Toilets are a modern-day convenience that we often take for granted. While they are designed to handle human waste, many people still use toilets as trash cans. What happens next is the inevitable clogs that cause a lot of inconvenience for the family. And you end up paying for the costly repairs by professional plumbers.
Fortunately, you can avoid all the trouble by using your toilets to flush down human waste. In order to ensure that your toilets remain clog-free, here is a list of 12 things you should never flush down them.
#1. Paper Towel
As surprising as it may sound, a paper towel is one of the first things you should never flush down the toilet. While it seems like toilet paper, its composition is quite different, and unlike toilet paper, it does not disintegrate in the water. Eventually, it can clog your toilet and lead to problems in your sewer line.
#2. Tissue Paper
Tissue paper is another similar product that comes from the family of toilet paper, yet it has different characteristics. Again, it appears to be soft and delicate; however, it does not disintegrate in the water in the same way as toilet paper. So the next time you cough or sneeze, instead of flushing down your tissue into the toilet, throw it in a covered trash can.
#3. Baby Wipes
The smooth and soft wipes are often gentle on the baby's skin, but not only your toilets. They are designed to clean your baby's delicate skin, but they are often non-biodegradable, which means that they do not dissolve in the water and negatively impact your sewer line. Even the flushable baby wipes you can find on the market do not disintegrate in the same way as toilet paper and may lead to clogs and other plumbing problems.
Do you have a used baby wipe in your hand? Dispose it off in your trash can and never flush it down your toilet.
#4. Cosmetic Wipes
Another disaster for the sewer world is cosmetic wipes. These wipes do not disintegrate in water, and instead, they lead to blockages and disruption of the plumbing system. Apart from a plumbing concern, cosmetic wipes are also an environmental concern.
#5. Baby Diapers
Never flush baby diapers down your toilet.
As surprising as it may appear, there are still people who flush their babies' diapers in their toilets (or in public toilets). Diapers absorb water, and when they become a part of the sewerage network, they can quickly expand and disrupt the entire plumbing system.
#6. Cotton Swabs/Cotton Balls
When was the last time you cleaned your ears using a cotton swab? Did you flush it down the toilet? You are not alone.
Because cotton swabs often appear to be trivial and made from organic matter, people assume that it will disintegrate in water. That’s often not the case. As small as they may appear, cotton swabs and other cotton products can lead to clogs.
#7. Condoms
Condoms are usually made up of latex, and while natural latex is biodegradable, condoms are often non-biodegradable. They are not just made up of latex, but synthetic material is also used for their construct. So condoms can cause severe blockages in your sewer system.
Moreover, when you flush condoms down the toilet, they eventually become a part of the sewer network, and it is simply disgusting. So it is best to keep your personal items on use private and dump them in the trash can.
#8. Feminine Sanitary Products
Another major problem that plumbers worldwide experience is a blockage in the plumbing systems due to feminine sanitary products. While it is a widely known fact that pads and tampons can obstruct the plumbing system, many women often end up flushing sanitary products down the toilet. And this eventually causes a blockage. For a safe and effective disposal of your personal items, it is best to use a sanitary bag and dump all your sanitary items in a trash can.
#9. Cigarette Butts
Another plague for the plumbing system is cigarette butts. They are literally everywhere; at the beach, on the roadside, and in the toilet! Yet, only a few people realize that they can cause problems to the plumbing system. A cigarette is technically made up of a synthetic filter made from cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable fiber. And it contains several carcinogens, nicotine, and a lot of toxins. It is something that should not go into your sewer system.
#10. Hair
As natural as it appears to pick up your fallen hair from your bathroom plug hole and flush them down the toilet, it can end up being a massive blockage in your sewer system. Hair is organic matter, but it does not dissolve in water. Instead, they can combine with soap, shampoo, and other things in your plumbing line and cause major clogs.
#11. Medicines
Many people assume that medicines dissolve in water, so there is no harm in flushing them down the toilet. That is a misconception. While medicines may dissolve in water, they can cause toxic effects on the environment, so it is not a good idea to flush medicines down the toilet.
#12. Band-Aids
Another synthetic material that often ends up in the toilet is a band-aid. Always remember that band-aid is made from non-biodegradable plastic and does not disintegrate in water. Instead, it stays and can cause blockage in your sewer line.
What to Do in Case of a Clog?
There is a whole long list of items that you should never flush down your toilet, including bleach, cat litter, cooking oil, chewing gums, and a lot more. But in case you are getting this information a little late, and your toilet is clogged already, don't worry. Call Mesa Plumbing for timely and effective solution to clogged toilets and a lot more. To find out more about our services, contact us now.