# How do toilets work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-toilets-work/432110>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2008, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-toilets-work/432110 "2008-01-03T08:15:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tool_of_the_Conspiracy)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-toilets-work/432110/21 "2008-01-04T21:49:53Z")

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[QUOTE=Duck Duck Goose]  
You can also flush them if for some reason the handle and/or tank mechanism isn’t working (or if your water is shut off due to plumbers working downstairs). Just dump in a couple gallons of water all at once (a 5 gallon pickle bucket works well for this).

Of course, this means you would have had to put by a bucket of water before the plumbers shut off the water, but no system is perfect. 😃  
[/QUOTE]

Also, plumbers tend to frown on this practice when they’re downstairs working on your **sewer** line.

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