Top 9 Things to NEVER Flush Down the Toilet
Are you treating your toilet like a trash can? Toilets are waste-disposal units, but they’re not designed to handle any old garbage. As plumbers, we frequently see the fallout that comes from flushing forbidden objects. These “unflushables” can lead to blockages, corroded pipes, and other serious plumbing problems.
It might not seem like a big deal in the moment, but flushing the wrong thing can lead to your toilet backing up and overflowing. It can also result in damage to your main sewer line, as well as environmental problems. For example, certain chemicals can make their way from your toilet into the ocean or other local waterways, harming fish and wildlife.
We advise our customers to follow this basic rule: if it’s not toilet paper or human waste, it’s not safe to flush. However, we still receive many questions about what you can flush and what you can’t. To clear it up, here’s our list of 9 things you should never flush down your toilet!
1. Wet Wipes (Even the “Flushable” Ones)
Wipes are convenient for many reasons, but they’re not convenient for your pipes. Even baby wipes and personal hygiene wipes that are marketed as “flushable,” “sewer safe,” or “biodegradable” should never go down the toilet.
No matter what the packaging claims, wipes stay intact as they move through your plumbing. They can clump together, get stuck on bends or buildup, and cause severe blockages. Once they get stuck, wipes collect other debris and grow into large obstructions that can slow down the flow of water – or stop it entirely.
Instead, keep a plastic-lined trash can near your toilet and dispose of wipes in your garbage.
2. Paper Towels & Tissues
We’ve all been there – you run out of toilet paper, but there’s a box of tissues or a roll of paper towels within easy reach. While these paper products can function as an emergency TP backup, they shouldn’t ever get flushed.
Paper towels and tissues are much stronger and more absorbent than toilet paper. While they eventually disintegrate in water, they won’t break down fast enough to avoid causing a clog. Like wipes, a paper towel or tissue can get lodged in your pipes and cause a buildup of other substances, resulting in a serious plumbing headache.
Even flushing the occasional paper towel or tissue can add up to serious trouble over time. So don’t do it.
3. Cotton Products
Never flush cotton balls, pads, or swabs. Anything made from cotton is highly absorbent and slow to decompose. When flushed, cotton products expand and cling to the interior of your home’s pipe system. This can spell disaster!
Cotton swabs (also known as Q-Tips) are especially troublesome for toilets. Their rigid middle means they can get stuck in pipe curves and act like a net, causing other materials to get stuck, too.
4. Feminine Hygiene Products
Feminine hygiene products like tampons and sanitary pads are a hard “no” for toilets. These products are often made from a variety of synthetic materials that won’t break down in your pipes.
They’re also specifically designed to absorb moisture – and they do this function very well. If you flush a pad or a tampon, it will swell up and become a dense blockage. Over time, this results in slow-draining toilets, backups, or a fully clogged sewer system that may require an emergency plumber.
5. Diapers
Diapers are another item designed to expand and retain liquid. Flushing one will almost immediately cause a blockage. These products are bulky, non-biodegradable, and can obstruct pipes within minutes.
You may have heard that you can cut diapers into pieces to flush them down the toilet, but this is misinformation. Cutting diapers into smaller bits won’t make them flushable because the material itself is not designed to move through a plumbing system.
We understand the impulse to toss a diaper down the toilet, but don’t ever do this! Like wipes, paper towels and tissues, and feminine hygiene products, dirty diapers should always be properly disposed of in a trash can or garbage can.
6. Dental Floss
Flossing your teeth is a great habit for your health, but just make sure you don’t toss the floss down the toilet when you’re done! Dental floss belongs in the trash, not down the drain.
It might seem harmless because it’s so thin, but dental floss can create big problems over time. It doesn’t dissolve in water and it tends to get tangled around other flushed debris, which results in dense clumps that clog your pipes. We’ve even seen cases where dental floss acts like a fishing line, binding things together across different sections of your home’s sewage system.
And those plastic floss picks? Also a no-no. Even if they’re made from biodegradable plastic, no flossing device should ever get flushed.
7. Hair
Hair clogs aren’t just a shower problem. Flushing clumps of hair from hairbrushes or razors can lead to the same kind of snarled blockages seen in shower drains. Hair binds easily with soap scum, wipes, and other non-flushables, and can create tough tangles that prevent water flow through pipes.
Even small amounts of hair add up into big tangles over time. So remember, hair belongs in the trash – not the toilet.
8. Grease
Grease might seem harmless when it’s hot and liquid, but the moment it cools down, it solidifies and sticks to the inner walls of your plumbing. Over time, this sticky buildup narrows the passage inside your pipes, restricting water flow and trapping other debris.
Even worse, grease doesn’t just affect individual homes. When it gets into the city’s sewer system, it contributes to what plumbers call “fatbergs” – massive, rock-like blockages made from grease, wipes, and other non-flushable waste.
These blockages can damage infrastructure, cause sewage overflows, and lead to costly repairs that affect entire neighborhoods. To avoid problems, always pour grease into a heat-safe container, let it cool, and throw it in the trash instead.
9. Harsh Chemicals (Including Bleach)
Avoid flushing chemicals down your toilet, including bleach. Although bleach is often used to distinct and clean toilet bowls, large amounts can cause chemical damage to your plumbing system due to its corrosive nature. Harsh chemicals can wear down seals, gaskets, and even the interior of your pipes.
Additionally, chemicals can make their way into the public water system. Although cities like Chicago have water treatment plants to clear harsh chemicals from the water system before they make their way into the lake or other bodies of water, it’s important to avoid flushing anything that isn’t designed to be used in a toilet.
For regular cleaning, use white vinegar or toilet-safe cleaning products that won’t harm your plumbing’s health.
Bonus: Your Money!
Finally, don’t flush your money down the toilet!
If you’re experiencing plumbing problems, such as a stubborn clogged toilet that plunging alone can’t fix, call Rocket Plumbing today. Ignoring plumbing problems will only make them worse and result in serious damage to your pipes – costing you more money down the line.
If you or someone in your home accidentally flushed an “unflushable,” give us a call right away. Our expert Chicago plumbers will diagnose and fix any clog or other toilet trouble. Call (773) 299-1600 or book your appointment online.
