8 Things You Should NEVER Flush Down the Toilet

At Eastern Plumbing we’ve seen a lot of mishaps from people flushing the wrong things down the toilet. You couldn’t imagine the things our plumbers have cleaned out of pipes. We know it’s tempting to flush it – it’s like a black hole, just dump, flush and it’s gone. But what you can’t see is the risk of damage. People often don’t think about this until they have a huge clog or costly septic tank problem.

To help you flush safely, here is a list of 8 things you should NEVER flush down the toilet.

1.  Dental Floss

Floss isn’t biodegradable and even though it may not seem like much, just think about what happens when a bunch of it starts to tangle together and flow through your sewer pipes. It isn’t pretty.

2. Band Aids

Like floss, band aids are not biodegradable so flushing them down the toilet can lead to clogs. Whether they are made of plastic or cloth, just throw it in the trash.

3. Medication

While flushing medicine isn’t a concern when it comes to causing clogs, it is for contaminating water supply. The water in your toilet ends up in lakes, river and oceans – and sewage systems do not remove medicines from the water. Please dispose of your pills and other medication through your local pharmacy.

4. Hair

Even though it comes from your body, it doesn’t mean it can be safely flushed down the toilet. Think about it, hair clogs your shower drain so why wouldn’t it clog your toilet? It’s like dental floss, it may not seem like a big deal, but when it forms into a giant ball it creates blockages in your plumbing and sewer.

5. Kitty Litter

Cats have their own toilet, so don’t flush their litter down yours. Most toilets do not use enough water to move litter properly through your pipes.

6. Oil or Grease

You already know it isn’t okay to pour grease or oil down your sink, so it makes sense that it isn’t okay to flush it down your toilet either. Cooking greases congeal when they cool, which can create build up in your plumbing system.

7. “Flushable” Wipes

This one is a little controversial. We know it says “flushable” but trust us it really isn’t. Wipes don’t disintegrate the way toilet paper does, which can eventually cause a clog. If you do use wipes, you should throw them away in the trash instead.

8. Your Unlucky Goldfish

When you say goodbye to your pet goldfish make sure it gets a proper “burial” in the backyard. Flushing a dead goldfish down the toilet can cause a clog.

Bottom Line: To put it bluntly, the only thing you should really flush down the toilet is one of the “three P’s” – pee, poop, and paper (toilet paper that is). Oh, and vomit is okay, but to stick to the “P” theme we’ll call it puke.

If you have not-so-great flushing habits that have led to a clog, call the experts at Eastern Plumbing in Greenville and New Bern today. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any plumbing emergency!