One of the biggest causes of blocked drains is non-flushable items going down our toilets. We should only ever flush the 3 Ps – pee, poo and toilet paper. Anything else going down our drains will eventually cause blockages.
What can't be flushed down the toilet?
Are you still unsure of what can be flushed down the toilet? If you are then you don't need to worry. Below we'll explore 5 items that must go in the bin and not down the toilet.
Wet Wipes
The most common non-flushable found down our drains is wet wipes. Often labelled as ‘flushable’ on the packaging, there’s a lot of confusion around why wet wipes can’t go down the toilet.
Flushable wet wipes will flush with the rest of the waste and water in the toilet. What they won’t do is decompose in the drains the same way that toilet paper will.
Flushable doesn’t mean biodegradable, which is why wet wipes aren’t safe to go down our drains.
Sanitary Products
It may feel logical to put sanitary products down the toilet but they’re not suitable for flushing.
The materials used to make these products are designed to expand when wet, not breakdown. This means they don’t decompose in our drains and lead to blockages.
Nappies
Although you may have never thought to put a nappy down the toilet, they’re very commonly found in drains.
Similarly to sanitary products, the materials used to make nappies are designed to expand and stay strong when wet, so they don’t breakdown in our drains. Nappies also commonly block waste pipes before they even reach our drains as they’re too big to be flushed.
Kitchen Roll
Can you flush kitchen roll? Many people think of kitchen roll as a suitable alternative to toilet paper but it isn’t!
As kitchen roll is commonly used for wiping up spillages, it is made with extra-strong materials that are super absorbent, opposed to easily decomposable like toilet paper. This means it doesn’t breakdown in our drains and can cause blockages.
Any other toilet paper alternative
Similarly to kitchen roll, any other toilet paper alternative will need to be binned and not flushed.
Napkins, tissues and industrial blue roll are all thought of as suitable alternatives when toilet paper runs out but they are not constructed in the same way as toilet paper and therefore aren’t considered flushable.
All these materials are designed to be absorbent, meaning it takes them much longer to decompose in our drains and increasing the chance of blockages.
Unsure if you can flush it? If it’s not one of the 3 Ps, then it goes in the bin! Our toilet door poster is free to download and the perfect reminder of what is allowed to go down your toilet!
If you have a blocked toilet, but you can't identify the issue, then there may be a problem further on down the drainage system. Don't worry. You can contact your local Metro Rod engineer today to discuss your needs in more detail.
Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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