Are Flushable Wipes Really Safe to Flush?

During the pandemic, there were widespread shortages of toilet paper, and many people seeking an alternative turned to flushable wipes. Flushable wipes are just like regular disposable wipes, but they claim to be safe for your septic system. But are they REALLY flushable? 

While flushable wipes will go down the toilet when you flush, they may still cause problems. While they may make it through the curved part of your toilet, they are likely to get stuck in the drain pipe or build up over time and cause you problems. 

The issue with flushable wipes is that while they do go down the drain, they don’t disintegrate like toilet paper. Toilet paper is designed to dissolve so that it won’t clog the drain. Flushable wipes, on the other hand, do not dissolve when wet. In fact, they can sometimes hold together better than paper towels. 

So, they don’t disintegrate. If there’s not enough water to push them through, they can clog your sewer line. A backup in your sewer line can result in flooding in your home. Also,  flushable wipes can cause your septic tank to be pumped out more often.  

Even if the wipes make it through your sewer system, they end up at sewage treatment plants and can create massive clogs in the pumps at the plants. This can cause catastrophic damage to a city’s entire sewer system. As wipes meet cooking fat, tampons and other items that regularly get flushed down the toilet, they form massive clogs called “fatbergs”.  

Depending on the volume, fatbergs can take days or even weeks for workers to clear out and send to landfills. In 2018, New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection had to clear over 2,000 fatbergs and reported that “flushable” wipes made up 90 per cent of the clogs.  

One of the last things we need these days are clogged sewers. Utility departments are urging us to stop flushing wipes, but to place them in the trash.  Wipes are not recyclable. Nothing other than human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. 

To address this issue, please urge your elected officials to hold companies making these wipes accountable for the costs to our sewage systems. You can also help by contacting these companies and asking them to stop calling their wipes “flushable”. 

If you ever find yourself with a clog due to the use of disposable wipes, reach out to our offices for help. 

Whatever your plumbing service needs are, you can trust All Star Service and Repair to get the job done right and right on time. With over 60 years of experience, our highly trained, licensed, and insured technicians will diagnose your problem, explain every facet of the repair, and will follow through, backed by our 100% service guarantee and a ten year warranty. For more information visit our website or contact us at 801-792-2428.