Too often, people end up flushing anything and everything down the toilet. It seems like an easy way to dispose of small trash and junk because it just gulps everything down and sends it out into the sewage system. However, toilets aren’t meant to serve as alternative trash cans.

If you’re still in the habit of flushing random items down the toilet, you should know that you may be putting your plumbing fixtures at risk. Clogging and damage are some issues you’ll continue to encounter if you flush things that don’t belong in the pipes. Among the plethora of commonly-flushed items out there, here are some of the biggest mistakes you need to avoid.

Toilet Paper and Wipes

These two are some of the most commonly-flushed items in toilets. This also makes them some of the most notorious cloggers. 

Wet wipes and cleaning wipes are thick and have chemicals that can contaminate the water supply. Over time, these can stick to your plumbing and pile up in your pipes. Toilet paper is more forgiving but can still build up over time. Thick-plied paper towels are even worse because they are more absorbent.

Medication

We’ve all seen the movies where they dump the pills down the toilet. The problem here is that they actually get mixed into the wastewater and don’t get removed after treatment. This means they are coming back to the environment and harming humans and animals alike. The problem is worse if you dump a bunch at once since this will be a surefire way to clog the toilet.

Food

It may seem like food scraps can be flushed because it’s the same place where you release excrement. However, food that hasn’t been broken down through the digestive system will have oil, grease, and other elements that can create a blockage in your pipes.

Diapers and Feminine Hygiene Products

For one, diapers are too large to get flushed down properly anyway. On top of that, the material they are made of is not easy to break down. Diapers will inevitably clog your toilet.

Feminine hygiene products aren’t any better, either. Tampons and sanitary napkins will not easily go through the plumbing system despite being biodegradable.

Cat Sand

It may seem logical to let cat litter go down the pipes, but it doesn’t actually break down properly. Animal waste on its own can be flushed because it’s not so different from human waste. Litter, however, has chemicals (even the biodegradable ones) that will damage and potentially clump up in your pipes. 

Hair

Despite being an organic material, hair is notorious for clogging up the plumbing. It’s often the cause for shower drains getting clogged, so avoid flushing it as well.

Household Chemicals

Of the many hazardous chemicals in your home, some of the most problematic ones you should avoid flushing are bleach, solvent, nail polish removers, household cleaners, paint, glue, pesticide, and even perfume and aftershave.

Dead Pets

So, your pet fish or small mammal has passed away. Do not flush it away because it will end up causing problems in the wastewater treatment system. On top of that, there have been some cases where flushed fish ended up being alive and becoming an invasive species in the local waterways.

Conclusion

If you continue to flush these types of items down the toilet, you’ll be needing a clogged drain service in no time. To protect your bathroom’s functionality and your own pockets, make sure you keep these clog-inducing things out of the toilet. It’s not worth having a massive clog right when you need to do number two. 

If you’ve already got yourself in a toilet pickle, then it may be time to call Candu Plumbing & Rooter. We provide top-quality plumbing services 24/7, so give us a call if you need an emergency plumber in Canoga Park, CA.