People like to test us when we say this, but sinks and toilets aren’t trashcans. There are some items that SHOULD NEVER go down a drain or be flushed down a toilet. I mean, we get it. It’s tempting to dump things down the sink or flush them down the toilet. Dump, flush, and it’s out of sight and out of mind. Who doesn’t love that? Well, your home’s plumbing system won’t like it. Nor will any septic tank or your city or municipality’s water supply or wastewater treatment center. A clog or damage to your sewer line is also possible. Needless to say, that would require extensive and costly sewer cleaning or sewer line repair. This is why Los Angeles and Ventura CA commercial and residential plumbers – T-Top Plumbing Co, Inc. – has put together this list of what NOT to pour down the drain or flush down the toilet.
5 Things To Keep Out of Drains & Toilets
Cotton Balls & Cotton Swabs (Q-tips)
Cotton seems innocuous but it isn’t a pipe-friendly material. Since toilet paper like Cottonelle or Cottonsoft is made from cotton linen, people think cotton balls and swabs also dissolve in water. They don’t.
What they do instead is clump. This often causes stoppages at the bends of a pipe. Cotton swabs can also ruin sewage pumps and cause the motor to burn out.
Cat Litter
This is another case of wanting to make something go away by flushing it down the toilet. Human waste is flushed down the toilet. Why not what our cat leaves us in his or her litter box?
Well, think of the main objective of cat litter. It is designed to clump when dampened. When you flush any amount of litter down the toilet, it gets REALLY wet. So, obviously, flushed litter can collect to form clumps deep within your pipes or sewer line.
Baby Wipes & Wet Wipes
Cities across the country have seen an increase in clogged and backed-up sewage pipes with the growing popularity of “adult baby wipes” and wet hand wipes. When flushed, these products can clump together to create a dense clog. This can impact your home’s sewer line as well as creating chaos at your city or municipal wastewater treatment center. Getting into the habit of flushing baby wipes and wet wipes can become an expensive matter once a plumber needs to be called to snake your toilet.
The problem has become so severe that many manufacturers of these items are now plastering noticeable DO NOT FLUSH warnings on the packaging. Avoid the temptation of flushing these wipes by keeping a trash can near the toilet to discard them into.
Dental Floss
Dental floss seems innocent, right? Well, it’s not. Dental floss is either comprised of nylon or Teflon, neither of which are biodegradable. When dental floss is flushed down your toilet, it can attach itself to hair, wipes, toilet paper, and even fecal matter within your pipes. Inevitably all of this balls up into big clumps that create stoppages. Once caught inside a sewage pump, this can again potentially cause the motor to burn out.
Plastics & Latex
People read this and think, “Well, of course, I’d put these in the garbage – THIS is actual garbage!”. However, people still flush Band-Aids and condoms down the toilet with no regard. Again, keep a trash can near the toilet to dispose of these types of items.
Have a Clogged Drain or Sewer Line in Los Angeles or Ventura County?
If you suspect a clogged drain or sewer line stoppage, contact T-Top Plumbing Co, Inc. at (805) 527-8867 to have one of our professional Los Angeles area plumbers assess your issue. For over 25 years, we’ve provided dependable commercial and residential plumbing services to the region.
