The discussion of whether toilet paper can be thrown into the toilet has been going on for many years. In most cases, experienced plumbers take part in the discussion, but it happens that ordinary bathroom visitors try to express their "professional" opinion. A huge number of arguments are given. Who is right? Let’s try to analyze the problem and understand: “why not” and “what will happen next”.
Discord paper
Very often, people believe that toilet paper that gets into the toilet immediately dissolves in water. In fact, only some types of paper dissolve. In most cases, only after a long journey through a long maze of sewage, toilet paper gradually loses its shape. It is very important that you carefully read the label when purchasing this product. Modern manufacturers almost always indicate what material the paper is made of, how quickly it will dissolve in water and whether it can be thrown into the toilet. Toilet paper, of course, is created from materials that are designed to soak rapidly. The dangerous cork, which creates blockages of sewer pipes, simply does not have time to form from such paper.
Particularly careful when buying toilet paper should be people living in private homes. The sewerage of an apartment building and the treatment facilities of summer cottages and country houses differ significantly. In a septic tank, most manufacturers do not recommend discarding paper. But here there are a number of nuances and points that refute the categorical nature of manufacturers, giving users the chance to get rid of paper by throwing it in the toilet.
Sewer of an apartment building
If you ask professionals if it is possible to flush toilet paper into the toilet, then they will name a few nuances. The first, which we have already mentioned above, the type and quality of toilet paper. The second point is the design of the sewer system. When the paper enters the sewer of an apartment building, it does not soak right away, but only gradually breaks up into separate pieces and fibers. Then, caught in a stream of water, it is sent to the collector. The next stage is the transfer of the contents of the collector, including toilet paper, to a specialized cleaning station. This is where the toilet paper you thrown into the toilet ends up. Its shreds and fragments are permanently deposited in coarse filters.
As a result, small portions of paper can be thrown into the toilet bowl of an apartment building. Of course, a whole roll that got into the sewers can create a blockage.
Toilet paper: to throw or not to throw in a septic tank of a private house
It would seem that the sewer system in the country should be similar to the sewer of an apartment building. Only the cycle and the path of the passage of human waste is slightly shorter. In fact, this is an erroneous opinion. In suburban septic tanks there is completely no powerful flow of water in the sewers. Most often because of this, blockages occur.
If in a private house the diameter of the pipeline is less than 100 mm, its length exceeds 5 meters, and the pipes have numerous bends and turns, then it is strictly forbidden for the owners to throw toilet paper into the toilet. Can I use special paper that dissolves quickly in water? This option is acceptable if there is complete confidence in the quality of the paper. Simple, cheap models can tightly clog a septic tank. More expensive types of paper, the cost of which varies from 350 to 500 rubles, can be fearlessly thrown into the toilet. Paper labeled Aqua Soft will not cause any problems.
Why not?
Despite the fact that manufacturers strive to make high-quality, correct, water-soluble paper, the inscription "Do not throw paper in the toilet!" do not disappear, but rather appear more often. What is the reason for this?
Firstly, these tablets can often be seen in public restrooms. They appeared even in those distant times when toilet paper was a luxury, and most people used newspapers or pages from an uninteresting book. Such paper does not dissolve in the sewer for a long time and causes blockages.
Secondly, similar inscriptions can be seen in various institutions. Despite the modern arrangement of public toilets in restaurants, cafes and so on, designs may vary. If small diameter pipes are used or pipes have a poorly maintained slope, then a clogged sewer is a matter of several weeks.
Thirdly, in public toilets often began to offer paper towels instead of paper. They are known to be more resistant to water, so they can also cause blockages if they are washed away into the sewer.
What can not be washed into the sewer, except for toilet paper?
So that the toilet in the city apartment or septic tank in the country does not cause discomfort, several conditions must be observed. In addition to poor-quality, poorly water-soluble toilet paper, it is forbidden to flush the toilet:
- plastic bags;
- sweets and chocolate wrappers;
- baby diapers;
- feminine personal care products (pads and tampons);
- animal hair;
- human hair;
- construction garbage;
- multilayer paper towels;
- newspapers and magazines;
- medicines and chemicals containing chlorine and leading to the death of microorganisms.
There was a blockage. What to do?
It would seem that a modern person knows whether toilet paper can be thrown into the toilet or not. However, blockages and problems with the toilet, both among urban residents and summer residents, periodically occur. How to deal with blockage? Is it possible to deal with it on your own or is it better to contact professionals immediately?
The easiest and most popular way to deal with blockages in sewer pipes is to use a plunger. If the toilet was clogged with toilet paper, then the paper cork can be easily removed using this item. If improvement does not occur, then we should move on to more radical methods. There are many cleaning devices for home use on the market. Mechanical cleaning of sewers will be much more effective. As a rule, the design is a cable, at the end of which a special nozzle is fixed for breaking the cork. For faster and more convenient operation, some models use compact electric motors. If such tools do not cope with the task, then you will have to call a specialist who will get rid of the clogging by means of hydrodynamic flushing of pipes.