Well, we’ve all been guilty of flushing items down the toilet when we’re not in the mood to put them in the trash. We always fall prey to thinking that one tissue won’t make much difference if flushed down the toilet drain, but is that true?
Why You Shouldn’t Flush Tissues and Paper Towels
Tissues, paper towels, kitchen towels, and toilet paper are derived from paper, but they’re not really the same product. Toilet paper is specifically designed to break down when it comes in contact with water. That prevents toilet paper from clogging up the toilet and drastically lowers the chances of anything going wrong in your bathroom.
Tissues are also made from paper, but they’re tear-resistant. That means they are tougher than toilet paper and don’t disintegrate when wet. They can cause tough clogs after continuous flushing.
While flushing the odd tissue paper from time to time won’t cause a clog, prolonged flushing can do that or cause a more serious sewer blockage that carries the delights of the sewers straight into your bathroom.
Remember, while they are all paper products, tissue paper and kitchen towels will not disintegrate as they are made to stay intact when wet.
What to Do if You’ve Flushed Tissue Papers
If you only did it once or twice, then you shouldn’t experience any toilet-related issues, but if you do this regularly, be on the lookout for early symptoms of a misbehaving toilet. If your toilet starts acting up and it isn’t flushing properly, you might have a tissue paper clog somewhere down the drain. This clog can be centered inside the flange or might be deeper in the sewage pipes beneath your toilet installation. The blockage prevents water from flowing, hindering the flush function.
When combatting a tissue clog, the plunger is the first line of defense. It works best when the tissue paper clogs are confined in the toilet’s body. It isn’t very effective when the clog is deeper in the pipes.
If you have the necessary first-aid kit for bathrooms, including a toilet snake or an auger, you can try poking at the clog in the drain until you’ve dislodged it. If not, a phone call to your plumber is the best course of action you can take.
