Don’t flush wipes down your toilet! Regardless of what the label says, they can damage your plumbing system.
Flushing wipes may not cause an issue right away as they could go down the toilet just fine, without the need for a plunger. The problem comes later on when the wipes move through your sewer system. Many older sewer systems are built of clay, concrete or iron pipes. All of these materials are very susceptible to the growth of tree roots. When roots enter your pipes they form a web which can trap materials that are trying to pass through. If you are flushing items such as wipes that don’t belong in the sewer, this can create clogs. Toilet paper usually doesn’t cause an issue because it dissolves quickly.
Many toilet paper brands dissolve in minutes, and even the thickest varieties will dissolve within a day. However, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and wet wipes can take weeks or even months to dissolve. This could result in a nasty and expensive clog.
If wet wipes make it through the sewer system without causing a problem, they can create problems once they hit the sewage treatment plant. These fibrous wipes can damage and overheat the industrial-grade pumps at treatment plants which ultimately cost taxpayers to repair.
We know what you are thinking… “well my brand is labeled “flushable”. In that case, some brands are less fibrous and stringy than others, and therefore less likely to cause problems.
To prevent yourself from a costly repair, we recommend avoiding flushing all wipes.