It is likely you have used a wet wipe instead of toilet paper in the past. It doesn’t take long to realize that wet wipes are a far superior solution than any 2, 4, or even 10-ply soft toilet paper. However, you may have felt uneasy flushing the wet wipe, thinking it may clog your toilet.
You weren’t wrong to doubt or hesitate as most people get the same feeling, and rightfully so.
Large corporations realize this dilemma and market “flushable” wipes as a solution. These are wet wipes that they claim are “septic system safe” or “friendly” and, therefore, you can safely flush them down your toilet. For plumbing solutions in Parkland FL, contact Gator Plumbing.
But the big question is…
Are Flushable Wipes Really Safe to Flush?
As much as everyone would love to use wet wipes that are flushable, sadly there is no such thing. Just because large corporations claim that their wet wipes are “flushable” or “septic safe” doesn’t mean that they actually are.
They simply saw the demand for such wipes and raced each other to fill the gap in the market. This type of false advertising is something that every industry experiences and many corporations are caught for it. Unfortunately, many are able to get away with such claims due to legal loopholes or lack of regulations.
When it comes to something being flushable, it needs to be able to disintegrate easily in water. Toilet paper is flushable because it cannot hold up in the water and deteriorates very quickly, whereas wet wipes do not.
If you have ever looked at a wet wipe closely, you can probably see that it is a soft cloth-like material that is made from non-woven fabric that often contains polyester. You can stretch it to see that it is quite strong and highly unlikely to disintegrate in liquid.
This makes it excellent for wiping, but bad for flushing. The flushable wipes claim they can disintegrate in water. This is only partially true, as many do not disintegrate at all, while the ones that do, take too long to disintegrate.
They may eventually break down, but it takes them a long time to do so, especially when you compare them to toilet paper, which becomes a weak pulp as soon as it makes contact with liquids. Since wet wipes do not break down as quickly, they can easily clog the pipes of your toilet or home.
Using “flushable” wet wipes means you are risking your home’s plumbing. Even if it may seem like there is nothing wrong at first, your luck will run out as these wipes can easily and severely clog up the pipes, create backups, and result in some pricey plumbing repairs.
What Is Safe to Flush?
Apart from the obvious natural human waste, toilet paper is the only thing you should be flushing down your toilet. It is made from wood fibers and paper pulp, allowing it to quickly disintegrate in water.
Even claims by companies that their products are “flushable”, “septic-safe”, or “septic-friendly” are just marketing gimmicks. They will only contribute to clogs and backups in your sewer lines and septic system. Despite disintegrating faster than their conventional counterparts, these products are simply too slow to disintegrate.
Items like thick paper towels, dental floss, cleaning pads, cotton swabs, alcohol swabs, cigarette butts, and other such things that we love to flush are also not safe for flushing. They contribute to clogging your pipes and systems, and you need to throw them in the garbage where they belong, not the toilet.
Conclusion
Just because large corporations say something is “flushable” or true does not make it so. More often than not, they provide weak or false evidence to be able to jump legal loopholes and market such exaggerated claims.
If you have been flushing any of the mentioned unsafe things, you need to stop immediately. The only things meant for flushing are toilet paper and the obvious. Everything else needs to go in the garbage with other refuse for proper disposal.
If your toilet ever clogs up due to flushable wipes or anything else, you need to call a trusted plumbing service like Gator Plumbing in Parkland, FL. They have expert plumbers who can help you out in a pinch, especially when it comes to clogs and backups of your sewer pipes and septic system.
If you want to learn more about flushing safety, plumbing safety, or the wide range of plumbing services from Gator Plumbing, call (954) 778-6914 today.
