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PHOTOGRAPH of
a really really cute baby wearing a newborn nappy that should NOT be flushed down the toilet.Do Not Flush Disposable Wipes
Avoid drain clogs & septic system clogging

Is it ok to flush baby wipes or wet wipes down the toilet?

This article explains why you should never flush fabrics or any kind into the toilet, including disposable wipes, wet wipes, baby wipes, sanitary napkins, nor dryer sheets.

We include recommended methods for disposing of these products.

This article series includes a list of chemicals, objects, and trash items that it would be should NEVER be flushed down a toilet Cat litter, dryer sheets, disposable diapers, drugs, coffee grounds, & lots of other stuff should not go into the septic tank nor down a drain into a public sewer.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Disposable Wet Wipes are Not Recommended for Flushing Into Toilets

LARGER VIEW of
a really cute and newest grandson whose mother knows to never ever flush a diaper down the toilet.

Watch out: Do not flush "disposable" wet wipes, baby wipes, clothes dryer sheets, sanitary napkins, nor any cloth or fabric waste into toilets anywhere, regardless of whether the toilet is connected to public sewer or private septic system.

The problem that flushing causes is expensive clogged drains or sewer or piping systems. These products also clog and damage sewer ejector pumps, and can damage or clog many grinder pumps.

Reporting for The New York Times in 2015, Matt Flegenheimer reported that authorities from New York City's sewer system explain that most wet wipes do not decompose or break down in sewer systems and that they are causing costly clogs of the system.

While many disposable wipes are advertised as "flushable" that may be true only that it is physically possible to flush the wipe down the drain. That does not mean that most disposable wipes won't cause trouble in the sewer system or septic system.

The Times article reported that the flushable property of disposable wipes or "wet wipes" as advertised is

"... a characterization contested by wastewater officials and plaintiffs bringing class-action lawsuits against wipes manufacturers for upending their plumbing." - Flegenheimer (2015).

Wet wipe / disposable wipe solutions

We do not recommend flushing disposable wipes down toilets regardless of whether they are used in care of a baby or used for by adults for personal hygiene.

We recommend using a few squares of dampened toilet tissue instead. This latter approach can be a bit messier but, then, you're supposed to be washing your hands after using the toilet anyway, right?

Alternatively, follow hygiene practices used in many countries outside the U.S. and Canada: dispose of wipes (and toilet paper) in a sanitary trash container kept in the bathroom and maintained for that purpose.

That bagged waste is typically disposed of as garbage and won't enter the plumbing system.

Question: Is there any two chamber tank to catch baby wipes before they go to the pump?

2018/10/09 Roman said:

I have a rental property where the sewer connection requires a grinder pump. The problem is that the renters (weekly vacation rentals) can't be relied on to not flush baby wipes etc.

Which destroys the pump. Is there any two chamber tank to catch the wipes before they go to the pump? A small two compartment septic tank would be great. Any ideas?

Reply: products to keep baby wipes out of sewage grinder pump & macerating sewage pumps handle baby wipes?

The issue as I see it, Roman, is that a tank that separates out baby wipes would also separate out other solids like feces - subverting the original design intent in the first place.

There are grinder pumps with a cutter capable of shredding baby wipes and similar materials.

The problem with that approach is that the non-biodegadable waste formed by shredding baby wipes, tampons, etc. itself clogs and damages private septic systems as well as public sewer systems.

A solution being explored is a combination of grinder/shredder pumps combined with filters that trap the shredded materials downstream. In the references below we cite research and articles describing this dual approach: a macerating grinder pump plus filtration.

In my opinion the wastewater treatment plant approach is not likely to be feasible for a single family rental property.

There are smaller macerating pump systems that may work in a residential setting such as SFA Saniflo's packaged grinder pump cited below.

Watch out: simply adding a macerating pump without filtration on wastewater being disposed of on-site with a private septic system risks serious damage to the system, risking clogging of the drainfield in short order if finely-ground solids or semi-solids remain in suspension and pass into the absorption beds.

In an alternative ou might post signs and take a deposit specifically described as to cover the cost of grinder pump repair or replacement if the tenant doesn't respect the don't flush signs.

It'll add some work but a before-and-after photo-documented inspection combined with a deposit might, un-friendly as it is, be what's required for the case you describe.

Product that Prevents Flushing Disposable Wipes or "Wet Wipes" Down Toilets

Re-posting an interesting product idea that prevents flushing of "disposable" wipes, baby wipes, sanitary products, cloths down the toilet. This comment, with our expansion to provide more information, was posted originally at TOILET REPAIR GUIDE - home

On 2017-03-24 bmac2014 said:

Stop Wipes And Non-Flushables From Clogging Pipes with The Traptex® Plumbing Protection System.

Excerpting from the company's website: sageproducts.com

The Traptex Guard features small, laser-cut hooks to catch cloths and wipes before they pass into the pipe, while allowing solid waste and toilet paper through. When wipes are caught, they can be safely removed ... [ by a product sold by the company or by other means for those who don't enjoy fishing in the toilet - Ed.]

Contact:

Pump, Wastewter Treatment & Septic System Problems - "Disposable" Sanitary or Baby Wipes

Saniflo Grinder Pump packaged sweage macerator at InspectApedia.com citd in detail in this article


...

Continue reading  at NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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Suggested citation for this web page

DISPOSABLE WET WIPE CLOGS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to TOILET INFORMATION

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