The Hazards of Flushable Wipes
Are Flushable Wipes Safe to Flush?
You’ve heard of icebergs, how about fatbergs? A fatberg is a congealed mass of flushable wipes, feminine hygiene products, disposable diapers, and other items that should never be flushed down the toilet. They combine with solidified fat – another plumbing hazard – and form fatbergs. Sound gross? They are and can destroy residential and municipal systems. Yes, this means you could have a fatberg in your home if you aren’t conscientious about what you flush down the toilet or pour down the sink. Smaller fatbergs, which you’re more likely to find in a house, are known as softball clogs and are as equally damaging.
Fatbergs and softball clogs can jam up sewers and septic tanks, resulting in thousands of dollars in damages and repairs, and you end up paying for it one way or another. It could be through plumbing repairs to your property or increased municipal usage charges to pay for damages to the city’s water treatment/sewage plant.
While disposable wipes may be advertised as biodegradable, most of them aren’t. They are made of a fibrous material that won’t dissolve in water like toilet paper does. And while disposable wipes may appear to flush completely down your toilet, it’s inevitable that somewhere along the journey, they will get jammed up and form a clog.
The best remedy is to not flush disposable wipes down the toilet but throw them in the trash. If that is unappealing, find a small trashcan with a lid that you can open with a foot lever. Use an odor-killing liner and throw the contents away regularly. Another option is to install a bidet, which Atlas Butler can help you source and install.
If you have a clogged toilet, damaged pipes, or sluggish septic tank, call the Atlas Butler plumbing pros at 614-681-2183. Our phone is answered by a live person 24/7, and in most cases, you can get a same-day appointment. While we won’t lecture you (because accidents do happen), we may give you a friendly reminder about what shouldn’t go down your sink or toilet.