Well, today’s blog post is a little bit different. We’re going to be talking about everything that you should never put into your toilet. From paper towels to feminine products, there are a lot of things that should never make a splash in your toilet bowl. That’s what we will be discussing today. But first, next time you search for “clogged toilet plumber near me”, think of us first at Rooter-Man SC.
Let’s get started.
Cat Litter
People just never run out of ideas when it comes to conceiving of what to try to flush. Now, there are cat litter brands out there that technically do have a flushable litter, and it’s often advertised on the packaging. However, the majority of toilets in America just don’t use enough water to get the cat litter flowing all the way through your pipes.
So even if your cat litter is supposedly flushable, don’t try to do it. It’s not worth it. It just adds things to the water and makes it even harder to purify. In addition, cat poop should not be flushed. This is because litter dehydrates the water from the waste making it no longer water-soluble waste.
Baby Wipes
This one is especially important. Regardless of whether or not the packaging on your baby wipes claims to be flushable, never try to do it. Baby wipes are a constant cause of clogs and must be thrown in a wastebasket instead. Even baby wipes that do manage to appear to be flushed, they don’t disintegrate the same way that toilet paper does, which often later leads to serious plumbing issues that require expensive fixes.
Cigarette Butts
Cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals, even the butt end. So when you flush a cigarette butt, you are literally adding toxic chemicals into your septic system. By the way, they also cause clogs by themselves.
Cotton Products
Things like q-tips, cotton pads, and cotton balls should simply be thrown away after being used and never flushed. Similar to baby wipes, they don’t break down the same way that toilet paper does and just clump together creating clogs down the line.
Condoms
Condoms are not designed to be flushed in toilets. They will cause clogs in both toilets and septic tanks alike. There’s not much to say about this one. Just don’t do it.
Diapers
Yes, there are new parents out there who attempt to flush actual diapers. This is because they think diapers will break down in water and forget that they are only meant to absorb it. They don’t break down at all and will lead to very costly damages to your plumbing system. The best place to dispose of diapers is by having a diaper pail available.
Menstrual Products
This might surprise some people, but menstrual products are only meant to absorb liquids and are not going to break down in toilet water. Basically, they just expand when they are flushed, which is certainly very bad for your plumbing.
Paper Towels & Tissues
More of us are guilty of trying to flush paper towels than we’d like to admit. While paper towels and tissues appear similar to toilet paper, it just appears that way because they are not designed to break down in the way that toilet paper does. Paper towels and tissues will clog your toilet and create serious plumbing issues.
Medication
Some people flush their old pills rather than just throwing them away. Sadly, medication isn’t broken down properly in toilet water so the medication ends up getting into the water and it can have very toxic environmental effects.
Dental Floss
It’s just floss, right? No. While it takes on a thin and stringy makeup, dental floss can, unfortunately, cause environmental damage. Nothing that’s flushed down your toilet really disappears, and what was once dental floss later forms into a net that catches and holds onto other debris. It can even burn out your septic system’s motor after it wraps around it like a snake.
Final Thoughts
There are only a few different things that should be entering your toilet bowl and you should know what they are through common sense. Keep it that way and don’t try to flush anything funny. If you are searching for “clogged toilet repair near me” or “clogged toilet plumber near me”, you’re in the right place. At Rooter-Man SC, we are here to help. You can contact us here.
