Toilet water level in the bowl. Please help!

Hi all, although this doesn't pertain directly to enemas I have a few questions regarding toilets and water level in the bowl. I couldn't find the proper category to post this, so my apologies if this post is in the wrong section. Before you read on: Please keep the comments on subject! We don't need suggestions on diet, toilet bowl cleaning or accessories like a bidet.

One of my relatives (resides in the USA) has a dilemma with the design of her toilet, particularly the amount of water (lack of) in the toilet bowl. I'll try to explain this without getting too graphic. Almost all of her bowel movements are "loose" and "gassy" which results in fecal matter sticking to the sides and above the water of the toilet bowl. Her issue is that she has to scrub the sides of the bowl every time she (and other family members/guests) poops.

I suggested to try to raise the water level in the bowl. We both watched YouTube videos on how to do this. Basically it was adjusting the float in the tank. That was tried by both raising and lowering the float. The water level remained the same. She also tried putting a couple gallons of water in the bowl. The water level went up a little, but quickly returned to what it was before adding the water.

I did some further research and found an article about water levels in toilet bowls. It pretty much explained that the design of the toilet and the pipes within the fixture determines the water level in the bowl. I learned that the plumbing within the fixture has a bend or curve to keep sewer gasses from coming back up. That bend is called the weir. The bottom of the weir determines the amount of water in the bowl. I looked at my toilets and the explanation is very accurate.

So it makes sense that if you pour gallons of water into the toilet, the level will stay the same. Furthermore, the plumbing in the toilet cannot be changed. Upon further research, I found out that toilets manufactured and sold today are no more than 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF).

She sent me some pictures of the inside of her toilet bowl. What I saw is that the design of the bowl has a considerable amount of depth. The water level looks like it's less than 1/4 high from the bottom to the rim. In order for her to eliminate the "poop speckle" the level of the water would have to be at least twice as high or 1/2 the height from the bottom to rim.

My question: Is there a toilet on the market with a shallower bowl design that allows a water level closer to the rim? There are many toilets at home improvement stores and online, but none have any pictures of the amount of water in the bowl. It wouldn't make sense to buy a toilet, have it installed and find out that she doesn't have the preferred water level in the bowl. We have searched everywhere to no avail. I'm asking that if anyone has this design to please post a photo and give us the make and model.

Another question: How do you post pictures on this website?

I sometimes have just the opposite problem…TOO MUCH water in the bowl. There is nothing that will get my attention faster than when I seat myself for a relaxing BM and my testicles drop into the (usually COLD) water! Have any other guys had this problem?

I have just replaced three toilets in my home in order to get the higher seat, sometimes referred to as ADA compliant. You are correct in that the amount of water in the bowl cannot be changed, as any added water will just flow down the drain. The water in the tank can be adjusted with the float, but not by a large amount, however she would benefit by added water in the tank will flush debris slightly better.

I would suggest that she visit a plumbing supply house, not a big box store. The employees there would be more familiar/knowledgeable with various toilet designs.

I would also suggest that she add a fiber supplement to her diet, such as Metamucil, or equivalent generic. That advice is offered as a play doctor, not a medical professional.

It is the height of the trap at the back of the toilet that determines how much water is in the bowl, not the tank water level. She needs a newer toilet.

I had to go visit another civil engineering company in Bremen some years ago. The restrooms had several differences that were memorable:

There were two rooms, one labeled OO and one PP. Yes, this is obvious but wasn't for me as the visitor from the US. If you are a guy, OO is where you go to have a BM and PP is where you go to pee. In a pinch you can pee in the OO room, but not vice versa. Women would use OO for everything however.

In the OO room the toilets have very little water and there is a shelf in the bowl that captures your BM. Your BM is not sinking in a pool of water if I can avoid any excess visuals.

Flushing involved a clear decision. Hold the handle one notch for flushing pee and two for flushing a BM.

All of this took a bit getting used to.

I've seen those ‘shelf’ toilets in both Germany and the Netherlands. They're supposed to be a water saving feature apparently.

I haven't seen one for several years now though, so I wonder if they might be dying out?

I would suggest that she visit a plumbing supply house, not a big box store. The employees there would be more familiar/knowledgeable with various toilet designs.

I would also suggest that she add a fiber supplement to her diet, such as Metamucil, or equivalent generic. That advice is offered as a play doctor, not a medical professional.

Thank you for the suggestion on shopping. Please keep your replies on subject. I'm not asking for suggestions about diet.

Everyone, I'm looking for help and advice, not stories about what you have seen.

