Ask any plumber and they will tell you that people often flush things down the toilet that really should not be flushed. They have cleared enough clogs from toilet drain pipes to know the worst things that people flush.

To prevent clogs (and save yourself the plumbing bill) never flushing any of the following things down your toilet.

Wet Wipes

Baby wipes, wet wipes, and cleaning wipes are often marked as “flushable” on their packaging. While they might not cause a clog right away, many of these wipes do not dissolve quickly enough and can result in clogs or backed-up sewer lines down the road. It is best to avoid flushing these wipes if possible.

Paper Towels

Tossing a paper towel in the toilet might seem like an easy way to get rid of it. The absorbency and thickness of paper towels, however, can easily cause clogs.

Prevent Clogs - Don't flush paper towels

Feminine Hygiene Products

There is a good reason why public restrooms often have signs telling you not to flush feminine hygiene products down the toilet. Tampons and pads are designed to be ultra-absorbent and expand as they get wet. If you flush them, they will expand in your drain pipe. This can result in clogs.

Floss

Long strands of floss can wrap around other things when flushed, creating string balls. As they accumulate, these balls can create clogs.

Cotton Swabs

Throw used cotton swabs in the garbage because if flushed they will get clogged in the drain pipe and then act like a dam, blocking other things from continuing down the drain.

Hair

When you pull clumps of hair out of your brush, toss them in the trash. Avoid flushing them down your toilet, as hair does not dissolve and will worsen existing blockages in your drain pipe.

Too Much Toilet Paper

The problem with thicker, multi-ply, plush toilet paper is that it takes a bit longer to dissolve. If you have to use a lot of it, flush a couple of times rather than sending it all down at once.