Many people flush cigarette butts into the toilets because they think they will move forward into the sewage lines without clogging issues.
Can You Flush Cigarettes Down The Toilet? You should not flush the cigarette down the toilet because it affects marine life, contaminate water, block drains, damage pipelines, affect septic tanks, and contain toxic chemicals. Use the plunger, harsh commercial cleaners, vinegar, and baking soda to remove cigarette butts.
It is better to call a professional when you cannot remove the clog with plunging and commercial cleaners.
Is it safe to flush cigarettes down the toilet?
Many people through cigarette butts in the toilet drain after using it. They think that these will easily move downside without causing any harmful situations.
In addition, people also think these are smaller in size and cannot block the draining and sewage system of the plumbing fixtures.
The clogs do not build in one or two days, but the real issue comes when you keep doing this practice e for several months.
Single or two butts cannot affect the water and cause blockage in the draining system. The idea is harmful because these can severely clog drain pipes and toilets. The water can also move back when it does not find a way to move further.
Avoid flushing them when they accidentally fall into the traps. Many people use flushing techniques instead of taking them out with grasping equipment.
It is suitable to use pliers or tweezers to take them out of the traps.
Why you should not flush cigarettes down the toilet?
Many people consider their toilets as trash bins and flush various non-usable and discarded items in them without thinking about their harmful consequences.
Harmful to marine life
Your home’s plumbing fixtures and water system are connected to natural water sources, including seas and large oceans near your location.
You can also contaminate the primary and natural sources when you consider your drains as the trash can and throw anything in them.
The toilet drains are also connected with oceans and other water sources in the environment. In addition, cigarettes contain harmful chemicals and contaminants that can affect the environment and living species.
Long-term exposure to these chemicals is harmful to fish and other ocean animals. These can also swallow them, and it is dangerous for their life.
In addition, it can contaminate the water from other fixtures of your home and make it unsafe for the people in your house.
You can feel the smell in them because of contaminants and harmful chemicals.
Blockage of drains
The cigarette butts are non-degradable, and you cannot dissolve them after flushing them down the toilets. It causes blockage of drains because these last and accumulate there rather than breaking and their further disposal.
These remain in the drain and sewage pipes and cause hindrance in the movement of water. You can also face the issue of slow and poor flushing of waste materials from the bowls because of clogging.
These mouthpieces or butts contain plastic and fibrous material that is non-degradable and breakable.
These can also swell when it comes to exposure to water, like cotton balls and Q-tips. The swelling worsens the clogging issues and increases repair costs.
Damage to septic tanks and pipes
Septic tanks are present in most homes for the collection of wastewater from various fixtures. The blockage in these tanks can damage them, and these cannot work well.
These do not allow smooth water draining when something gets stuck in the septic tank valves. For example, the cigarette can get stuck in the septic tank wall when you flush them in the toilets.
In addition, these come up in these tanks and deteriorate their material because of toxic chemicals.
It also kills the bacteria in the septic tank and causes clogging because of poor maintenance. Bacteria die quickly when their living environment changes, which comes from exposure to toxic chemicals.
It can also damage the pipes and deteriorate their material when they stay longer.
Nicotine stains on the bowl
Nicotine is the active component in cigarettes which can make people addicted to them. Nicotine also produces smoke when you inhale and exhale them.
You can see cigarette smoking in public bathrooms and the nicotine stains on the bowl. These can stick to the porcelain bowl, making it look dirty.
Nicotine stains are also hard to remove because you cannot get rid of them with simple water. Instead, you need specific cleaners to clean these stains from the bowl.
Mix the vinegar and baking soda in the bowl and top the affected area with them. Rub the mixture with the sponge and then wash it out by pressing the handle of the toilets.
How do you remove the cigarettes from your toilet?
You can use various methods to remove cigarettes from the toilets when you accidentally throw them rather than flushing them.
Water flushing worsens the situation because it can entrap the drain lines and cause blockage for water and waste disposal movement.
Use various techniques to get rid of these junk materials. For example, pour the bucket of warm water into the bowl to allow their easy movement and degradation.
The butts are made of plastic material and are difficult to degrade, so commercial cleaners that contain harsh chemicals must be used to break them.
You can also use the toilet tools to pick them up from the traps. Moreover, use the plunger to create a vacuum and remove the waste material from the traps.
The toilet auger is also helpful because cigarettes can get stuck in their spring structure when you move them in a circular direction.
Why do people flush cigarettes down the toilet?
Many people intentionally flush cigarettes down the toilets to remove their evidence. Young people in America are addicted to smoking, and they do this in the hidden places of their homes to hide these things from their parents.
The same practice for a long time can accumulate many cigarette butts in the pipes and cause clogging.
Moreover, people also do this because they consider the bowls the trash can and think that every material can move through them.
Sometimes people smoke while sitting on toilets and flush the water through them in the boil. It is bad and common practice in public toilets because of no restrictions and rules.
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