You might think that flushing food down the toilet is no big deal. After all, it’s just water and waste, right? Wrong. Flushing food down the toilet can actually cause some serious plumbing problems. Here’s a look at why you should avoid flushing food down the toilet, as well as what to do if you accidentally drop something down the drain.
WHY YOU SHOULDN'T FLUSH FOOD DOWN THE TOILET
One of the most frustrating things about toilets is when they stop working. Toilet problems can be caused by any number or combination of imperfectly-placed objects, but one common culprit is food particles getting stuck inside and blocking everything up - including pipes! It may seem convenient at first to flush your old leftovers down the toilet, however this could cause massive clogs that require expensive repairs. Garbage disposal or not, nobody wants their kitchen to smell like old food. Flushing it down the toilet is never a good idea because pipes are too small for waste and can lead to clogging which then causes sewage backups in your home's plumbing system - none of which smells pleasant! It also occurs due to how slowly our natural digestive process breaks down substances compared with human waste. Another reason to avoid flushing food is that it can attract pests. If you flush meat or other scraps of food down the toilet, you might start to notice an increase in flies or other bugs in your bathroom. That’s because these pests are attracted to the smell of decomposing food, and your bathroom is likely the closest thing to an outdoor garbage can that they can find. Yuck!
THINGS TO ABSOLUTELY NEVER FLUSH:
1. OILS AND FATS
Just like you should never rinse fats and oils down the kitchen sink, don't flush them either. Fats and oils are bad for your toilet because as they harden, it's possible that there could be buildups of fat inside the pipes which can lead to massive sewage issues.This is what we call "fatbergs" - more extensive collections containing a mixture or all kinds FATS AND OILS from different sources who get attracted together by gravity.
2. LARGE OR HARD SCRAPS
Flushing large food items down the toilet is never a good idea, but many people don’t consider that even small amounts of hard waste can lead to clogs. Some examples include bones and corn cobs which may take hours or days before they break apart in water due to their density; this means if these pieces were flushed, then it would be potentially possible for them get stuck inside sewer pipes where there are often blockages caused by animal wastes like fatbergs.
3. GRAINS AND STARCHES
Things that are not allowed to be flushed include cereal, oats and rice. Many people assume it’s fine because of the small size grains but this can lead you into problems with your toilet or sewer line when they become waterlogged due to their expansion after being wet for an extended period of time. Starches such as pasta/potatoes cause similar issues just by its thick gelatinous nature.
WHAT CAN YOU DO INSTEAD?
There are several better options for disposing of food waste than flushing it down the toilet. You can store unwanted leftovers into sealable plastic bags in your freezer, throw them away on trash day or consider composting! Almost all scraps (with the exception of meat) can be recycled into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer to enrich our gardens - this will help reduce pollution while saving money at the same time!
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DROP FOOD DOWN THE TOILET
If you accidentally drop some food down the drain, don’t panic! There are a few things that you can do to try to fix the problem. First, try using a plunger to see if that will dislodge whatever is causing the blockage. If that doesn’t work, you can try pouring hot water or vinegar down the drain to see if that will break up the clog. If neither of those methods work, your best bet is to call Brother Plumber!
And now you know not to flush your food down the toilet! But accidents still happen, so if a backup or clog is due in part from what seems like an object or any waste materials then call Brother Plumber for help 469-968-4487.
Questions or comments for the Pooper-Hero? Email us at trent@brotherplumber.com