At a glance
- Topic
- Three Ps only
- Reading time
- About 2 min
- Phone
- (365) 363-2754
- Matching repair
- Main Sewer Line Clearing in Ajax
Why it matters
Many products sold as flushable hold together in water for days. They knot together with grease and hair into ropes that block laterals and clog pumps at sewage plants. In your house, they show up as a toilet that overflows or a basement floor drain that backs up.
The routine, in order
Put a small lidded bin in every bathroom and use it for:
- All wipes, including ones labelled flushable.
- Dental floss, which wraps around anything rough.
- Cotton swabs, cotton pads and makeup removers.
- Tampons, applicators, pads and condoms.
- Hair from brushes.
- Paper towel and tissues, which are made to stay strong when wet.
- Medications, which belong at a pharmacy take-back.
- Cat litter, even types marketed as flushable.
In the kitchen, keep fats and oils out of the sink as well: wipe pans and put scraps in the Durham green bin where accepted, and let cooking oil cool in a can for the garbage.
Mistakes to avoid
- Flushing a wipe "just once"; they accumulate.
- Using more paper than the toilet can carry in one flush on low-flow models. Flush halfway through if needed.
- Pouring paint, solvents or chemicals down any drain. Durham runs household hazardous waste drop-off; check the current locations.
Local tip If a toilet will not drain after one plunge attempt, stop flushing. A second flush adds water to a full bowl.
Where a plumber takes over
When a plunger and a closet auger have not cleared it, or a second fixture joins in. See our pages on toilet repair and main sewer clearing.
Questions we hear on the phone
Are septic-safe wipes OK?
No. The label does not change how slowly they break down in a pipe.