A Parents Guide to Toilet Training (Potty Training)

ToiletToilet or potty training can be a frustrating time for parents and toddlers. My wife and I are getting to the end of toilet training with our son, but I wish we had prepared a bit earlier to make the process easier for all of us.

Most children learn to begin their bladder and later their bowels, between two to three years of age. Girls often before boys. Most parents, (well at least my wife and I!) only really start to think about toilet training when their child reaches around two.

But there’s a lot of preparation that can be done before this age to make a child feel comfortable and acclimatized to the idea of going to the toilet before the experience begins.

Discuss with your child when they need to go to the toilet. “Are you doing a wee? Are you doing a poo?” Teach them through encouragement to tell you when they are emptying their bladders or moving their bowels.

Nappy time is ideal for these discussions. “You’ve done a poo. Soon you will go to the toilet to wee and poo like a big boy/girl.” Talk about it weeks or months before putting them on the toilet. Read the rest of this entry »

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8 Easy Steps to Find Your Perfect Toilet

ToiletMaybe you’re building a house, or you’re remodeling. If you’re like most folks, the toilet probably does not rate very high on your list of priorities. Still, the toilet is a key piece of a comfortable, modern, well-functioning home. Following a few straightforward steps can help you find a toilet that is right for you, both functionally and aesthetically. Remember, alltoilets are not built the same!

Step by step now, let’s examine:

1. The shape of the toilet bowl: The main choices here are an elongated bowl and a round front bowl. The round front tends to be two inches shorter, and works well for smaller spaces. The larger elongated front is more comfortable and sanitary, since there is less drip on the toilet.

2. The toilet size: There are lots of choices, with different lengths, widths and heights. Make sure you measure the space available for the toilet to ensure a comfortable fit. You also need to consider the rough-in space, which is how far the centerof the toilet bowl is from the finished wall, since this limits the size of the toilet.

3. The size of the toilet trapway: The trap way is that part of the toilet that through which the water and waste exit. The minimum standard allows waste with a diameter of 1 ½ inches to pass through. You may want to consider looking at a larger trapway to minimize clogging problems.

4. The flushing system: In the US, by law all toilets must have a 1.6 gallon tank to conserve water. However, you do still have some choices. Read the rest of this entry »

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Dual Flush Toilets and Kits – Advantages and Disadvantages

ToiletDual flush toilets are becoming more and more popular throughout the world. With a growing awareness and the need to conserve water, as well and more significant droughts throughout the world, people are turning to ways they can conserve water in their own homes. These toilets are used widely throughout the rest of the world, but slowly becoming a popular choice among residents of the United States and Canada.

If you are considering purchasing these water efficient and “green” toilets, you will want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these water efficient toilets. These environmentally friendly units offer two flush volumes: one volume for fluids and the other for solids.

Is it worth abandoning the standard flush system and going for a full replacement or a dual flush toilet conversion kit? Below are some advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages

Save Water

There is no doubt that a these water efficient toilets are very highly efficient and are in compliance of the National Energy Policy Act of 1994. These dual flushing toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to older standard toilets that use more than 3.5 gallons per flush. As mentioned, these dual flushing toilets and kits feature two flush volumes on every model. The lower volume or the liquid flush, uses less than 1.1 gallons per flush. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we can save up to 4,000 gallons of water every year by converting our toilets to the dual flush system. Read the rest of this entry »

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