People realising they've been using the wrong toilet flush buttons

You probably press them every day, multiple times a day if you have a toilet made in the last 20 years.

But many people in the UK still have no idea what the two separate buttons on top of your toilet are really for and how they actually work.

In fact, some common mistakes around the 'dual flush' toilet buttons could even be costing you money on your water bills.

Posting in Reddit community British Problems, one poster tried to make sense of how to use them.

They wrote: "Big button for a big flush? Or is little button the big flush and it's designed to be harder to push/get at, thus forcing you to use less water? Could be they are both the same - and like the close door button in a lift (which doesn't do anything at all) it's a trick?"

Confusingly, everyone had a different answer, because it turns out there is no universal design.

One poster replied: "I always thought it was little button for a wee and big button for a poo."

But another said: "I always thought it was press both for a big flush, and either one of the smaller ones by itself for a small flush"

And another said: "It is impossible to press the little button on mine without the big button depressing so that must mean big button for little flush and little button for big flush."

An expert then chimed in to explain that it's actually different every time, going so far as to take the entire toilet apart to confirm it.

He said: "I actually had this exact question yesterday. So I took my toilet apart to work it out. It isn't standard. The loo with a button fully enclosed within a larger button, you push on the small one for a half flush. This will inevitably push the big one down at the same time; that's intentional. Push the larger button down while avoiding the smaller button enclosed for a full flush.

"The other loo has two buttons which can be pressed independently. On that, the smaller button is indeed a half flush."

Another said: "I talked to my plumber about this. He says it's random: if you look at the linkages between the button and the mechanism they're easily swapped. He thinks that bigger button = smaller flush in general but doesn't follow the rules that reliably."

However, if you can work out how your toilet works properly, you can save money on your water bills, according to bathroom showroom Victorian Plumbing.

Its guide explains: "Simply put, dual flush toilets are the same as regular toilets but with an innovative dual flush valve installed which gives the option of a full flush or a half flush. Giving you the option to choose the flush that you best see fit, allowing you to use half the amount of water wherever possible.

"Dual flush valves can substantially cut your water use by using just enough water to adequately flush your toilet. This is achieved by allowing you to choose whether to use a full flush or a half flush. Which means that you will only use 3 litres of water instead of 6!

"Another benefit to a dual flush toilet is that you will notice that your water bills will be lower. A toilet uses the most amount of water in your home, therefore using less water will see an impact on your water bills.

"Unlike a standard toilet which relies on a pressure syphoning system to carry out a full flush, a dual flush toilet typically relies on gravity. This design means that the toilet is less likely to become blocked, meaning you won't be seeing much of that dreaded plunger."