Common Objects That Cause Clogged Toilets

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Anyone who has had to deal with a blocked or overflowing toilet will agree that it’s smelly, messy, and no laughing matter. Whether the toilet is partially or totally blocked, it needs immediate attention. Eliminating the blockage and educating the household on clogged toilet prevention, is vital.

Although the clogged toilet could be resulting from a problem further down the central sewerage system, it is more often than not a result of foreign matter being flushed down the toilet.

Objects That Cause A Toilet To Clog

Toilets play a crucial role in the sanitation of a home. Designed to remove household waste hygienically, they protect household members by reducing their risk of exposure to human waste and disease. Clogged toilets pose a serious health risk, and require emergency intervention by a qualified plumber.

Common reasons that toilets clog are:

Flushing Too Much Toilet Paper

This is the most common reason that toilets clog, and is easiest to deal with. Most people flush too much toilet paper. Ways to prevent accidentally clogging the toilet with too much toilet paper include:

• Flushing twice. Flushing waste first, followed by toilet paper, reduces the amount that needs to enter the drainage system at a time.
• Use thicker/better-quality toilet paper. Most people use less toilet paper if it is thicker/better quality.
• Folding instead of crumbling the toilet paper, Folded paper flushes easier than a wad of crumbled paper.
• Install a bidet seat, so no toilet paper is needed.

Flushing Non-Flushable Items

Only toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. No other objects should be flushed, even if the packaging says the item is flushable. Items that should never be flushed down a toilet are:

• Feminine products
• Diapers
• Baby and make-up wipes
• Tissues
• Paper towels
• Cotton balls or Q tips
• Animals/animal products like cat litter, food, or goldfish
• Dental floss
• Cooking grease
• Any food or beverages
• Cigarette butts
• Band-Aids
• Any medication

Accidental Flushing Of Non-Flushable Items

It’s not uncommon for non-flushable items to accidentally fall into the toilet bowl. Every effort must be made to retrieve the item, as they may clog the drainage system if flushed. Some items that accidentally find themselves in the toilet bowl are:

• Toilet bowl fresheners
• Pocket items like cellular phones, wallets, and keys
• Items on the bathroom counter including:
  • Toothbrushes or toothbrush holders
  • Bars of soap or liquid soap dispensers
  • Jewelry
• Children’s toys or other foreign objects.

Other reasons that toilets may clog are:

• The toilet is low-flowing and the flush is not powerful enough
• The toilet flapper is faulty, resulting in a weak flush.

Tips To Prevent A Clogged Toilet

The toilet may block due to a sewer system backup, but there are some things that you can do, that will minimize the risk of your toilet clogging:

• Provide large garbage bins. If a large garbage bin is within reach, people will be less tempted to flush non-flushable items down the toilet.
• Do not flush anything but toilet paper. Throw all other items into a garbage bin, even if the packaging says they are flushable.
• Convert from using disposable to reusable items. This will not only be cheaper and reduce the landfills, but it also decreases the risk of throwing non-flushable items into the toilet.
• Retrieve any item that accidentally falls into the toilet bowl. If the item cannot be retrieved, leave a note on the toilet seat with instructions not to flush. Call a qualified plumber to retrieve the item before reusing the toilet.
• Consider using a toilet tank freshener as opposed to a toilet bowl freshener.
• Keep the bathroom counter free of unnecessary clutter that could accidentally fall into the toilet.
• Keep the toilet lid closed when not in use.

Having Problems With A Clogged Toilet? “Art Can Fix It”

Although blocked toilets are not an uncommon plumbing issue, they are a health risk and constitute a plumbing emergency. Art Rooter, Sewer & Drain Cleaning has been South Florida’s trusted plumbing experts since 1983.

Whether your toilet is blocked and overflowing, or you have dropped an item into the bowl that you cannot retrieve, we are here for you. Call us at 1-833-470-2880 today.