It’s a common mistake to assume that if an item fits down the drain, it belongs in the sewer. However, your toilet is not a trash can. Flushing the wrong items (even those marketed as “flushable”) is the leading cause of emergency drain cleanings and costly sewer backups in Central Illinois.
At Arnold & Sons, we’ve pulled everything from dental floss to “flushable” wipes out of local sewer lines since 1988. To help you avoid a plumbing disaster, here is the definitive guide on what should never enter your pipes.
The Quick “No-Flush” Guide
- Can Kleenex or tissues be flushed? No. They are designed to stay intact when wet.
- Will paper towels clog a toilet? Yes. They do not dissolve and will bridge inside your pipes.
- Is it bad to flush hair down the toilet? Yes. It creates a “net” that traps other debris and grease.
1. Tissues and Kleenex
Is it bad to flush tissues down the toilet? This is one of the most common questions we hear. While tissues feel soft like toilet paper, they are manufactured with “wet strength” additives.
- Toilet paper is designed to disintegrate into tiny fibers within seconds of hitting water.
- Tissues and Kleenex are designed to stay together even when you blow your nose into them.
Because tissues don’t dissolve, they snag on any small pipe imperfections or tree roots in your sewer line, quickly leading to a massive clog. This means tissues are not safe to flush, but toilet paper is.
2. Paper Towels and Napkins
Will paper towels clog a toilet? Almost certainly. Paper towels are the “heavyweights” of the paper world. They are highly absorbent and expand when wet. Unlike toilet paper, which shreds, a paper towel stays in one piece and acts like a dam in your plumbing. If you flush even two or three paper towels, you are likely looking at a toilet repair or a main line snake service.
3. Hair and Dental Floss
Is it bad to flush hair down the toilet? Yes. In fact, it’s one of the most persistent causes of clogs we deal with in Peoria.
- The Net Effect: Hair doesn’t dissolve. Instead, it tangles. When you flush hair or dental floss, it creates a literal net inside your pipes.
- The Result: This net catches every other bit of waste and toilet paper that passes by, eventually forming a “ball” that can burn out septic pumps or stop a sewer line cold.
4. “Flushable” Wipes and Baby Wipes
“Flushable” wipes are a myth. They do not break down in the time it takes to travel through your Peoria sewer lateral. They arrive at the city’s pumping stations fully intact. When these wipes combine with grease, they form “fatbergs,” which are massive, rock-hard blockages that can cost thousands of dollars to clear from a sewer.
5. Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)
Never pour cooking grease or oil down any drain, including the toilet. Grease may be liquid when it’s hot, but as soon as it hits the cold water in your underground pipes, it solidifies into a waxy sludge. This sludge coats the inside of your pipes, narrowing the passage until even a small amount of toilet paper causes a full backup. Rather than flushing grease, let it cool and dispose of the hardened substance in the trash.
Protect Your Peoria Home’s Plumbing With Arnold & Sons
If you’ve already flushed the wrong thing and your drains are running slow, don’t wait for a total backup. At Arnold & Sons Plumbing, we’ve provided residents of Peoria and the surrounding Central Illinois communities with reliable drain cleaning and drain repair services for many years.
Contact Arnold & Sons for expert assistance today!
