Flush Responsibly! What Not to Put Down Your Toilet
The first household toilets date back to the 1100’s. Actually, they were primarily in castles, but you get the gist. It would be about four more centuries until the flush toilet was invented in England by Queen Elizabeth I’s godson. It goes without saying that from their inception, toilets were designed to transport human waste.
In our modern society, where convenience reigns, many people flush items without thinking about the possible consequences. Unknowingly flushing the wrong things can cause a clogged toilet at minimum or even worse, a total blockage further in the pipes of your home’s plumbing system. Some flushed items such as medications and chemicals even impact the environment and your local sewage treatment plant.
If you need a plumber in the Lubbock, TX area to solve your clogged toilet or other plumbing challenge, call Armstrong Plumbing, Air & Electric.
Before you flush, consider these items that should never be flushed down the toilet:
- Feminine hygiene & other personal products. Some of these items expand when put in contact with liquids. Couple that with their fibrous construction, and you have prime circumstances for a major clog. Other materials never break down in water, so they will likely cause a blockage or even a damaged septic system.
- Dental floss and hair should always go into the trash. Yes, it is true that some hair goes down the drain during bathing, but those balls of hair from your brush should be disposed of in the trash can.
- Wet wipes and baby wipes, whether designated flushable or not, should not be flushed down the toilet. Even if the packaging says they are “flushable,” these wipes do not break down like toilet paper and can cause blockages in your plumbing system.
- Medication. Flushing medication down the toilet can contaminate waterways and harm aquatic life. Instead, dispose of medication properly by taking it to a pharmacy or your local drug drop off location.
- Cigarette butts contain toxic chemicals that can harm aquatic life and pollute waterways. Always avoid flushing them.
Other items or substances that should never be flushed down the toilet include cooking grease and oil, paper towels, cat litter, hair dye or bleach. Some only wreak havoc with your sewer system, while others have a negative impact on local waterways.
Remember, toilets are not trash cans. Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed. If, however, your toilet is stopped up, Armstrong Plumbing, Air & Electric can get things flowing again in no time.
Call Armstrong today to schedule one of our professionally trained plumbers.
