Do Toilets Really Flush Backwards In Australia?

It is the age old question that always seems to come up whenever people start talking to one another about Australia.

No, it isn’t anything about koalas or kangaroos, it isn’t anything about Kylie Minogue and it isn’t anything about didgeridoos.

That’s right, you guessed it, all anyone wants to know about is whether or not our toilets flush the other way or not!

Well, here at Flow Wise, we think it’s about time we put this question to bed once and for all, don’t you?

With the help of some of the very best plumbers in Maroochydore, here is some information that might give you the answer to the question of whether Aussie toilets really do flush backwards!

• Here’s the facts! Since there is no way correct or defined way for a toilet to flush, there is technically no such thing as backwards. Sorry to let you down like that!

• The myth stems from something called the Coriolis Effect which makes air spin in different directions based on what hemisphere you are living in. When it comes to toilet flushing, however, the truth is that the amount of water flushed is way too small to be affected by the Coriolis Effect. If a tornado is too small, then your toilet’s flush certainly is too!

• If someone were to flush a toilet about three times larger than a tornado, then you might have a case!

• Ultimately, after all of the scientific talk has been done, we can confidently state that the only thing that has an influence on which way down the drain water goes in Australia, is the shape of the basin that you are using. Some basin designs will force the water one way, other basin designs will force it to go the opposite way. At the end of the day, you can probably manipulate water yourself with your hands, but the simple fact of being ‘down under’ isn’t going to have an effect.

So, now you know, and hopefully you can pass on the knowledge! For any other more pressing and urgent plumbing needs that you might have, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

We boast some of the best plumbers in Maroochydore and we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction.

There is no problem too big or too small for our team. We look forward to being able to help you out and get your plumbing back in perfect shape.

For more information, read our previous blog on how to prevent blocked drains!