When you think about it, flushable wipes, paper towels and dental floss probably don’t belong in the same category as your veggie scraps. But for the average homeowner who doesn’t have a special compost pile or a designated sewer line with a special toilet that separates your toilet waste from the rest of the drains, these items might seem like the best choice for getting rid of your kitchen scraps. However, flushing these items down your toilet is not only unsanitary but can also clog your sewer line and cause major problems for your home’s plumbing system. Let’s take a closer look at some common items that you should never flush down your toilet:
Kitchen Scraps
Kitchen scraps account for about 25% of all household waste, so it’s easy to see why so many people think that these items should be flushed. However, these items do not break down quickly like they do in a compost pile and can cause major plumbing issues. Some of these issues include clogged sewer lines, backed-up toilets and even sewage spills that can cause serious damage to your home’s foundation. Instead of adding kitchen scraps to your toilet, use a disposal unit or compost pails that break down food scraps into fertilizer and bacteria. You can also purchase a composting toilet system that breaks down food scraps in a tank and then runs the waste into the sewer system through a separate pipe.
Rice
Like kitchen scraps, rice and grain should never be flushed down the toilet. Grain husks and rice hulls can clog your pipes and cause serious plumbing issues. The same is true for pasta, pretzels, beans and other foods that are made with rice. Instead of flushing these items down your toilet, consider putting them in a container with water in a separate container for your pet or in your composting system.
Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is one of the most common items to cause clogged pipes and sewage issues. Not only does toilet paper trap bacteria and other contaminants, but it also doesn’t break down quickly like other paper products. That means toilet paper can easily clog your pipes and cause sewage issues. Instead of flushing toilet paper down your toilet, use a toilet paper dispenser, hand-washing dispensers or a toilet brush to clean the inside of your toilet. You can also break toilet paper into smaller pieces to make it easier to flush.
Paper Bags
Like toilet paper, paper bags don’t break down quickly and can cause clogged pipes and sewage issues. Paper bags can also be ripped or torn easily, making them a great place for bacteria to grow and create harmful substances. Instead of flushing paper bags down your toilet, consider re-using them for trash or composting them in a pail.
Drain Cleaners
We’ve all heard the horror stories of people accidentally flushing their toilet and then having to clean out the bowl with a plunger. Believe it or not, these “just-in-case” items are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to clogged pipes. When you use a toilet cleaner to clean out your toilet, you are essentially creating a water trap that can lead to serious plumbing issues. Instead of clogging your toilet, keep water-softening tablets or baking soda in your toilet to make it softer and easier to flush.You also can use an eco-friendly toilet cleaner with baking soda and vinegar. To use this toilet cleaner, mix one part baking soda and two parts vinegar and then use a toilet brush to scrub out your toilet.
Dental Floss
One of the weirdest things to ever be flushed down the toilet is dental floss. Why on earth would anyone flush dental floss? While flushing dental floss could lead to serious issues with your toilet, it’s not exactly a common thing to do. Most people don’t even know how to properly clean a toilet, let alone how to clean it with floss. However, flushing dental floss is not only gross, but it also can cause serious damage to your toilet’s internal components. Instead of flushing dental floss, use a toilet brush to clean out your toilet.
Conclusion
The items listed above are just a few of the many things that should never be flushed down the toilet. Not only will these items clog up your toilet, but they can also cause serious problems for your home’s plumbing system. Instead of flushing these items down your toilet, consider re-using them in your garden, composting them or even storing them in a container for your pet to use. That way, you can avoid clogging your toilet and keep your home’s plumbing system in good condition.