4 Items to Never Flush Down Your Toilet
Although toilets may seem like the most handy garbage can, it is definitely not OK to treat them like one. It's probably just a habit by now - clean your ears, drop the Q-tip in the loo; remove the hair from your brush, toss it in the toilet. From here on out, remember that human waste and toilet paper are the only things you should be flushing down your toilet.
Here are four items that should never meet your toilet bowl:
Feminine hygiene products
Ladies, this is a big one. You'll often see multiple warning signs on display in public restrooms telling you not to flush tampons or sanitary pads down the toilet. The reason being these products are designed to soak up moisture, which then causes expansion. A constant flow of tampons will absorb a ton of water from the system, making it difficult for these products to pass through the pipe line and sewers.
Dental floss
You may think that a tiny piece of string won't do much harm, but that's where you're mistaken. The more you flush this product, the more it starts to bunch up. Eventually, the tangled web of dental floss will take up residence in the middle of your pipe line. Additionally, floss is not biodegradable. When it does manage to make its way through the system, it will seep into the Earth and cause harm to both living creatures and the overall environment.
Contrary to what the packaging reads, you should never flush wipes down the toilet. They have the potential to get caught on pipes and cause blockage. As a result, your entire plumbing system will be backed up, causing major flooding. While wipes do manage to slither their way down the sewage line, they are not biodegradable. So once they hit the compost pile, it's all down hill.
Kitty litter
This is a common mistake for all you cat lovers out there. When you toss the liter down the toilet you aren't just flushing fecal matter and urine, but clay and sand as well. If you didn't already know this, kitty litter is made from wet clay and dry sand - two products that should never be flushed down the toilet. Moreover, cat waste carries toxins and parasites, so you're flushing these bacteria into your local water system.
Ever wonder where it goes after it leaves the toilet? Check it out.
For more questions or concerns about what not to flush down your toilet, call your local Roto-Rooter for professional advice.