What NOT to Flush: Your Toilet and Septic System's Worst Enemies
Your toilet is not a trash can. While it’s designed to handle human waste and toilet paper (specifically, paper designed to dissolve quickly), the moment you flush anything else, you are actively inviting clogs, costly plumbing emergencies, and potentially catastrophic damage to your septic system or the Colorado Springs municipal sewer lines.
At Affordable Plumbing, Heat & Electrical, we often see the same offenders causing major problems. Saving money on a service call starts with being hyper-vigilant about what goes down the drain.
Here is a list of items that should never be flushed, broken down by why they pose a threat to your plumbing.
The Fiber Offenders: Things That Don't Dissolve
These are the most common culprits. Unlike toilet paper, which is designed to break down rapidly in water, these items are built with strong, non-soluble fibers.
Wipes (Even "Flushable" Ones): This is the number one enemy. Despite the labels, flushable wipes are a lie. They may go down the toilet easily, but their polyester and plastic fibers do not dissolve like paper. Instead, they catch grease and other debris, creating massive, immovable blockages known as "fatbergs" in pipes and sewer systems.
Paper Towels and Tissues: While these are paper products, they are designed to be strong and absorbent (i.e., not dissolve). Flushing them regularly will eventually lead to a dense, stubborn clog in your toilet trap or main drain line.
Feminine Hygiene Products: Tampons and pads are designed to absorb and expand, not dissolve. When flushed, they quickly swell with water and can get caught in small bends or corners of your pipes, creating an instant blockage.
The Kitchen and Grease Killers
It might seem obvious, but what happens in your kitchen often impacts your bathroom, especially if you have an older or undersized sewer line.
Cooking Grease and Oil: Never, ever dump grease down the sink, and definitely don't try to dilute it by flushing it down the toilet. When hot grease cools, it solidifies. This sticky substance coats the inside of your pipes and catches everything else that flows by (wipes, hair, food scraps), leading to those costly, stubborn clogs.
Food Scraps: Your stomach—or the garbage disposal—is the right place for food, not the toilet.
The Chemical and Medicinal Hazards
Flushing these items doesn't usually cause a clog, but they pose serious threats to the ecosystem and to your septic system's biological balance.
Medications (Pills, Liquids, etc.): Flushing unused or expired medication introduces pharmaceutical compounds directly into the municipal water supply or the groundwater near your septic tank. These chemicals are difficult to filter out and can harm local wildlife. Dispose of them at a police station or pharmacy drug take-back program.
Chemical Drain Cleaners: While these products claim to "clear" clogs, they often sit in the pipes, slowly eating away at the PVC or iron, weakening your system over time. If you have a septic tank, these chemicals will kill the essential bacteria needed to break down waste, causing the system to fail.
The Small but Mighty Blockers
Don’t let these small items fool you; they are huge clog risks.
Cotton Balls and Q-Tips: These items are made of tightly packed cotton fiber that clumps together and does not break down in water. They gather over time, creating a sponge-like blockage in your pipes.
Dental Floss: Floss is not biodegradable. When flushed, it forms long, tangled nets that are excellent at catching hair, grease, and other debris, creating a dense blockage mass that is nearly impossible for water to push through.
The Lesson: Protect Your Pipes
Whether you are connected to the city sewer system or rely on a private septic tank here in Colorado Springs, the rules are the same: Flush only the essentials.
If you are experiencing frequent clogs or slow drains, it’s a sign that something is already stuck in your system. Don't reach for chemical drain cleaners! Contact Affordable Plumbing, Heat & Electrical today for a safe, effective drain clearing. We'll find the blockage and keep your pipes flowing freely.
