Are you tired of dealing with a clogged toilet? You’re probably just using your toilet the wrong way. That’s to say if you flush anything and everything down your toilet it will clog. You see, your toilet isn’t a garbage can and if you treat it that way, it will easily get backed up and overflow. The good thing is there are some things that you can avoid flushing down the toilet if you want to keep your plumbing free and clear.
Never Flush These Items Down Your Toilet
Here are just some of the many things you shouldn’t flush down your toilet.
1. Dental floss – This will slowly but surely cause a clog as debris sticks to it. It doesn’t disintegrate and will end up as a ball of floss and debris in your pipes.
2. Hair – As with floss, hair will accumulate over time and ball up. The clog will not be pretty or easy to eliminate.
3. Tampons – Yes, they are labeled as “flushable” but they are really just a clog waiting to happen. As more are flushed down the toilet, the potential for a clog increases. It’s really just a matter of time.
4. Kleenex and paper towels – These paper products are just as likely to cause a clog as a tampon or pad. They’re absorbent and will enlarge and get stuck in your pipes.
5. Cotton balls – Fluffy balls of cotton do not break down. They just clump up in your pipes and cause a clog.
6. Band-aids – These strips of plastic don’t disintegrate, gather in your pipes, and will eventually cause a clog.
7. Kitty litter- This will cause an unbelievably horrendous clog. That’s especially true if the litter is made of clay. Those large clumps that make it down your toilet won’t be going anywhere.
Remember, if it’s not toilet paper and it’s partner, down put it in your toilet.
If your toilet is already clogged, don’t flush it. That could cause your toilet to overflow and flood your bathroom. Instead get your plunger and try to eliminate the clog that way. You can also take the lid off your toilet and lift up the flapper to get rid of some of the excess water. It’s a lot easier and cleaner to just remember not to flush trash down your toilet.
What to Do Instead
The solution is simple. Put a wastebasket next to your toilet and dispose of everything that can be thrown away there. If you have a dog in your home, then get a wastebasket with a lid on it. If you don’t want your toilet backing up every other day, that’s what you’ll do.
Louisa May Alcott wrote the eternal words “Housekeeping ain’t no joke.” Remembering to put garbage where it belongs is just part of that.