What Can’t You Flush?

The toilet is one of the most important parts of any home, so it’s in your best interest to take good care of it. There are a lot of misconceptions about what you can and can’t flush down the toilet, but there’s a simple way to remember: if you have to ask about it, it’s probably not a good idea to flush.

Common Items

Here are just some of the common items people flush, resulting in blocked drains and hefty plumbing bills.

Tissues

Can you flush tissues? You might think that you can flush tissues down the toilet because they seem similar to toilet paper, but this is a bad idea. Tissues and toilet paper are made for different purposes. The way tissues are designed allows them to absorb liquid, which means they won’t break down the same way toilet paper does. It is never a good idea to flush tissues. You should always put them in a rubbish bin instead.

Baby Wipes

Similar to kitty litter, many brands of wipes claim to be flushable, but flushing baby wipes is never* a good idea. Always throw these in the trash instead. Baby wipes don’t disintegrate like toilet paper, commonly leading to clogs.

• Menstrual Products

Menstrual products (tampons, pads, etc.) are specifically designed to be absorbent, which means they actually expand when you flush them. This is one of the more common causes of blockages found by plumbers.

Many people like to keep a waste paper basket or small pedal bin near their toilet for this reason.

• Kitty Litter and Waste

Even if you use a brand of kitty litter that claims to be flushable, it’s best not to dispose of it in the toilet. Kitty litter is generally heavy and hard to move along the drains. It’s best put in the bin instead.

As for cat waste, this is also a bad idea to dispose of in the toilet. Kitty litter is designed to remove moisture from the waste, making it harder to flush as well.

• Paper Towel

Paper towel, like tissues, are designed to absorb liquid, making it much harder to break down. Putting paper towel in your toilet is likely to cause blockages and damage to your drains, so avoid it at all costs.

Be Careful What You Flush

Flushing anything other than toilet paper can lead to significant plumbing issues, not just for your toilet, but for your entire house. If you’re having drain issues around the house, it could be because you flushed something you shouldn’t have.

Whether you own your home or find yourself renting, you’ll be paying for the repair costs. It’s in your best interest to flush responsibly.

What to Do If You Flushed Something You Shouldn’t Have

If you have a toilet blockage and need some advice, you can call the friendly Drainpro team on 1300 303 247. Our drain cleaning experts are here to help if something has gone wrong.