What NOT To Flush

What NOT

—to— Flush

16 Items You Should Never Flush Down the Toilet

Sewer backups and overflows can cause health hazards, damage home interiors, and harm our environment . Avoid costly repairs and save your home’s plumbing and sewer system by learning what not to flush . Whether you are connected to the city’s sewer system or have a septic tank, as a general rule of thumb, flush only toilet paper and human waste .

But what about “flushable” or “biodegradable” wipes? Many items labeled as flushable or disposable can actually put your pipes and sewer system at risk . That’s because these items do not degrade like toilet paper . They can clog pipes, tangle pumps, and cause messy sewer backups in your home or business, and even into our streets and waterways . Sewer backups are not only gross, they can be hazardous to your health and costly to clean up . Below are 16 items you should NEVER flush down the toilet . 1 . Wipes (cleaning, facial, baby, or personal care) 2 . Paper Towels, Tissues, Napkins 3 . Feminine products (pads, tampons, applicators) 4 . Baby products (disposable diapers, wipes, nursing pads) 5 . Hair 6 . Dental floss 7 . Cotton balls/swabs/pads 8 . Band-aids and bandage wrappers 9 . Condoms 10 . Cigarette Butts 11 . Cat Litter 12 . Contact Lenses 13 . Medications 14 . Fats, Oils, and Grease from cooking 15 . Automotive fluids (motor oils, transmission fluid, anti-freeze, etc) 16 . Paint (including nail polish and nail polisher remover) The toilet in your home or business should never be a replacement for the garbage can . The drains that connect your home to the main sewer line are only big enough to carry water, toilet paper, and human waste . Sewer pipes are often no wider than 4 inches . So protect your plumbing and sewer system, and help protect our environment by following the guide above . And remember, when in doubt, throw it out! •