There are few issues more frustrating to homeowners than a faulty toilet. Arguably the most essential fixture in a house, your toilet should be kept in good condition-and this means being aware of what not to flush. There are certain items that you should never flush down your toilet, or you will likely require a quality plumber to set things right again. Here are seven items you should absolutely never flush down your toilet.
Things to Never Flush Down the Toilet
- Dental floss: Floss is a non-biodegradable item and should be thrown in the trash, not down the toilet. If you make a habit of flushing floss down your toilet, you may be in for a tangled situation-floss will catch on rough sewer pipes, intertwining with itself and other items, leading to clogs.
- Sanitary items: Personal sanitary items such as tampons, sanitary napkins, and disposable wipes are some of the worst items you can flush. The cotton in these items will snag on your pipes-especially if your pipes have cracks or root damage-and create major clogs. Additionally, cotton doesn’t break down easily in water, which can spell serious trouble for your septic system over time.
- Food fat: You’ve likely heard that you shouldn’t pour grease down your kitchen sink. The same goes for your toilet. While grease, oil, and fats may pour as a liquid, they harden as they cool and will stick to the sides of your pipes. Eventually, the passage will become increasingly small, resulting in a potentially damaging clog.
- Diapers: For many readers, this will seem like a no-brainer, but it is essential that you do not flush diapers down your toilet. Diapers are designed to expand in liquid-it would be akin to flushing a very large sponge down your toilet. Flushing diapers will almost assuredly lead to blockage, so simply dispose of them in the trash.
- Bandages: Adhesive bandages not only cause annoying clogs in your pipes, but they are also made from non-biodegradable plastic, which is detrimental to the environment.
- Hair: As with floss, hair can easily catch on cracks and rough pipes and then act as a sort of net to catch other waste and create pipe blockage.
- Paint, solvents, and thinners: It can be tempting to get rid of hazardous liquids by flushing them down the toilet, but you’re doing more damage to your sewer pipes than you may realize. Caustic chemicals in solvents and thinners can eat away at your pipes, weakening them and potentially causing a very expensive repipe job. If that weren’t reason enough, the viscous nature of paint can settle in pipe bends and contribute to clogs made of hair, floss, fat, and anything else that should simply be thrown away in the trash.
At Clear Drain Plumbing, we know that clogs happen, no matter how careful you are. If you need high-quality plumbing services, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (408) 709-7241 or visit our website to learn more about us or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!
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