Disposable wipes are a popular product in the household cleaning industry. Whether used for personal hygiene or to clean around the house, it seems that disposable wipes are here to stay. The problem is, they don’t break down like toilet paper. More and more branded products are entering the market, which is no longer an issue limited to one particular type of wipe solution.

Not long ago, sewerage treatment plants were experiencing blockages caused by cotton buds being disposed of via toilets only for the items to get stuck in sewage works pumps. To combat this, wet cotton swabs were banned from many sites across Europe, but what about disposable wipes?

Can disposable wipes be flushed?

We’ve disposed of toilet paper down our toilets for years, but have you ever tried flushing a baby wipe or other disposable types? If so, you probably noticed that it did not break down like regular toilet paper, instead rapidly expanding and remaining intact. This is why they can get stuck in your plumbing and lead to expensive repairs for homeowners and businesses alike. If you’ve had to call out a plumber because of a drain blockage, chances are you will have been met with a hefty bill and an explanation as to why the problem arose.

Disposable wipes that don’t break down lead to blocked drains through one of two ways: either they get caught up in pipework, such as bends and traps, or they slip into small holes leading from your home’s drainage system into the more comprehensive network run by your local water company. Sometimes it can take years for these problems to arise, but other times, it can happen virtually overnight. The latter is often caused by tree roots breaking through the surface and becoming exposed to oxygen. When this happens, they immediately begin growing at a fast rate, and if you haven’t discovered them early enough, they’ll make a grand entrance through a blocked drain.

Can you flush baby wipes?

Baby wipes are arguably the most popular disposable wipe on the market today, mainly due to their versatility in usage. Not only can they be used for your baby’s bottom, but they’re also convenient for cleaning up spills, freshening up after long journeys, and simply giving your hands a quick wipe when out and about. In short, they have many uses that extend beyond just being used on babies’ skin.

Whether or not you can flush baby wipes will depend on which type you use. There are three main types available: fabric, non-flushable and flushable*. The first two of these should not be flushed down toilets without prior permission from your local water company. Although they might be able to break up while in the sewage works, the chances of them causing a blockage before then are too high to risk flushing them. With this said, it’s still essential that you dispose of baby wipes responsibly by wrapping them up and putting them into your household waste or recycling (depending on what your local council accepts) rather than simply throwing them into the rubbish bin.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey. We also service other towns in New Jersey, such as Lincoln park, Franklin Lakes and Oradell.