When it comes to your plumbing system, it’s important to be aware of the ways you can harm it. Certain items should be kept out of your pipes and kept from getting into the sewers. Below is a list of items that shouldn’t be flushed down your toilet.
Cotton Products
Cotton products are not meant to be flushed. Instead of dissolving in water, cotton absorbs and can often be a culprit of clogging pipes. This is especially true for cotton swabs because of the extra plastic on the end.
Baby & Makeup Wipes
There are certain wipes you can use that are made to be flushed, although you should also be careful about those products as well. Wipes don’t break down in water and can build up to cause blocks in the pipes.
Medication
If there is medication that is expired or unused, it shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet. It’s important to keep chemicals out of the water as much as possible. This can lead to pollution of the water. To dispose of medication safely, it’s best to follow what your state’s guidelines direct.
Menstrual Products
Menstrual products, similar to cotton products, are not made to dissolve in water. This means that these products will just clog the pipes.
Condoms
Latex can cause problems to the sewer system as well as the water processing plants. It’s best to just throw these items away in the trash.
Cat Litter
Litter itself is prone to clumping when wet and shouldn’t be flushed because it causes plumbing to back up. Cat waste shouldn’t be flushed down the pipes either as it’s possible that in doing so harmful bacteria can be introduced into the water supply.
Cigarettes
Cigarettes have chemicals that can cause harm if introduced into our water supply. This is why it’s important to not flush cigarettes.
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