The toilet wasn’t made to serve as a trash bin, so what is watered down through it can significantly affect the septic tank and the surroundings as a whole. However, the discussion of what should and shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet has been going on ceaselessly on the internet.
Perhaps you’re wondering if you can dispose of your undies by flushing them down the toilet. You are not alone, in fact, some people have flushed it down their toilet accidentally. But I’d elaborate on it in this blog post, keep reading to find out about flushing things down in your toilet.
No, you cannot flush underwear. In other words, it is not okay to flush your undergarments in the toilet. Flushing your undies down the toilet can result in issues like clogging which might require you to call a plumber to fix, so avoiding it is the best.
As aforementioned, the toilet wasn’t made to serve as a bin, which means you can’t dispose of other items in it, except human waste.
According to Kym Kneebone (coordinator of the water and wastewater treatment), he said people should be aware of the consequences of flushing items that are not designed to disintegrate the water down the toilet.
And your undies are not an exception, because they can’t be broken down easily. Rather than watering undergarments down your toilet, opt for a better option to dispose of them.
Contents
What will happen if I flush underwear?
The aftermath after flushing undergarments cannot be predicted. How? In some cases, the underwear will flush down the toilet and there won’t be any clogs, but the result of doing so might show up later on. To confirm this, you would have to wait for a few minutes to confirm, or you would just run water to help it flush properly.
While on the flip side, your toilet will clog and you would have to use a plunger or call a plumber to retrieve the undies and fix any issue with the pipe.
According to multiple reports, it could depend on the size of the undies that were flushed. If it is a small size, it might not clog the toilet and vice versa. Apparently, it is just best to avoid flushing your undies in the toilet.
What should I do if my underwear gets flushed?
Even after knowing that you can’t flush undies, it could be done by you or your kids accidentally. Once this happens, you’d have to retrieve it if the toilet gets clogged.
You can choose to either retrieve the undergarment yourself or call a plumber, and I would share with you the steps to DIY the undies out of the toilet below. Here’s how to retrieve your undies when they get flushed;
Method 1: Use your hands
In this method, you won’t need any materials except hand gloves. It would work when the undies haven’t gone so down the drain.
Step 1: Do the safety tip
To prevent the overflowing of water during the retrieving process, you should put off the water system connected to the toilet. You can do this with the lever behind the toilet.
Step 2: Shut the flapper valve
The flapper valve is the part of the toilet with the chain. In this part, you’d be required to put on hand gloves.
Step 3
With your hands in the hand gloves, use one of your hands to feel inside the trap (the part that leads to the pipe after flushing) with the hope that the undies are trapped in that part. If you feel it, loosen it and pull.
Method 2: Utilizing a plunger
A plunger is often placed in the toilet to help unclog it. So, it is another alternative to use to retrieve your undies from the toilet.
Step 1: Get a plunger ready
You should purchase a plunger if you do not have one. However, the type of plunger you need is the one that can plug off the gap.
Step 2
Before proceeding, you should know that using the plunger isn’t an easy task, so you’d have to be determined. When your plunger is ready, plunge continuously until the undies are out. It might require 15 or more plunges.
Method 3: Employing a snake
The use of snakes comes in handy when the plunger wasn’t effective in pulling the object that clogged the toilet out.
Step 1
So if the plunger doesn’t work, then you’d have to use a snake. But you need to ensure that the snake has a crank handle and is manufactured with steel.
Also, the snake you should use must be the one for retrieving (bringing up any object) and not dislodging (pushing the object down the drain).
Step 2
Use the snake to crank continuously till the undergarment is brought up. Although you might find it difficult to wiggle it up.
Step 3
If you bring it up, you should dispose of it as you can’t use the undies anymore due to hygienic reasons.
Method 4: Reach out to a plumber
If none of the methods works, call a plumber and tell him about the situation.
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What shouldn’t you flush in the toilet?
Below are the things you should never flush in your toilet.
Q-tips
Q-tips are products made with cotton materials such as cotton pads, swabs, or balls. Due to how fluffy these items are, people often think it’s okay to flush them.
However, they shouldn’t be watered down the toilet because they don’t disintegrate and would only pile up in the drainage and cause issues later.
Sanitary items
Amongst the things Kym Kneebone said shouldn’t be flushed in the toilet are the sanitary products. Sanitary items such as tampons, pads, and so on won’t break down when flushed. They will only absorb the water in the toilet, expand, and clog the toilet. Also, they will stink if they find their way down to the drain.
Baby wipes or diapers
You would probably have a lot of questions concerning wipes because they are tagged flushable. Regardless of that, don’t flush baby wipes or whatever wipes down the toilet.
They won’t disintegrate and it will lead to plumbing issues. Likewise diapers, they are similar to sanitary pads. They absorb just like these pads which implies that, if you flush them down the drain, they will expand and affect the pipes of your toilet.
Pills
Some pills have been in our homes for quite a while and cannot be used anymore, so the next thing is to dispose of them. Most people have been found disposing of their pills in the toilet, which is wrong. They won’t disintegrate and when they loosen into the water, they could become very toxic to the surroundings.
Hairs or public hair
Firstly, I want you to know that there is no way hairs can get broken down by the water. When it comes to public hair, they are usually more coarse than other hairs.
This means flushing them in your toilet can have a big significant effect on your toilet pipes. So, you should never water down any type of hair in your toilet, be it public hair or normal hair.
Broth is also known as stock water
Stock water often contains the fat from any kind of meat that was boiled. You should never flush it when it is hot or cool because the fat will make it clog your toilet. Just imagine if you have to unclog a toilet clogged with grease.
Food
You are probably thinking about how food can affect your toilet. And of course, our excreted wastes are foods broken down which makes it easy for the toilet to flush without getting clogged. But flushing foods that have not been broken down can affect your toilet and the plumbing system.
Chemicals
The plumbing systems of your toilets or in your home are made with plastic pipes and they can be easily eaten up by chemicals. You’ve been using different chemicals to wash your toilets to kill germs, but unknowing to you, they affect your toilet water system.
Chemicals such as bleach are way too harsh to be watered down the toilet. So, instead of using chemicals like bleach for your toilet, you use other diluted products like white vinegar to clean stains and kill germs.
FAQs
Are pads safe to flush?
No, pads are not safe to flush. Pads are made with absorbable material, cotton, which makes them absorb water or blood but cannot be disintegrated.
Aside from pads, other sanitary items should never be flushed in the toilet. When you flush them, they will clog the toilet and cause other plumbing problems.
Conclusion – Can You Flush Underwear?
Anything aside from human waste should not be flushed down the toilet. Although it might not result in any issue initially, you’d see the effects later on.
If at all your undies get flushed accidentally, you can retrieve them with the four methods provided in this article. Also, I would advise that you take note of the things you should not water down your toilet that has been shared in this blog post.
