Are You Supposed To Flush Toilet Paper? – If you’re glad you have a toilet raise your hand! You can de-stress, you can meditate and you can just pretty much enjoy that special quality time with your toilet. It’s the place to be. Although we don’t think about it much, we’d be really uncomfortable and frustrated if we had to go back to living in times where there were no toilets around. In some places, there still aren’t any. People have to use the bushes or use a latrine instead of the toilet. That’s why we need to appreciate our porcelain thrones and take care of them, by maintaining them and not abusing them. This is exactly the reason why we don’t advise that you flush anything down the toilet besides human waste. Remember, never to flush these ten things down your toilet:
- Floss: It’s not biodegradable, so it just stays there and never decomposes or disintegrates and the more floss you flush, the more settles and tangles together – BIG PROBLEM. So, don’t do it.
- Grease/Oil/Fat: You shouldn’t even pour these down your kitchen sink, so they’re definitely no good for your toilet. Even though they enter the toilet in liquid form, they’re eventually going to cool down and build upon the sides of your pipes. That eventually causes your pipes to clog up and can lead to more serious plumbing problems.
- Band-aids: These are usually not biodegradable items either, because most of them are made from plastic. Therefore, they can lead to clogs. Even the ones made from cloth shouldn’t be flushed either.
- Medicine: They don’t really lead to clogs, but they lead to the contamination of the water supply. Remember, the sewage system doesn’t release contaminants from the water, so forget about flushing those pills…or any other “drugs” you have.
- Flushable Wipes: Yes, they say “flushable”, but that doesn’t mean that you SHOULD flush them. There are brands that claim that the wipes are safe for sewers or septic systems – just ignore.
- Pad/Tampons: Definite no-no. That’s why most public bathrooms have a special bin for them and a sign telling you not to flush them down the toilet. These products absorb moisture and expand; that’s what they were made to do and that’s what they will do when they get into a toilet full of water. After they expand, it’s pretty easy for them to get stuck in your pipes.
- Paper towels: Yes, believe it or not, paper towels aren’t the best thing to flush. Why? They’re thicker and more absorbent than tissue, so they don’t disintegrate as fast and they can end up causing a clog (really quickly).
- Condoms: Just don’t. They weren’t made to flush…at all. So just throw them in the garbage. If you’re feeling a bit insecure about other people seeing it in the bin, you can fold it up in some toilet paper and throw it away.
- Hair: It’s a big clog culprit. It’s like floss – it gets tangled, traps odour and will cause huge blockages in pipes – look what it can do to your shower and sink drains.
- Kitty Litter: Nooooo, don’t flush Frisky’s litter down the toilet. Maybe if you train him to poop in the toilet, then that’s okay, but other than that, you should probably just throw it away in the trash, or in compost.
Take care of your toilet – you need it! It’ll save you a lot of time, money and embarrassment. We’re plumbers who care about all aspects of the well-being of your family and your home. Contact the professionals if you need help with plumbing problems or more. We’ve got experienced and affordable plumbers in Ottawa. With just one call, we can help you solve your plumbing needs and offer you emergency plumbing services!
If you are in need of an emergency plumber for a clogged toilet in Ottawa, call Canada Plumbing at (613) 262-8230 today. We’ll dispatch a technician to your home or business immediately.
