What NOT to Flush down your Toilet

Whilst flushing objects down the toilet may seem like a quick and easy way to get rid, it can be detrimental to the health of our waste systems and environment. To help keep uneducated temptations at bay, we’ve put together some of the items you should NEVER flush down your toilet, particularly if you want to avoid a hefty bill!

Wet Wipes

It does seem odd that something so similar to toilet paper can cause such havoc to our drainage systems. However, wet wipes don’t break down like toilet paper does, meaning it clogs sewers and eventually causes flooding and pollution.

Cotton Buds & Balls

Whilst it may seem like cotton balls and buds would easily breakdown in the toilet bowl and pipes, in reality, they do not. As more and more cotton buds and balls get flushed, they will gather together within the bends of the pipe, eventually causing huge and expensive blockages.

Dental Floss

Millions of people flush their dental floss down the toilet every single day, but it should be disposed of in a bin. Surprisingly, dental floss is not biodegradable, and will quickly wrap itself around bits and bobs in your toilets pipeline, quickly adding to clogs and blockages.

Fat, Oil & Grease

Just like fat, oil and grease shouldn’t make its way down our kitchen sinks, it shouldn’t be flushed away either. Whilst they may seem like liquids when they’re hot, as soon as they cool down they will become congealed solids that will block pipes and drains in an instant.

Medication

Many people flush away their unneeded prescription medication in the hope that it is out of harms way. However, it can be very dangerous for the environment. Prescription drugs can destroy healthy bacteria, contaminate groundwater supplies and badly effect wildlife.

If your drains have become blocked due to incorrect items being flushed, all hope is not lost, we can help. The professional team at Bates Environmental can clear blockages cheaply and efficiently using rods and high-pressure water jetting.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team today by giving us a call on 0800 043 37 11 or via our contact page.