If we don’t take care of it, we could be calling our trusted local plumbers. Of course, your trustworthy and professional plumbing team at Barlow Plumbing will always be there to help. However, the best way to take care of your indoor plumbing is to prevent bad things from happening to it.
Part of taking care of your indoor plumbing system is knowing what to flush down your toilet and, most importantly, what not to flush down your toilet. This could be the difference between a healthy drainage and sewage system and making a phone call.
What You Can Flush
Thankfully, the toilet in your home is designed to handle the items that need to be flushed in order to keep your system running and your bathroom from smelling funky.
Here are the 3 P’s to what you can flush down your toilet.
- Pee. The classic “number one.” This is liquid, and the toilet is designed to flush this with no problem.
- Poop. And what’s a number one without a number two? We are grateful this can be flushed down the toilet to keep our hands clean and our bathrooms fresh.
- Paper. While your indoor plumbing system can’t take all sorts of paper, it is designed to handle toilet paper. Toilet paper goes down the drain correctly, and therefore, it is perfect for using to clean yourself up.
What You Cannot Flush
Now that you understand what is acceptable to be flushed, here are some things to avoid flushing down your toilets:
- “Flushable” wipes. Despite the enticing label on the package that insists they pass the test, never send these supposedly flushable wipes down the drain. These wipes do not break down easily and can get clogged in your drain. Rather than flushing what should be called “un-flushable wipes” down the drain, dispose of them in the trash can.
- Paper towels. Remember when people could send paper down the toilet as one of the three P’s? This does not include paper towels. Paper towels are strong enough to absorb water, and they are too strong to go down the drain.
- Cotton products. You probably already know you shouldn’t put cotton swabs in your ears, but did you know you also shouldn’t flush cotton swabs down your toilet either? No matter how small they may seem compared to the second P, they do not break down in water and will get stuck in your drain pipes, causing major issues.
- Feminine products. Feminine products are designed to absorb water and even expand when they are wet. Flushing these down the toilet is a serious no-no, so it is important to only dispose of them in the trash. They are almost certainly bound to clog your toilet, which will likely lead to a significant repair project.
- Latex. Just like feminine products, latex should not be flushed either. Latex takes entirely too long to break down and will almost certainly clog your toilet, drain, and even sewage system.
- Plastic products. Anything made of plastic should never be flushed down your toilet. Plastic products do not dissolve in the water and can get caught. They will clog your toilets, drains, and sewage system.
- Hair. Hair is another item that should not be flushed down the toilet. While you may not notice after you send clumps of hair down the first or second flush, hair likes to stick to the inside of the pipes and, over time, can create plumbing issues. This is why shower drains usually have drain covers to prevent hair from getting down in the system.
- Gum. Have you ever disposed of your gum where you shouldn’t? Whether that be the street, underneath a desk, or even the toilet. While the toilet seems the better option of the three, it isn’t kind to your plumbing system. Gum is sticky, and it’s not hard to picture the gum sticking to the pipes and leading to major problems.
These are all items that should never be flushed. Commit this list to memory to help prevent issues with your toilets, drainage pipes, and sewage system. But of course, some plumbing needs are out of your control. Furthermore, it is always possible your children or house guests will not get the memo about what can and cannot be flushed.
What If You Flush the Wrong Items?
Barlow Plumbing is dedicated to making sure your plumbing is in good condition and does what it’s supposed to do. Barlow Plumbing has experts who can help you identify the root cause of any plumbing problems and get your system back to working properly.
Barlow Plumbing has decades of experience providing plumbing repairs in Asheville and the surrounding areas. Contact the professional plumbers at Barlow Plumbing in Asheville for assistance today.