Children, teenagers and adults alike have been guilty at one time or another of tossing inappropriate materials into the toilet bowl then flushing it. Rest assured that, one day, such materials could cause major sewer clogs and backups. The takeaway here is that, no matter whether you’re on a city sewer or septic system, it’s so easy to prevent human-made drain problems that could lead to costly repairs or service bills.
Here are five commonly used items that our drain cleaning service in Prior Lake, MN recommends you never flush down the toilet:
- Paper towels: The main purposes of paper towels are to soak up liquid spills, wipe down messes with a cleaning solution and dry wet hands. What do all these have in common? Well, they all involve moistening the paper towel—the paper towel is absorbent! This means that, if you toss one into the toilet, it is bound to soak up water, which makes it expand. Now you’ve got a thick piece of paper trying to make its way through the drain. If it doesn’t travel all the way down, the drain is liable to clog.
- Facial tissue: Like paper towels, facial tissues are meant for retaining moisture. You may not see the harm in flushing a couple used tissues, but there’s a high probability that the tissues won’t stayed balled up going down the drain. In fact, the material is light enough that the force of the flushing may cause balled tissues to fly open, like a blanket spread out over a bed. Too many blanketed tissues in your plumbing system are likely to spell disaster.
- Condoms: Condoms are probably less frequently thought of as a source of clogging in toilet drains. You’re done with it, so why not send it whirling down the toilet? First of all, some condom materials are not biodegradable, which means they won’t break down in the sewer or in a septic tank. Additionally, condom wrappers are also not flushable. Properly dispose of both in the garbage can.
- Disinfectant wipes: Not only are most all pre-manufactured disinfectant cleaning wipes not good for toilet drains, but they are also not safe for septic or sewer systems. Many of these wipes are full of hazardous chemicals, which is why they typically do a great job of cleaning up and removing germs from kitchens and bathrooms. Sure, they’re convenient, but put them in the garbage can, not the toilet.
- Other paper products: This should be a given, but refrain from putting other paper products down the toilet, including computer paper, sticky notes, receipts, wrapping paper, tissue paper and magazine and newspaper pages. If you do manage to get them to flush, they can immediately block drain flow.
You could experience drainpipe issues immediately after flushing one of the items above or notice problems over time, which is why sewer and septic professionals advise against using your toilet as a garbage can. If you do find a need for a drain cleaning service in Prior Lake, MN for repairs or problems, don’t hesitate to call the experienced team at Mike’s Septic & McKinley Sewer Services. Contact us today!