You use your toilet daily without much thought. However, when problems arise, it drastically affects your life. Prevent damage or backups in your system by ensuring you only flush appropriate items. Tarvin Plumbing, a top plumber in Cincinnati, OH, reveals what you should never flush down the toilet.

A much shorter list would be the three items you can flush – #1, #2 and toilet paper.  All other items should be disposed of some other way.  Costly damage to your piping system is not worth using the toilet as a glorified trash can, or to dispose of evidence.  Often times this evidence creates a clog that may need to be dug up or fixed.  Then the evidence comes pouring out and you have a written invoice with a plumber’s professional opinion about proper disposal of the “items”.  Here are a few reasons behind not flushing some of the main culprits.

3 Items to Never Flush

1. Chewing Gum

It can seem like a quick and harmless way to dispose of your gum, but flushing it down the toilet is damaging. This is because gum is designed to resist breaking down. It does not dissolve in water or saliva, meaning it won't dissolve in your septic system. It is also incredibly sticky. Flushing gum runs the risk of it adhering to the walls of your pipes. This could eventually lead to blockage and ruin your system.

2. Grease & Oil

While you may not have been tempted to flush away old bacon grease, you do need to be conscious about products that are oil-based. Shampoos, hair products, or skin care items often use coconut oil as the main ingredient. These ingredients do not mix with water. They also run the risk of solidifying if not warm enough. If flushed, they can potentially clog up the pipes. Refrain from dumping excess, spilled, or old oil-based products down the toilet.  Do not dump it down your kitchen sink either, as it cools it quickly solidifies and sticks in the pipe.

3. Personal Products

Basically these products are not designed to be flushed.  When they do they can expand or get caught and a very small item can become large enough to clog nearly any size pipe.

Keep your bathroom running by never flushing these three items. However, if you need a plumber, call on Tarvin Plumbing. They offer elite services in repair, sewer replacement, and sump pump installation. They have been a trusted company in Cincinnati for over 110 years. For more information on this plumber, visit their website or call (513) 321-5726 today.