Did you know that a leaky toilet wastes an average of 200 gallons of water per day?
If it's not promptly fixed, that comes out to 6,000 gallons of wasted water a month and a totally unnecessary expense of at least $70 to $150 or more.
Fortunately, there's a quick and easy DIY hack for checking for water leaks that only requires a small bottle of food coloring.
The scoop
In a viral video, TikToker hometalk (@hometalk) shared his toilet leak test hack, which involves putting a few drops of food dye in the back of a toilet tank.
@hometalk Who knew food coloring could be a game changer for home improvement!? 😳 Test for pesky water leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank. It's an easy DIY hack that can save you money and headaches in the long run! 🚽 @goodlyearth #DIY #HomeImprovement #Hack #LifeHack #TipsAndTricks #hacks #hacksoflife ♬ original sound - hometalk
"Who knew food coloring could be a game changer for home improvement!?" the original poster wrote in the video caption. "Test for pesky water leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring to your toilet tank. It's an easy DIY hack that can save you money and headaches in the long run!"
How it's working
The hack works by checking to see if the water in the bowl is changing color. If it changes to the color of the food dye, then you have a leak, most likely from the flapper inside.
"Go ahead and get that replaced, and you'll save a lot of water that'll pay for that flapper," said the TikToker.
Professional plumbers recommend this hack, especially when toilets start making hissing noises. A noisy toilet often indicates a leaky tank flapper, an easy fix that typically costs less than $10.
Fixing a leaky flapper can save you significantly on your monthly water bill while also helping you conserve household water. Other ways to save water include upgrading your fixtures with water-saving features, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, and using a modern dishwasher designed to use less water than washing dishes by hand.
What people are saying
TikTokers loved this hack and were interested in trying it for their own toilet troubles at home.
"Tempting to try," wrote one TikToker in the comments.
Another user commented, "It works! I work in utilities; we've been telling customers to do this for years."
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