Blocked Toilets are annoying requiring attention with the Plunger or your local Plumber. Lot’s of people put things down their toilet that they shouldn’t, don’t be one of those people!
Even if your lucky and don’t suffer any blockages, all these items can damage your plumbing and sewer overtime. Here are seven items you should never flush down the toilet.
Tissues & Kitchen Towel
A common misconception is that tissues and kitchen towel are the same as toilet roll and ok to flush down the toilet. They are not. Tissues are designed for wiping noses and putting in the bin. Kitchen towels are designed for cleaning mess and spillages in the kitchen before being binned. Unlike toilet roll neither are designed to break up easily in water.
Hair
When cleaning your bathroom, you will likely pull lots of hair out of the wastes (especially if you have girls in the house) put the hair straight in the bin, not down the toilet. Hair will tangle and grip too loose items in the sewer which will eventually lead to a blockage.
Disposable Nappies
Disposable nappies are big, bulky and robust they take 200-500 years to decompose. Toilets are not designed to deal with nappies which will quickly block your waste pipes requiring a Plumber.
Cotton
Female hygiene products, cotton Wool, buds and pads may absorb lots of water, but they don’t break up. You might get away with flushing cotton, to begin with, but eventually, it will build up causing a nasty blockage.
Flushable Cat Litter
Flushable cat litter has gained popularity in recent years. Many Plumbers agree that this ‘environmentally friendly’ cat litter is not flushable. Modern water saving toilets don’t use enough water to keep the litter moving to build up and blocking your pipes. Put your cat litter in a bag then into the bin instead.
Medication
Expired medication such as paracetamol will dissolve quickly in water and go through the sewer system. So what’s the problem? These medicines will eventually get into our water supplies and freshwater habitats. Toxins from flushed medication have been shown to be damaging to us and our wildlife. The best way to dispose of unwanted medicines is to take it to your local chemist who will arrange safe disposal.
Condoms
Condoms, whatever the material take a long time to break down and are a common cause of toilet blockages. Even if they go through the sewer system ok they can eventually end up in the sea taking 30 years to biodegrade, not good for the environment.
