Many of us are guilty of treating our toilets like a second garbage can, casually tossing in items without a second thought. However, what goes down our drains is not always out of sight or mind. Flushing the wrong items can lead to costly plumbing repairs and environmental damage.
From the seemingly harmless baby wipes to the deceptive dental floss, the list of inappropriate items is surprisingly long. As homeowners, understanding what not to flush is crucial for maintaining the integrity of our plumbing systems and helping prevent potential disasters.
The Drain Blaster Bill team wants your home's plumbing to operate efficiently and effectively, so let's dive into critical things you should never flush down your toilet!
Why are Cooking Oils and Grease Harmful to Your Toilet and Overall Plumbing?
When these substances are poured down drains, they initially remain liquid. However, as they cool, they solidify, adhering to the inner walls of plumbing pipes. Over time, this accumulation can lead to severe blockages that disrupt the wastewater flow.
The solidified grease and oils not only obstruct your home's plumbing but also contribute to the formation of 'fatbergs' in the sewer system. These monstrous blockages comprise congealed fat, wet wipes, and other non-biodegradable items, which can cause extensive damage to sewage infrastructure.
The removal of these fatbergs is challenging and costly, often requiring specialized equipment and significant manpower.
Moreover, oils and grease in the plumbing system can attract other debris, compounding the blockage issues and leading to back-ups and overflows, posing health risks and potential property damage.
Ensuring that these substances are disposed of properly—such as in a trash bin or a grease recycling facility—helps maintain the efficiency of your plumbing and protects the environment.
What Damage Can Flushing Pharmaceuticals Cause to the Environment and Your Pipes?
Flushing pharmaceuticals down the toilet is a seemingly small act with potentially vast consequences. Medications that enter the plumbing can cause physical damage by interacting with other chemical residues, potentially leading to corrosion or blockages in household plumbing systems and increasing the likelihood of leaks or breaks.
Beyond the pipes in your home, the environmental impact of disposed pharmaceuticals is even more alarming. When drugs enter the sewage system, wastewater treatment processes do not fully remove them.
This results in active pharmaceutical ingredients being released into waterways, which seriously threaten aquatic life. Fish and other wildlife can absorb these substances, altering their behavior, affecting reproduction, and leading to population declines.
The indirect impact cannot be ignored. Pharmaceuticals in the water supply can contaminate drinking water sources, introducing low levels of drugs into our bodies unwittingly.
The long-term effects of such exposure are still not entirely understood. Still, the potential for harm is significant, so always use a different method than flushing them.
How Do Paper Products Other than Toilet Paper Impact Your Drain?
Paper products such as tissues, paper towels, and similar materials are designed to be more durable than toilet paper. When flushed, their robust structure allows them to maintain integrity, resisting breakdown in water, leading to the formation of clogs, as these materials accumulate and block the passage of wastewater.
Unlike toilet paper, which is manufactured to disintegrate quickly in water, other paper products absorb moisture and expand. This expansion exacerbates blockages and puts significant pressure on the pipes, potentially leading to cracks or bursts.
The environmental impact is equally concerning. When these non-degradable items enter the sewer system, they contribute to debris buildup in public sewage lines and treatment facilities.
This accumulation requires additional maintenance and can lead to overflows, releasing untreated sewage into the environment, so keep them out of the toilet and into your wastebasket instead.
Why Should You Avoid Flushing Hair Down the Toilet?
Flushing hair down the toilet may seem convenient, but it can cause serious plumbing issues. Hair strands, by their nature, do not dissolve in water. Instead, they accumulate in plumbing pipes, intertwining with grease and other sticky substances to form dense, stubborn clogs that restrict water flow and can be challenging to remove.
Hair can act like a net, catching and holding onto other debris that would otherwise pass through the plumbing system. This accumulation creates larger blockages over time, increasing the likelihood of backups and overflows.
The environmental impact is also noteworthy. When hair clogs disrupt the normal flow of wastewater, there is an increased risk of sewage overflows that can contaminate local waterways, harming wildlife and ecosystems.
The best method is to always dispose of hair in a waste bin and keep it out of the plumbing system in the first place.
What About Flushing Cotton Swabs or Floss?
Small household waste like cotton swabs and dental floss are not designed to disintegrate in water like toilet paper. Instead, they accumulate within the plumbing, binding with other waste to form significant blockages that impede sewage flow and can lead to costly repairs.
Even worse, they persist in the environment because they are non-biodegradable, contributing to larger-scale environmental issues. Sewer systems can tangle with other debris, creating massive clogs that disrupt wastewater treatment processes and require extensive removal efforts. Sewer systems can also lead to sewage overflows, which pose health risks to humans and wildlife and can contaminate natural water sources.
The routine disposal of items like cotton buds and dental floss in toilets also places an unnecessary strain on sewage treatment facilities, leading to increased maintenance costs and potential public health hazards, so always use proper disposal methods and avoid flushing them.
How Drain Blaster Bill Can Assist with Your Plumbing Needs
Drain Blaster Bill specializes in tackling all plumbing-related challenges, including removing blockages caused by improperly flushed items. Equipped with advanced tools and techniques, we ensure your plumbing remains free from disruptions caused by everyday items that should never be flushed.
Our expertise extends beyond simple fixes; we offer preventative maintenance to keep your systems running smoothly, giving you immediate solutions that invest in the long-term health of your plumbing and local ecosystems.
Whether you're dealing with a minor clog or a complex blockage, our professionals are here to keep your system clear and running great. Contact us today!