Because of advanced technology, many people have advanced from pit latrines to modern toilets that can be installed indoors or outdoors. But because toilets collect human waste, you must take care of them well to ensure they’re always in perfect working condition. This explains why you shouldn’t dispose of other things in your toilet or use your toilet as a trash can.
If you flush some items or products into your toilet, you’ll likely block the drainage system and initiate plumbing problems. Besides, your water system will also get contaminated, posing a danger to your environment.
Fixing plumbing issues in your toilet can be expensive. This is because it often involves hiring a professional plumber or utilizing home repair services to address the problem effectively.
Luckily, you can avoid such problems by only letting the toilet serve its purpose. Read on to learn more about the five items you must never flush down your toilet.
Dental Floss
The humble dental floss might seem small and flushable. However, it isn’t biodegradable because it’s manufactured using materials like nylon. These components usually make it impossible for it to disintegrate in water. So, when flushed, it changes into a net and cloaks around other items you’re likely to flush or even pipes. With time, this builds up, causing clogs in your pipes and sewer. This tells you why it’s essential to dispose of your dental floss in a trash can after using it.
Condoms
You must understand that condoms don’t dissolve in water. This means they can get stuck in your toilet’s plumbing line, causing blockage to your toilet’s drainage system.
Remember, condoms are like balloons; as you flush, they can be filled with water and block the waterways. This, in return, causes plumbing issues. And it’ll be humiliating to call a professional plumber because of such negligence.
Diapers
Diapers can’t be flushed down your toilet. They’re too big, and when they come into contact with water, they expand because of the materials they’re manufactured from. If you flush it, it can barely get down your drainage system. This means it’ll make your drainage clogged, and fixing such a problem might be costlier than you expect. Ensure you dispose of used diapers in a bin to avoid unnecessary plumbing problems in your toilet.
Cat Litter
Cat’s litter usually harbors harmful parasites, which can cause contamination to your water supply. This liter has clump properties and can absorb water, making it difficult to drain. As a result, it clogs your toilet’s pipes.
Ideally, you should package your cat’s waste and dispose of it in a trash can. If you do this, you’ll avoid home plumbing issues that, in the long run, cost you lots of money.
Medications
Flushing medication down your toilet might not impact your drainage. But it might affect water by causing water pollution. When this happens, sewage treatment plants might not be helpful. This is because they cannot handle the chemical substances found in medications. In most cases, these chemicals are likely to find their way into oceans, lakes, and seas, posing a danger to marine life.
So, if you’d love to dispose of some medications, such as:
- Painkillers;
- Antidepressants;
- Antibiotics;
- Sedatives; and the like.
Ensure you package them appropriately in a container or bag and place them in your garbage. By doing this, you’d have conserved the environment from the harmful effects of medication too.
Hair
Hair doesn’t dissolve – meaning it can get stuck in your toilet’s drainage system. Hair is similar to dental floss since it also forms net-like structures, trapping all debris in your toilet. When this happens, your drainage pipes get blocked, and your toilet might smell.
After cleaning your pet or yourself, ensure you collect all the hair and throw them in your garbage. This way, you’ll avoid all the costs that come with the repair of toilets.
Things Never Flush Down Toilet: Takeaway
This post has enlightened you about a few things that must never flow down your toilet. Keep these insights in mind so that you’ll avoid paying for costly repairs or hiring a contractor to have your toilet problems fixed.
