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9 Things You Should Never Flush Down the Toilet

Hello friends! It’s your favorite parrot Gilley here! I flew south for a few days to visit some friends and you won’t believe what happened, their toilet clogged! Work just follows me everywhere. After hours of plunging and snaking we finally got it unclogged. I couldn’t believe some of the things they were flushing down the toilet, and these were full grown adult parrots! I was shocked. Today I want to take the time to remind you of items you should not be flushing down the toilet.

Floss – Floss might be small but it has the potential to become the cause of a major clog. It can wrap around your drain and cause debris that should be going down the toilet to get stuck, eventually causing a backup in your toilet.

Medication – You may think disposing your medication in the toilet is the safest way to dispose of it but think again. Your medication can contaminate your ground water and even harm wild life.

Band-Aids – Although band aids are very tiny and seem harmless, they are not biodegradable and will clog your sewage system.

Paper towels – We’ve all been there and needed to use paper towels when the toilet paper has run out. If this happens to you, don’t flush it! Paper towels are much thicker than toilet paper and are not made to dissolve and break down in water.

Condoms – These latex products might not be very big, but it can cause major damage to your septic system. Don’t risk it and just toss it.

Hair – Your hair causes clogs in your shower or tub so why would you flush it down the toilet? It’ll eventually cause a clog just like it does in your other drains. When you clean out your hair brush save yourself the hassle and throw it away.

Cotton balls/swabs – Cotton does not break down well in water and easily gets caught in plumbing pipes which can result in a clog you’ll need to have snaked in order to clear.

Feminine hygiene products – Tampons and pads should never go down the toilet because they do not break down in water. These products were designed to absorb moisture and expand which will cause some serious clogs if flushed.

Flushable bathroom wipes – It may have the word “flushable” in the title, but it should go nowhere but into the trash. These wet wipes will clog your sewer system and leave you with a bill from a plumber.