12 Things You Shouldn’t Flush Down the Toilet

What do so many people throw in the toilet? Among the unsightly objects found by plumbers are plastic bottles, bricks and even clothing. Naturally, those who are more prudent will never get rid of waste with such savage methods. But who would have thought that harmless items like dental floss or a face mask could cause plumbing to clog?

O awesome.club prepared for you a list of things that under no circumstances should be flushed down the toilet.

As for whether or not to be able to flush toilet paper down the toilet, several discussions arose. A number of experts believe that it does not bring any harm, only in the case when the house has a central drain. However, if it is a septic tank, then throwing foreign objects into it is strictly prohibited.

However, the relationship to this issue is very different in many countries. Traveller and enthusiast Matt Kitson has created an entire website that talks about which countries it is okay to flush toilet paper down the toilet and which ones are best not to.

Dental floss has a fibrous material in its composition. That’s why it can get stuck inside the tube and cause an obstruction. Also, flossing down the drain is not environmentally friendly as synthetic fibers do not break down and cause harm to the environment.

Chewing gum does not dissolve in water and can simply stick to pipes and create a clog. For these reasons, it is forbidden to throw gum down the toilet or down the sink.

Your fish have died and disposing of the corpses on the flush seems pretty normal. However, this is not a good idea, as skeletons can clog the drain. Furthermore, it is quite unhygienic.

Representatives of public services in Canada went further: they asked the people of Alberta not to flush live fish down the toilet. Experts emphasized that goldfish thrown in by their careless owners took over the ponds, displacing local species.

Band-aids or the usual bandages have a rather complex composition. They are made from alloys of fat, wax, resins, rubber and other types of ingredients of different variants. Such components do not dissolve in water and can cause blockages in the drain pipe.

Contact lenses are made from a polymer that takes several years to break down. Of course, a small lens is unlikely to obstruct drainage, yet it is capable of causing harm to the environment. Experts estimate that annually more than 20 tons of contact lenses are thrown down the toilet and pollute the water.

The sewage system is intended for the disposal of soluble waste, including the feces of our pets. However, experts strongly recommend not flushing the contents of the cat’s tray down the toilet. After a few hours, feline waste calcifies and can become trapped in the maze of drainage tubes. Remember: all contents of the kitty tray must be disposed of with household waste.

Means for cleaning plumbing based on chlorine are very strong chemicals. So strong that they can damage your pipes if you use them too often. Indeed, the bathroom does not need daily cleaning with the help of chemicals. In place of an aggressive way of cleaning, it is preferable to use vinegar, which can help eliminate lime-based sediments.

Clay-based masks should not be thrown down the sink. The small particles settle on the inner surface of the tubes and over time contribute to the formation of a large obstruction. The top layer of the mask is best removed with a tissue, and the remaining small particles should be washed off with water, because they are not dangerous for drainage.

Despite the apparent inability to cause any harm, coffee grounds or tea herbs are dangerous for the drain. Over time, they accumulate in the tubes and become compacted, forming impenetrable jams.

Even the smallest pieces of cellophane pose a danger: they cause problems in the sewer and there is no doubt that they are very harmful to the environment.

Labeling on toilet paper or wet wipes indicating that they can be flushed down the toilet is often a marketing ploy. In reality, such products can dissolve in a matter of hours and, in that time, become clogged.

There is a very simple method to tell if the toilet paper will dissolve in the tube. In a glass of cold water put pieces of paper. If large pieces float after 5-10 minutes, it is forbidden to throw them down the drain. But if these parts are practically inconspicuous or have dissolved, it means that the manufacturer has indicated reliable information on the label.