There are few worse feelings than watching your toilet bowl filled with water instead of flushing. We’ve all been there, and I’m sure we would avoid this situation whenever possible. Luckily, when you follow our list of 12 things to keep out of your toilet, you can prevent sewer clogs from some of the most common causes. With our help, you can keep your sewer pipes flowing all season long.
Diapers
It’s unlikely that a diaper will even fit down your toilet. But if it does, you will be left with serious plumbing issues. Dispose of diapers in a diaper pail and then throw them in the trash.
Cotton Balls, Swabs, Or Any Other Absorbent Bathroom Product
Cotton might seem like it will break apart in water like toilet paper. Still, it will absorb water and get caught in bends in your pipes, quickly causing blockages. Keep any absorbent product out of your toilet to avoid problems.
Medication
Old medicine and pills may not clog your pipes. Still, as they break down in the water, they can contaminate groundwater sources harming the environment. Disposing old medication is responsible, but your toilet isn’t the place to do it. Instead, look for medicine takebacks in your area for safe disposal of old or expired medicine.
Dental Floss
Dental floss might seem like a nonissue because it’s so thin. Still, it can easily snag on things and turn into a sort of net in your pipes, causing serious clogs. So keep dental floss in the trash and out of your lines and toilet.
Toys
We know you aren’t the one trying to flush toy cars down the toilet, but your kids might. And, kids flushing toys down the toilet is more common than you might think. But, unfortunately, toys easily cause blockages, and we have to pull them out of pipes all the time.
Hair
No matter how long hair soaks in water, it will never dissolve. Hair also gets tangled in your pipes and creates a net that will catch and clog all sorts of things. Keep hair out of your lines, and use screens in your sink and shower drain to help keep hair from getting into your pipes that way as well.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Tampons and pads are absorbent, soaking up water in your pipes and expanding, causing clogs. Keep a trash can near the toilet for these to avoid having to call in a professional plumber.
Gum
Gum is small, but it’s also sticky and won’t dissolve in water. This means that it can easily stick in bends in pipes, and once it’s there, it will be in your lines forever. So do yourself a favor and never flush gum down the toilet.
Cooking Grease
Cooking grease may look thin enough to make it down your drains when it’s hot, but once it cools, it will thicken in your pipes and cause clogs. Like a clogged artery, before you know it, your lines will be draining slowly or not at all. Collect cooking grease in jars and throw it away in the trash to avoid clogging your pipes.
Baby Wipes Or Wet Wipes, Even The Ones Marked Safe For Toilets
Even if that box of wipes says “flushable,” keep it out of your toilet. No brand of wipes will break down like toilet paper will, and it will cause major clogs in your sewer system. Keep a trashcan near the toilet and keep wipes out of your pipes.
Bleach
Bleach won’t clog your pipes but is far too harsh on your pipes. If you need to get stains out of your toilet, try using vinegar instead of bleach. Vinegar will often get rid of the stains and is easier on your septic system.
Paper Towels
We hear this misconception all the time. Just because toilet paper and paper towels are both paper products doesn’t mean that they will break down in your pipes or sewer system the same. Paper towels absorb water and compress into hard wads in your lines, quickly causing a clog.
Contact Freedom Underground Plumbing With All Your Clog Needs
If it isn’t human waste or toilet paper, your best bet is to keep it out of your toilet. If you are having problems with these obstructions in your pipes, you can try using a plumbing snake to clear your lines. If that won’t work, or you don’t feel like getting your hands dirty, enlist the help of one of our professional plumbers. We can clear your clog and get your pipes flowing smoothly again.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact the team of professional plumbers at Freedom Underground Plumbing today! We’re always standing by to help!