Toilets are one of the essential parts of any indoor plumbing system. Unfortunately, toilets are often treated as if they were the same as a garbage can, and homeowners flush objects down them that should absolutely not end up in the sewer line or (if the home doesn’t have a connection to the municipal sewer system) the septic tank. These items can create heavy clogging in pipes and damage sewage pumps. We’ve put together a short list of some of the bigger offenders that you should never flush down a toilet.
Cigarette butts
The issue with cigarette butts is that they do not biodegrade and easily break down in water. This can lead to clogs and is particularly damaging for septic systems.
Dental floss
This might seem harmless, but long strings of dental floss will easily catch onto the sides of rough pipes. They can also create major damage inside pumps if they get tangled in the motors, and they don’t degrade in water.
Baby wipes and hand wipes
Don’t treat these as if they were just tissue paper! Even if the box says they are “flushable”! Wipes easily adhere to these sides of sewer lines, and when the accumulate they will turn into thick clogs that are difficult to remove.
Cat litter and other gravelly substances
The abrasive nature of cat litter, sand, and similar substances can inflict damage on pipe interiors.
Plastics and latex
We could also put this under the larger banner of “garbage.” Anything that normally goes into a trash can rather than into a drain is something that also shouldn’t go into a toilet.
Here’s something to keep in mind when it comes to what you can flush down a toilet: placing objects in it that don’t belong there are not only bad for your own plumbing and the municipal plumbing, they are also bad for the environment. Using caution when it comes to what gets flushed is good for everyone.
Red Rock Mechanical serves Burlington, VT and all of Northwest Vermont the Plattsburg, NY areas with excellent plumbing services.
