There’s a reason why the toilet is sometimes called a ‘throne’: it lets you go about your business privately, without anyone interrupting you. To maintain the status quo, you’ll need to ensure that the toilet is working properly. That means minding what you flush down in it.
If you flush anything other than toilet paper down, chances are it will cause a clog. When a clog happens, the toilet will back up, causing you to have difficulty flushing—and you certainly don’t want that.
This article lists down the things that you must never flush down your toilet under any circumstances. Read on below to learn more.
#1 – Animal Products
Animal-related materials, such as food products, cat litter, dead goldfish, and litterbox sand, should never be flushed down a toilet. Besides the obvious solid components they have, some can cause corrosion on top of clogs, which heavily affects the pipes.
#2 – Band-Aids
It’s no secret that band-aids are a massive help to us all whenever we’re wounded, but they don’t disintegrate like toilet paper. Additionally, the sticky adhesive may also cause it to be stuck on your pipes, which can cause significant build-up and, in turn, clogs.
#3 – Cigarette Butts
Like most things, cigarette butts don’t dissolve in water. In fact, it’s quite the opposite that occurs. Cigarette butts expand in water, making it difficult for something to pass through if there’s a buildup.
#4 – Dental Floss
You might think that dental floss is thin enough to pass through your toilet’s pipes undisturbed but think again. If you flush dental floss down your toilet, there’s always a chance it will get caught along the pipes, which can cause buildup.
#5 – Diapers
Regardless of how small or thin a diaper is, never flush it down the toilet. Diapers are designed to absorb liquid, and flushing them down your toilet spells nothing but disaster. Aside from that, it’s also a harmful practice that affects the environment in more ways than one.
#6 – Dryer sheets
At first glance, dryer sheets may seem like a flushable material. You can’t flush this down because it’s one of the quickest ways to cause a clog in your toilet. On top of that, treatment facilities will also get the short end of the stick because they’re made from harsh chemicals.
#7 – Feminine Products
Some feminine products, such as napkins, liners, and tampons, market themselves as flushable. However, just because it says so doesn’t mean you should. Like diapers, these products are also made to absorb liquid, which can cause significant buildup in a plumbing system.
#8 – Paper Towels
Paper towels may look like tissue paper, but the difference lies in their thickness. Tissue paper is thin enough to disintegrate underwater, but not paper towels. They are highly absorbent and don’t break up easily, so they can also cause clogs in your toilet.
#9 – Medications and Vitamins
In general, medications are made with chemicals that can potentially harm the environment, so you’ll contribute to environmental degradation if you flush them down. Aside from that, many vitamins contain fats and oily substances that can harden underwater, which causes a clog and prevents anything from passing through.
#10 – Q-Tips
Q-tips may seem thin enough to pass through the pipes, but they can be caught in between the lodges, like any other material in this list. When caught, they can also catch anything that moves past, which causes a buildup. Q-tips also pose a threat because they can puncture older pipe systems.
Conclusion
All of the above materials must not be flushed down your toilet because they can cause clogs, and in some cases, damage. You should take the time to dispose of them properly because you’ll be saving yourself a lot of trouble for repairs in the long run.
Candu Plumbing & Rooter understands that plumbing issues may arise at any given time, which is why we have emergency plumbers in San Fernando Valley. Our plumbing professionals are all experienced and knowledgeable in the trade, so you can be sure that your plumbing repair is in good hands. Contact us today to learn more!
