“Is it ok to flush this?”
Your toilet is a major part of your home’s plumbing system. Keeping it running smoothly keeps your home efficient and your family happy. Knowing what to flush is the key here, since flushing something you shouldn’t can cause problems fast.
Read on to find out what you CAN flush down your toilet. Plus find out what you CAN’T flush.
What is Safe to Flush?
Only two things are safe to flush down any toilet:
- Body waste. Any natural waste that comes out of your body is safe to flush. Your toilet plumbing and septic system were designed for this purpose.
- Toilet paper. Toilet paper is safe for your plumbing and septic system because it’s designed to dissolve fast and not cause stoppages or backups.
What is NOT Safe to Flush?
If it’s not toilet paper or body waste, it’s not safe to flush. Here’s a list of common items that are not safe to flush.
Tissues, Paper Towels, Napkins, Flushable Wipes, Wet Wipes, Disinfectant Wipes
These are not designed to dissolve quickly and will clog pipes and your septic system. Even so-called flushable wipes do not disintegrate as advertised and often get caught on sewer piping before they ever make it to the septic system or sewer.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Products like pads and tampons, as well as their wrappers, are not designed to be flushed. Instead, wrap them in toilet paper and throw them away in the garbage.
Diapers and Baby Wipes
These are not designed for your plumbing and septic system. Instead, throw them away in the garbage.
Food and Cooking Grease
Anything from your kitchen should be disposed of in the garbage, including solid foods, semi-solid foods and liquids. These can clog your plumbing and septic systems. Cooking grease should be disposed of when cool, never when hot. Once cool, pour it into a solid container with a lid, such as an empty bottle, and then put it safely in the garbage.
Pills
Whether tablets or capsules, pills can clog your plumbing and septic system. Instead, bring these to your pharmacy for safe disposal.
Cigarettes
In addition to clogging your plumbing and septic systems by not breaking down, they can also be toxic to your water supply and should not be flushed.
Other Bathroom Items
Things like dental floss, Q-tips as well as cotton pads and balls and makeup sponges should be thrown away into the garbage. They can get stuck in pipes and cause backups. If they make it to your septic system, they don’t dissolve, which can lead to plumbing backup into your home.
Have a plumbing emergency due to something being flushed? Call us! We’re here for all your plumbing needs, whether it’s a clogged toilet or pipe, backed up system or something else. Our veteran-owned family business is always here for you and your family.
