It is easy to simply flush something down the toilet to get rid of it. Whether your bathroom trash is full or you just toss it into the toilet without thinking, the immediate disposal is undeniably convenient. However, there are a number of bad items to flush, and here are 10 of them you definitely want to avoid.
1. Wet Wipes
Some baby wipes and other types of wet wipes claim to be safe to flush, but this is a common mistake. These wipes do not break apart like toilet paper and can cause big problems for your plumbing and the local treatment centers.
2. Q-Tips and Cotton Balls
Any item with cotton can cause clogs because cotton does not break down in water. Instead, the cotton will become denser and can easily get stuck in your pipes.
3. Medications
If you have outdated or unused medications, whether they are prescriptions or over-the-counter, never flush them down the toilet. When they get flushed, they go to the local water treatment plant which is not equipped to remove them from the water. That means the medications go into the community water supply and are consumed by people and livestock.
4. Dental Floss
A thin bit of floss may not seem like it could cause trouble. Dental floss is not biodegradable, though, and it can get mixed up with other gunk down in the drain, contributing to a clog.
5. Hair
Throwing a few hairs down the toilet may not do anything. Similar to dental floss, however, a buildup of a lot of hair can cause a big clog — just like it can in your shower drain.
6. Paper Towels and Tissues
Even though paper towels and tissues are made of paper like toilet paper, they are not designed to break down quickly in water. Both tissues and paper towels are denser than toilet paper, and when they become soaked, they will not immediately break apart. Instead, they turn into a dense, soggy clump and create a blockage in your pipes.
7. Feminine Hygiene Products
Some of these products, like tampons, have been advertised in the past as being flushable, but they contain materials that will not break apart in water. Plus, you really wouldn't want one of these to come back up.
8. Cat Litter
Cat litter was designed to clump together when it gets wet. When you dump that loose litter into your toilet, it will stick together. Once it catches other gunk down in the piping, it will cause a blockage.
9. Bandages
Bandages are made with plastic, which takes a very long time to break down. If one (or more) gets stuck in your piping, it could be there for a very long time. Over time, it could also catch other gunk and cause a major clog.
10. Food
You might think food would never go into the toilet, but it happens. Like everything else on this list, it doesn't break down in the pipes and can create clogs.
If you are wondering what not to flush, be sure to stay away from these items. When you only flush appropriate stuff down the toilet, you're giving it the upkeep it needs — but if you do come across a tricky clog in your toilet's pipes, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Greater Syracuse today.