Thursday, December 21st, 2017

Now Playing: The Unflushables

Flushing is fun, until you flush the wrong thing (or too much of a flushable thing). We’ve all felt the panic that sets in when flushing goes wrong — the whole toilet experience goes right down the drain (see what we did there?).

To keep your toilet in good running order, below are 8 things to never flush, no matter how tempting it seems.

1. Litter box poop
Ever notice how it gets all dried out and hard from sitting in litter? That’s a poop format that’s real bad for your toilet pipes, which are design for soft, soluble poop. Instead of flushing solid animal waste, double-bag it and dispose of it in a waste can.


2. Grease

The last place grease or oil should go is down the toilet or any other household drain. Although it may be liquid going down, the grease will cool and turn into a solid mass. That’s the kind of blockage that can only be broken professional assistance.

3. “Flushable” wipes
The “flushable” moniker is 100% fake news. Only official toilet paper is built to disintegrate in toilets and septic/sewer systems. Wipes, although they are made of paper, are designed to be long-lasting and sturdy. Use enough flushable wipes over time and you will no longer be flushing.

4. Dental floss
Apparently, there are people in the world that actually floss, then toss the floss into the toilet. Floss never dissolves and can accumulate within your water pipes over time, creating an ad hoc fish-net that can trap the real flushables and cause problematic toilet clogs.

5. Hair
Think of hair as a more organic and furry version of dental floss. It doesn’t dissolve, sticks to everything, floats in water, and is a clog waiting to happen. Whether it’s a loose weave or a handful of used hair pieces from your hair brush, always toss excess hair into the trash can.

6. Hygiene products (including diapers of any kind)
The only paper product that should go down the toilet is toilet paper. Hygiene products are made to absorb rather than disintegrate.

7. Paper towels/Paper napkins/empty toilet paper tubes
See # 6. If it’s not TP, don’t flush it.

8. Dead fish, mice, other small critters
“Burials at sea” take place in the ocean, not the toilet. A dead animal in the toilet pipes can create a nasty and costly clog. Take a few minutes and have a real funeral or dispose of the deceased by double bagging it and placing it in a garbage receptacle.

8.5. Teddy Bears

Water You Waiting For? Most toilet clogs are easily fixed by handy DIY-ers with a plunger. But if you find that your toilet is clogging on a regular basis, it may be time to replace the toilet with a new model or have a visual inspection of your main drain line to determine if there is a blockage along the way. The professionals at Allied Reddi-Rooter are on call 24/7 to assist. Call or Contact us today for an over-the-phone quote: (513)396-5300.  We always come highly recommended and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for our expert quality of service.