What Not To Flush

We’ve all seen the cartoon of the kid who flushes everything down the toilet. But did you realize you may be flushing some things that may cause problems for you in the future? Fixing plumbing can become very costly, so it’s best to avoid a huge bill by keeping your pipes healthy. Let’s take a look at some of the things you should never flush down your toilet.

• Wipes- This is one of the most commonly flushed items. It seems like they should be able to go down your toilet since they have to do with bathrooming, but they can cause serious problems for you system. It takes them a lot longer to break down, causing tons of damage along the way. Even if the package says flushable, it’s best to avoid putting them down your toilet.
• Cotton Balls and Swabs- These little guys also do not break down in the sewer system. They can pile up in your pipes, causing clogs when they get stuck, and then someone has to go in there and get them all back out again.
• Medications- The water from your toilet gets separated into waste and greywater. The greywater is either discarded from your septic system and put back into the ground, or sent through the treatment plant to get rid of all the bad stuff. Either way, if you dump your medications into your toilet, the water eventually makes its way to another body of water or to the wildlife that drinks the groundwater. You can be poisoning the wildlife all around you without actually realizing it. Keep all medications out of the toilet. INstead, look for a place to turn in your prescriptions and keep the wildlife safe.
• Paper Towels- Paper towels are not designed to break down like toilet paper. In fact, they are designed to withstand a lot more and to hold up to bigger spills and messes. There is a reason paper towels don’t dissolve in your hands like toilet paper, so don’t flush them down your toilet.
• Dental Floss- Dental floss in your toilet is just a recipe for disaster. It can get caught up on all kinds of things, causing clogs and backups galore. Save yourself the trouble and put it in the garbage.

Chances are, it it isn’t toilet paper, it isn’t supposed to be flushed. Avoid costly repair bills later by preventing clogs now. If your toilet seems to be clogging up a lot, you may have a bigger problem on your hands. Call Cardigan Kitchens and Bath to talk about your remodeling options. New plumbing and a new bathroom can keep your household running smoothly for many years to come.