Five things you should never flush

One of the possibly most misleading labels on personal care products is the word flushable. To borrow from the Jurassic Park quote, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." The only thing that should go down a toilet is human waste, water and toilet paper. In fact, even the extra-soft toilet paper can pose a hazard to your plumbing because it takes longer to break down.

Because of the confusion surrounding such products, septic tank maintenance has become increasingly difficult. Most products labeled as flushable will certainly go down the drain, but once there, they will not properly break down and in older plumbing can eventually create a clog, prompting you to need septic tank pumping. If they make it past your property, you're still potentially causing your municipality an issue.

To save yourself from costly repairs, as well as potential community wide assessments to repair damaged infrastructure, Our Daily Green has a list of things you may have thought you could flush, but shouldn't.

1. Feminine products of any sort, including tampons, liners, and pads
2. Cleaning wipes or personal wipes
3. Cotton balls or pads
4. Cotton swabs
5. Dental floss 

All of these common bathroom items can wreak havoc on your pipes and septic system. Because these sort of items also often have greasy residue on them, they create "superknots" that do not dissolve and clog entire sanitary systems. In London in 2013, a 15-ton fatberg, which was comprised of wipes and fat brought the city's sewers to a standstill.

Do yourself and your pipes a favor, if you're in doubt, don't flush it, but dispose of such items in your regular trash. 

We'd like to thank today's sponsor for encouraging us to take care of our pipes and septic systems. All opinions and advice are our own. 

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