Many females flush the tampon in their toilets because they think they are smaller materials and can easily pass through the sewer lines.
You should not flush the tampon down the toilet because these are non-breakable, absorb water, and swell. It causes clogging and water overflow and negatively affects the environment and sewer system when you accidentally flush them. Use the plunger and plumbing snake to remove the tampons from the toilet bowl.
You should adopt the correct method for their disposal to reduce environmental pollution. For example, wrap it in toilet paper and throw it in your bathroom’s trash can.
Should you flush a tampon down the toilet?
Do not flush the tampons in the toilets, which can negatively affect the environment and sewage system. Females do this because they think discarding sanitary materials is a safe place.
These are made from cotton and plastic materials that are non-biodegradable. Moreover, the thickness is greater than the toilet tissues, which makes them difficult to dissolve.
These are non-breakable and reside there over months or years because water and cleaning solutions cannot break them into removable pieces.
The sanitary pads’ size increases when they come in water exposure because of their porous material. As a result, these become 10 times larger when they stay in water traps than their original size.
These absorb the water and waste products from the bowl, eventually increasing their size.
What happens if you accidentally flush a tampon down the toilet?
You should not flush the tampon down the toilet because it can worsen the bathroom because of clogging and smell.
Clogging
Tampon-related clogging is common in female toilets because they usually flush sanitary products. Clogging occurs when their size increases and they get stuck in the drain pipes.
It does not allow the water and waste material to pass into the sewage lines because of pipe blocking. The problem becomes severe when you leave them untreated for several weeks.
The size of these cotton pads increases as they absorb water and make the clogging severe. You cannot flush the toilets, and it can cause unsanitary conditions because of splashes of contaminated water.
Moreover, you can also hear the gurgling sound from the other fixtures because of the difference in water pressure and clogged lines.
Water overflow
The swelling of tampons and clogged drains lead to the bowl overflowing. As a result, the water cannot move forward and stay on the bowl’s top side.
You cannot use the toilets because they become smelly and unhygienic. The poop remains in the bowl and cannot move into the sewage lines because of blocked drain pipes.
The water can also move outside from the bowl when you press the handle of the cistern for flushing.
In addition, it can also clog the septic tank of your home.
Negative impact on the environment and plumbing system
The tampon not only affects the plumbing system of the bathroom fixtures but also adversely affects the environment and the sewage system.
The bills for removing non-breakable sanitary items from the sewage system increase when you add cotton pads.
Moreover, the sewage system is also connected to oceans, rivers, seas, and landfills. Contaminated water can pollute the environment and negatively impact human beings.
What to do when you accidentally flush the tampons down the toilet?
It is necessary to take measures when you accidentally throw tampons in the toilets to reduce the risk of costly repairs.
Plunger
Plunger equipment creates a vacuum inside the bowl to remove hard and solid waste, causing clogging in the pipes.
These can also remove solid products, including sanitary items you accidentally flush into the bowls. Insert the plungers directly into the p-traps and move them up and down.
The up-and-down movement creates vacuum pressure and removes the solid products. Wear gloves while grasping the plunger handle to avoid contaminated water splashes on your skin.
The plunger’s cups take up these sanitary items from the bowls because these are non-breakable into smaller pieces. Try flushing your toilets to ensure the removal of clogs from the drains.
Plumbing snake
Plumbing snakes or toilet augers are long metal wires with coiled springs on their end. These are helpful in the removal of clogged particles from the drains.
You can use the coiled ends to remove sanitary items from the traps. However, you cannot use the plumbing snake for their breaking because these are non-biodegradable.
Carefully insert the drill inside the bowl so it cannot scratch the porcelain material. Then, twist it clockwise to wrap the cotton tampon on the wire spring and take them out.
You can also use the old metal wires normally present in every home. However, you can also use the old metal hangers if the wires are unavailable.
Remove the toilet bowl
It is necessary to remove the bowls when tampon travels deep down the drains and are difficult to access and remove.
Remove the water using the old plastic cups as much as possible. Dip the sponge into the drains so it can soak any remaining water.
Use the wrench to unscrew the toilet bowl mounting bolts for their detachment. Use the towel on the floors and carefully place the bowl to prevent scratches on their surfaces.
Wear rubber gloves to access the drains and remove sanitary items from them. Reattach the bowls and tighten the screws correctly after completing the procedure.
How long will it take for tampons to clog the toilet?
The tampon flushing does not clog the toilets right after you throw them. Instead, it takes weeks to months to cause blockages in the pipelines.
The clogging can occur after 4 to 6 months when the cotton material completely absorbs the moisture, becomes thick, narrows the pipes, and becomes non-breakable.
The size of these sanitary items increases as long as they remain in the water. In addition, a single cotton pad can also clog the drains badly.
Many people think the single one cannot block the system because of its smaller size. These are smaller in size, apparently, but their porous materials lead to their swelling.
The single one can also cause blocking because of its liquid absorbent property, but the problem is not severe.
What type of tampons can easily flush through toilets?
Many people things that biodegradable and flushable tampons do not cause clogs in toilets when you flush them. You commonly do this practice while using public stalls and when trash cans are not present inside.
It is embarrassing for most females to take the pads outside, so they discard them inside. You can throw the biodegradable ones because they are made of pure and dissolvable cotton materials.
These are made of organic matter and breakable cardboard applicators instead of pure plastic material. In addition, some of these also contain plant-based applicators to make them degradable.
It is better to avoid adding the bio-degradable ones because these also take time to break.
These cannot pass into the pipes right after flushing because of their thick sheet. It takes several weeks to break them, and you can face clogging issues during this time because of moisture absorbance.
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