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With nearly 50 years in the plumbing business, we’ve seen just about everything — in people’s toilets, that is. And unfortunately, most of it doesn’t come from curious little ones. In most cases, it’s the homeowners themselves throwing miscellaneous bathroom items down the toilet, unaware that these things are wreaking havoc on their system.
Remember: Just because it can be flushed, doesn’t mean it should be flushed.
1. Cotton Balls
Because they don’t fully break down, pieces of cotton will build up over time and clog your toilet.
2. Dental Floss
Because dental floss isn’t biodegradable, it will sit and collect in your plumbing. Worse than that, it will also grab onto other things you shouldn't be (but are) throwing down your toilet, if you're a repeat offender.
3. Bandages
Most people don’t realize that adhesive bandages are not a paper product because they’re coated in a waxy gloss and often have a cotton piece attached.
4. Paper Towels
They may have the word paper in them, but paper towels are still anything but flushable. Paper towels are made to be much more durable than toilet paper, so they should always be thrown out in the garbage.
5. Flushable Wipes
This is usually the big one that gets people. Even though the word “flushable” is in its name, flushable wipes shouldn’t be thrown in the toilet. Let us explain. Flushable wipes are often stronger than most paper towels and are designed not to break down, even when wet. Over the past few years, numerous public awareness campaigns have been launched by cities, urging people not to flush flushable wipes.
6. Pills
Most everything on this list is on here because it can clog your drain. While pills won’t clog your toilet, they’re incredibly harmful to the environment. Many types of medications can never be removed from a water source once they make their way in, so flushing drugs and other chemicals pose a major environmental and health threat.
Call us today for routine maintenance or if you’re having a plumbing emergency!
About the Author: John Donovan, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Southeast WI
John has been a trusted plumber and owner of Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Southeast WI since 2006. With over 19 years to back him, John has experience with a wide range of plumbing related solutions and systems. He and his team specialize in pipeline restoration, utilizing minimally invasive state of the art technologies. He and his team have also demonstrated expertise in drainline diagnostics and resolving drainage issues.