT TIP

James Schuelke
Professional Plumber
James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.

James Schuelke
Professional Plumber

Try using a wet vac instead. To drain a toilet tank, shut off the angle stop or the valve that comes out of the wall below the toilet tank. Once that's shut off, flush the toilet to get the residual water out of the tank, then take a wet shop vac and extract anything that's left.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Never attempt to drain a toilet without cutting off the water supply. Your toilet will not drain properly if the water is still turned on, and it can cause water to leak, causing a huge mess in your bathroom.^{[3]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0