What not to put down a toilet?

What Not to Flush: 16 Items That Don’t Belong in Your Toilet

It’s tempting to think of the toilet as a one-stop solution for all household waste. But flushing the wrong things can lead to costly clogs, pipe damage, and even sewage backups. Just because something disappears down the drain doesn’t mean it belongs there.

Baby wipes top the list—even if the packaging says “flushable.” They don’t break down like toilet paper and can clump together miles underground, causing massive blockages. The same goes for Q-tips, cotton pads, and other cotton products. These fibers are stubborn and accumulate over time, trapping other debris and forming plumbing nightmares.

Menstrual products and diapers may seem like they’d dissolve, but they’re designed to absorb and swell, not disintegrate. Once flushed, they expand in pipes and don’t budge. Condoms, while small, are made of materials that resist breakdown and contribute to fatbergs—gross, rock-like masses found in sewer systems.

Tossing dental floss into the toilet might seem harmless, but it’s practically designed to tangle. It catches on other debris and creates snags deep in the plumbing. Paper towels and tissues are another no-go—they’re thicker than toilet paper and won’t dissolve quickly, leading to clogs.

And while it might seem convenient, flushing old medication pollutes waterways and harms aquatic life. Most communities have safe disposal programs for unused drugs—use them.

The rule of thumb? Only flush the trio: pee, poop, and (toilet) paper. Everything else belongs in the trash. A few seconds of extra effort can save you hundreds in plumbing repairs—and keep our sewers running smoothly.