Contrary to popular belief, there are actually a substantial amount of things you should never flush down your toilet. Deer Valley Plumbing knows all too well about the crazy items people put down there. We can never unsee all that we have seen, but we can teach you all not to flush it in the first place. Toilet clogs can be a nightmare and that is why we wanted to provide you with a list of 7 things you shouldn’t flush down the toilet.
What You Really Shouldn’t Flush Down The Toilet
Bandages: A majority of bandages are not biodegradable and are made from plastic. Even the ones made from cloth should not be flushed. Both of these can cause a drain clog in a heartbeat. It is best to simply throw your bandages away when you are finished with them.
Grease, Oil, And Fat: If you can stay away from pouring grease, oil, and fat down your toilet, it would benefit your plumbing. These may be in a liquid state as you’re pouring them, but once they cool down they will build up on the sides of the pipes and begin to clog them. Sometimes it can get so bad that the toilet will backup and nobody wants that to happen.
Floss: Dental floss is another one of those that is not biodegradable. It may seem like no big deal to send one little piece at a time but what happens when those little pieces start to build up? Well that is when you get a floss glob clogging your pipes. It is also better to just throw floss in the trash.
Disposable Wipes: While there are some products out there that say they are flushable, we have still had issue with people flushing disposable wipes that claim they are flushable and pipes still get clogged. The problem is that even those that make the claim are too thick to be flushed. Again, it’s better just throw them in the trash.
Medication: When we say you shouldn’t flush medication, we’re actually not claiming that these will clog your pipes. The reason we say don’t flush your leftover medications is because it could contaminate the water. Most pharmacies have a great disposal system setup, so if you find yourself with too much medication, take it back where you got it.
Paper Towels: Although paper towels may seem a lot like toilet paper, most of it is much larger and thicker. Think about it, they are much more absorbent and will clog your toilet faster than you call Deer Valley Plumbing! Even one flush of this stuff could lead to a clog.
Hair: Is your wife’s hair clogging the shower drain and you decided that since the toilet is nearby that you would just flush it? Well if it’s clogging the shower drain, wouldn’t be likely to clog your toilet? The answer is absolutely. Hair is similar to dental floss in the fact that it clumps together which causes blockage in your pipes.
Made The Mistake?
If you hadn’t read this blog before throwing all 7 of these items down the toilet one at a time, then it’s about time to call the emergency plumbing service near you, Deer Valley Plumbing. We will have your toilet working as soon as possible. You can give us a call today at (623) 294-4986 or visit our Contact Us page!