In the past few years, there has been an increase in the marketing of flushable wipes. It used to be that these type of wet wipes were used to help clean infants but they are now being marketed and used by all age groups. Hence, the number of these in the nation’s sewer lines has increased tremendously.

Manufacturers of these wipes report that they are flushable, which technically is true. You CAN flush them down the toilet, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

And although these wet wipes will eventually break down, the process takes a lot longer than toilet paper. Because it takes so long, they can easily accumulate and cause blockages which then clog your sewer pipes.

So, are flushable wipes safe to flush? The answer is very gray.

The Truth About Flushable Wet Wipes

The manufacturers state on their packages that these wipes are “flushable” and “septic safe”. But what they don’t put on the package are the problems that these wipes can cause in your pipes and septic system.

  1. As I mentioned above – these wipes take alot longer to disengrate and break down than toilet paper so as a result, they will stay in your pipes and septic tank much longer creating clogs and bulk.
  2. And because they don’t break down quickly, other things in your pipes will get caught up in them creating even a bigger clog. Sort of like a snowball going downhill, it’s just going to get bigger and bigger.
  3. Most wet wipes contain plastic such as polyester. These plastics are non-biodegradable and could take up to 100 years to break down. That number was reached because that’s the average amount of time it takes for non-biodegradable products to break down.

So, if you don’t want to clog your pipes or get your septic tank cleaned out every single year – we would recommend that you stay away from flushing these wet wipes.

Biodegradable Wet Wipes

So you may be wondering if there are any biodegradable wipes. The answer is yes. You can find them on Amazon and available from other manufacturers online as well.

BUT – just because they are biodegradable doesn’t mean you should flush them. They still contain plastics and they could still cause a clogging problem.

What is recommended is to have a separate garbage can in your bathroom to throw these wipes away in. That is the best solution if you insist on using them.

If you have problems with your plumbing, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.