Sometimes it seems the easy option is to throw something down the toilet rather than properly disposing of it, but the reality is you could be doing hundreds of pounds worth of damage to your plumbing without even realising it.
Sean Richardson, plumbing expert at Complete Plumbing Solutions has compiled his top 10 list of the things you shouldn’t be flushing away and reveals just how much these items could cost you in the long run –
1 – Baby Wipes
Be wary of the “flushable” label, it could end up costing you hundreds of pounds –
“One of the biggest offenders we see most regularly are baby wipes. Although many baby wipes are labeled as “flushable,” they do not break down like toilet paper and can clog your pipes, leaving you with an overflowing system.”
2 – Cotton Buds/Balls/Pads/Tampons/Condoms
Absorbent materials can wreak havoc on your plumbing –
“Tampons, pads, and other feminine hygiene products should never be flushed down the toilet. They can cause blockages as they twist and clump together to form a soft of solid mass, thus totally blocking your pipes. Alot of these products are designed to expand when they come into contact with moisture and to not break down in water. When these products are flushed down the toilet, they can get caught in the pipes and accumulate other debris, leading to blockages. Condoms are not biodegradable and can easily clog pipes. They should be disposed of in the rubbish instead.”
3 – Dental floss:
May seem like a harmless one to flush, but flushing floss significantly heightens the risk of blockages –
“Dental floss does not break down in water, which means once it goes down your toilet it stays there. Basically when you flush some floss down the toilet it can wrap itself around any debris that may be lurking in your pipes, like hair, wipes and toilet paper, which can create a solid mass leading to obstructions.”
4 – Hair
Hair should be kept out of your drains and out of your toilets –
“We’ve all seen how hair can clog up your shower and sink drains, your toilet is no different. When hair enters the drain it works similarly to how dental floss would, wrapping around other bits of debris and creating massive blockages. When hair is flushed down the toilet, it can get caught in the trapway, which is the curved part of the toilet that connects to the drainpipe. As more hair accumulates, it can create a mass that blocks the trapway, making it difficult for water and waste to pass through. Hair does not break down easily in water, so it can accumulate in the sewer system and cause backups and overflows”
5 – Paper Towels
Paper towels or tissues: These products do not break down like toilet paper and can cause blockages in pipes or damage sewage systems.
“Paper towels are not designed to dissolve easily in water, unlike toilet paper which is specifically made to break down quickly in water. This means that if you flush paper towels down the toilet, they are likely to get stuck in the pipes, causing clogs and potentially damaging the plumbing system.
Additionally, paper towels are often thicker and more absorbent than toilet paper, which means they can also absorb more water and expand in size, making it even more difficult for them to pass through the pipes and causing more severe blockages.”
6 – Cooking grease or oil:
It’s common knowledge that you shouldn’t pour grease and oil down your kitchen sink, but there have been horror stories from individuals deciding to pour the oil down their toilets.
“When cooking grease and oil are poured down your toilet drains they can mix with other materials such as soap, hair and other pieces of debris to form solid blockages that can be extremely difficult and expensive to remove.
Aside from that, when grease and oil enter the drain they can also contribute to the buildup of fats, oils, and grease, already present in the overall sewerage system, which can lead to those fatbergs people may have seen”
7 – Cigarette butts:
The non-biodegradable make-up of cigarettes makes them a nightmare for your pipes –
“Cigarette butts are another one to avoid as they are made of non-biodegradable materials such as plastic fibers and something called cellulose acetate, these do not break down easily in water. The butts also contain toxic chemicals and carcinogens that can contaminate waterways and harm aquatic life. Even if cigarette butts are flushed down the toilet and make it through the plumbing system without causing a blockage, they can still end up in waterways and contribute to pollution.”
8 – Cat Litter:
A highly absorbent material, it should be kept away from drains at all costs –
“Cat litter by nature is designed to absorb moisture and clump together, which means that it can easily form blockages in the pipes and cause backups and overflows. More often than not it can also feature elements that are not biodegradable, such as clay or silica gel, which do not dissolve in water and can further contribute to clogs.”
9 – Medications
A serious environmental issue –
“When medications like tablets and liquids are flushed down the toilet, they can enter the sewage system and ultimately end up in rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. Many medications are not effectively removed by wastewater treatment plants, which can lead to a fairly serious pollution of the water table.”
10 – Plasters/Bandages
Packed with adhesives that harm the environment and potentially your pocket –
“Plasters definitely should not be flushed as they are another product that are not designed to dissolve in water and can become tangled with other materials in the plumbing, which will wind up clogging the toilet. Plasters may also contain adhesives or other substances that can contribute to the buildup of fats, oils, and grease in the sewerage system.”
Blockages – How Much Do They Cost to Fix?
The actual cost of clearing a toilet blockage varies depending on a number of factors – severity of the blockage, the location and the actual plumber you choose to enlist.
“Usually minor blockages can be cleared with a plunger or drain snake, this can cost anywhere between £50 to £200. This price increases the worse the blockage get, in certain situations you could be looking at a bill of over a thousand pounds. Our advice, if you toilet is anyways blocked, address the issue as soon as possible and don’t allow it to fester”
The most expensive things you can flush down the toilet ; Ranked
- Baby Wipes – “If its only a small blockage it can usually be cleared with a drain snake and a plunger, this can set you back anywhere from £50-£200 to fix. However if you leave the problem linger and allow the wipes to build up in your plumbing, you’ll need more specialised equipment and possibly even extensive repairs to your plumbing – this can set you back thousands of pounds.”
- Feminine Hygiene Products – “Again, it depends on the severity of the blockage but if these are flushed down the toilet on a regular basis you could be looking at spending around £100-£500 to fix the issue.”
- Paper Towels : “These can really clog up your plumbing, it’s ballpark £100-£500 depending on the severity”
- Cooking grease and oil: “In a lot of cases you’ll need to use pretty specialised equipment to clear these blockages, so you’re looking at a bill for around £200-£1000 depending on how bad the problem is”
- Cat litter: “Another big offender, due to its absorbency cat litter can cause major issue. Similarly to grease and oil, you’ll need pretty heavy duty equipment to get the job done, you’re looking at £200-£1000 again depending on the severity of the blockage”