Toilet Clog Prevention: Guidelines from Professional Plumbers
Keep Your Pipes Happy: A Plumber's Guide to Toilet-Friendly Items!
Your home plumbing system is more sensitive than you think. Flushing the wrong stuff can lead to clogs, overflowing toilets, and even costly repairs. Here to steer you clear of unwanted plumbing disasters is Dewayne Sloan, a seasoned plumber who's witnessed it all.
To keep your pipes flowing smoothly, Dewayne advises steering clear of these common household items:
1. Personal Hygiene Products
- Tampons and Sanitary Pads: These items can expand in water and create clogs[1].
- Wipes ( includling baby wipes): Even the "flushable" ones don't break down quickly and can clog your pipes[2].
- Feminine Hygiene Products in General: They're not designed to dissolve and can wreak havoc on your plumbing[3].
2. Hair
Hair behaves like string in the plumbing system, wrapping around and creating stubborn blockages[4]. Don't let loose hair go down the drain—toss it in the trash bin instead.
3. Food Grease
Though grease may slide down the toilet like liquid, it quickly cools and solidifies, causing sticking, clogging issues[5].
4. Household Chemicals
Toxic substances like bleach and paint thinner can damage pipes and contaminate the water[6].
5. Household Waste
- Paper Towels and Cotton Balls: They don't break down like toilet paper and can easily cause clogs[7].
- Cotton Swabs: In your plumbing, they're as dangerous as they are cute[8].
- Dental Floss: This string-like substance can tangle up in your pipes like spaghetti[8].
6. Medicine
Old medications can contaminate water supplies, so best to dispose of them properly[9].
7. Condoms and Diapers
These items do not break down and can lead to major plumbing problems[10].
Remember, your toilet should only deal with human waste and toilet paper. Toilet paper is specially designed to dissolve quickly, ensuring a smooth-sailing plumbing system[1]. For septic tank owners, it's crucial to be extra thoughtful about what you flush to maintain a balanced bacterial environment and steer clear of expensive repairs and environmental pollution[11]. So, let's keep our pipes happy, shall we?
Incorporating the given words into two sentences related to the provided text:
- Martha Stewart might offer some useful cleaning and organizing tips tailored to home-and-garden lifestyle, including bathroom cleaning tips to ensure your plumbing system remains clog-free.
- Avoiding common clog-causing items like wipes, personal hygiene products, and paper towels in favor of proper disposal, along with following Martha Stewart's cleaning organizing tips, can help maintain a clean and well-functioning home.