I've seen those ‘shelf’ toilets in both Germany and the Netherlands.

I had to go visit another civil engineering company in Bremen some years ago. The restrooms had several differences that were memorable

All of this took a bit getting used to.

She needs a better toilet. She can go somewhere like Home Depot and buy a toilet where the water comes in high and swirls around cleaning the sides as it flushes. These also have a higher seat which makes it easier for old codgers like me to get up. We installed commercial toilets at our office which flush with high water pressure which also clean the sides as well as blow out any debris and keeping it from plugging up. We can it the “Super Flush!” I think she needs to upgrade her toilet. I can probably get you the brand for either if you need it.

TY, Moppy. I heard that installing a commercial toilet in a residential home can cause a lot of damage. BTW, I see that you are a moderator, is it possible to post pictures in a post?

Google Self Cleaning Toilets. They make them for home use, high 360 degree swirl. Talk to a plumbing supply company(s) for recommendations. Know they push certain brands.

You can post pics in an album and then link to it in a post.

You could also try an old builders salvage yard where they sell salvaged clawfoot tubs,porceline sinks & early style commodes.

Just a thought. Until you find the correct toilet, perhaps some Clorox spray cleanser would help. I have a similar, but not identical problem. Many times, feces do get on the bowl above the water level, especially if I've had a messy bowel movement. My best answer has been to flush, wait for the toilet to stop running, then spray a couple sprays of Clorox spray into the bowl, wait a few minutes, then flush again. The spray is called: Clorox Cleaner + Bleach, and it works surprisingly well for me.

@Doctorh3e Thanks. The idea of a new toilet is so she doesn't have to do that. She hasn't had any problems getting the speckle off of the inside of the bowl, provided she does that right after her bowel movement and it doesn't dry up. Need suggestions a toilet, not cleaning. Thanks much!

@codjer Thanks, but that's not an option.

@Rigel Thanks, I will do that 😃

How about a bidet fixture on the toilet @Ebbie_Anne ? They usually come with a hand spray attachment. This would probably wash the “speckle” down if it was used just after.

@LordJim2 Thanks, but not interested in that

People, please keep the comments on subject! We don't need suggestions on diet, toilet bowl cleaning or accessories like a bidet. We are looking for a toilet with a decent water level in the bowl. Nothing else! Thanks.

Temporary fix….tell her to line the bowl with toilet paper before she poops. Poop hits toilet paper, everything slides into the water like an avalanche.

Don't you wish they had toilet showrooms where you can do test pooping? 😄

Go to a plumbing supply house, or a Kohler or American Standard Showroom/Dealer (one with a large showroom) or a major bath remodeler with a well stocked showroom. Talk to one of the OLDER salespersons (sorry, not being agist, but the longer they've been around the better…usually… they know the products, new AND old). Tell them the problem and ask which of their products best addresses your need. American Standard has a line called “Vormax” that may work. You might also call and talk with a well established plumber. Good luck.

The water level in the bowl/pan is determined by the height of the “S bend”. Have they tried a short flush to wet the inside of the bowl before using. Poo usually sticks, because the bowl is dry, but will often slip off a wet bowl. Water volume in the flush tank has nothing to do with water level in the bowl. The higher/deeper the “S” the more water is needed to flush.

There are a couple of things you can do to educe bowl splatter:

Clean and disinfect the entire bowl inner surface with Clorox. A film of bacteria tends to build up w/in a day or so and any poo splatters tend to stick to that film.

Bend the float arm in the tank, if your tank is so designed, until the water level is just below the top of the overflow tube, so the water volume per flush is maximized. This can't be done on some tank valve designs.

IMO, the ‘low flow’ toilets are a disaster. Many take repeated flushes to clear the bowl. Also, they tend to have a smaller ‘sanitary area’ so the target area for poo is reduced.

Thank you government toll for ANOTHER idiotic idea.

You can't change the water level in a toilet as that design has been fixed by the manufacturer. You can change the water level in the tank but not in a bowl. That is pretty simple. Just buy another toilet.

@Denise

You mean Pam??

You should visit a plumbing advice website!

@Denise

You mean Pam??

It's a Freudian slip. I like to put spam into the toilet folder too.

Don't you wish they had toilet showrooms where you can do test pooping? 😄

@Phoenix7 I sure do! 😁 And, maybe an enema room too!

@duhwizzard Excellent idea! I'll do that. Thanks.

@Denise WD-40 is a terrible idea for that. Not only it's flammable, it's very toxic, especially with private parts exposed. I surely hope you don't attempt this.