Handyman reveals shockingly easy trick to avoid costly toilet leaks: 'Please don't ever stop giving tips and tricks'

If you don't have any plumbing skills, fixing your toilet might seem daunting. But the key to determining if your porcelain throne has a leak might be sitting in your pantry.

The scoop

In a TikTok video, Matt from HomeServe USA (@homeserveusa) demonstrated how to use food coloring to look for toilet leaks.

@homeserveusa If you suspect a toilet leak💦 is keeping you in the red on your water bill, see if your commode can pass this test with flying colors! (You can tank us later...)🚽 #toilet #toiletleaking #foodcoloring #plumbing #plumbingtok #plumbinglife #plumber #diy #howto #advice #homeimprovement #homerepair #homemaintenance #homeownership #homeowner #hack #homehack #hometok #commode #fyp #foryoupage #mattfromhomeserve ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Matt recommended using this trick if your toilet runs constantly, randomly drips water into the bowl, or flushes when no one's using it.

First, remove the toilet tank lid and add 10 drops of food coloring to the water. Don't flush; let the water sit for 10 to 15 minutes instead.

Once the time has passed, if you see food coloring in the toilet bowl, that means you have a leak. Otherwise, you're all set.

According to Matt, the cause is usually a "dirty, corroded, damaged, or misaligned flapper." It's important to get that fixed as soon as possible to avoid more plumbing problems.

How it's helping

Matt noted that more than 25% of household water use comes from toilets, but the percentage can be much higher than that.

A study published in AGU Advances found that toilets account for 40% of a home's indoor water use. Either way, optimizing your toilet is good for your wallet and the environment.

If you don't have the budget for a more efficient toilet, there are other ways to lower your hydro bill.

Gardeners can capture rainwater for their plants. If you have a dishwasher, using it for its intended purpose instead of handwashing can save you time and money.

When's the last time you checked your home for leaks? This year 👍 Last year 🙂 It's been a while 🤷 I'm supposed to do that? 😳 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Millcreek, Utah, even launched a gamified program in 2024 that gave residents rewards for using less water. Supporting initiatives like this can make water conservation more enticing and fun, while reducing the number of droughts.

You could amplify the benefits of reducing water use by planting native plants in your outdoor space. Whether they're in your own yard or a community garden, your area's native plants are more accustomed to the local ecosystem — this means they thrive with minimal water.

What everyone's saying

As for the toilet-leak-check hack, commenters had varied responses, though generally positive.

"Yup… army housing inspector showed me that," one person commented.

Another TikTok user wrote: "Please don't ever stop giving tips and tricks."

"This was very entertaining to watch," a third commenter wrote. "Not an issue I have but I was entertained."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.