How to Prevent Toilet Clogs
Toilet clogs can be a real drag, especially if they are frequent and recurring. They are messy, unpleasant to handle, and they can damage your flooring, furnishings, and plumbing pipes, leading to expensive repairs.
If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve probably flushed a few substances down the toilet in the past that weren’t supposed to be flushed. After all, people unknowingly make this mistake all the time.
Perhaps you have a family and during the toddler years, all kinds of odds and sods were flushed down the toilet when you had your back turned away. It’s not unusual for a toddler to flush toothbrushes, toy cars, marbles, and other trinkets down the toilet!
If you want to reduce your chances of a clogged toilet, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with when to flush, when to plunge, and what unsuitable items should not be flushed down the drain as these components will prevent unwanted toilet clogs.
What Not to Flush Down the Toilet
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to flush baby wipes, expired medications, paper towels, and even kitty litter down the toilet. Often, we see the toilet as a convenient and clean trashcan, but we must resist the urge to flush the wrong things down the toilet.
It’s understandable why people would be confused as it seems like these things would be “safe” to flush, but they are not. These items and many more can cause clogs, including but not limited to:
- Coffee grounds
- Baby wipes
- Cat litter
- Goldfish
- Feminine hygiene products
- Medications
- Grease
- Hair
- Cotton balls
- Diapers
- Facial tissues and paper towels
Just because some of these items may seem similar to toilet paper in composition, it does not mean that they decompose the same way toilet paper does. As these items sit in your pipes, they get in the way and block other material that’s flushed down the toilet until the waste collects, forming a stubborn clog.
Most plumbers will attest that the ONLY two things that should be flushed down the toilet are human waste and toilet paper. We understand that certain feminine hygiene products and “flushable wipes” say that they are safe for flushing, it’s better not to take the chance.
Clogs Caused By Too Much Toilet Paper
Do you have one of those kids that like to use half the roll of toilet paper during each trip to the bathroom? If so, it is possible for your toilet to clog when it simply has too much toilet paper in it.
We do not recommend trying to flush the big mound of toilet paper all at once. When you do this, the toilet paper balls up and only the outer portion dissolves in the pipes, leading to a clog.
If you encounter a big ball of toilet paper in your bowl, try breaking up the toilet paper and only flushing small amounts at a time. Don’t try to flush it all down at once.
If you notice a slow or weak flush, be proactive and grab for the plunger right away. Plunge a slow or weak-flushing toilet as soon as it occurs and be sure to use the type of plunger that has a protrusion to create an airtight seal.
If you have a clogged toilet that needs servicing, contact the Cedar Park plumbers at Excalibur Plumbing today!