I Asked 3 Plumbers What They Wish You Would Stop Doing Immediately (You’re Gonna Want to Read This!)

Picture this: You’re running around your apartment, trying to get ready for an important meeting or a big date, when suddenly you discover there’s a gross plumbing situation from a clogged toilet throwing a wrench into your plans. Unfortunately for hypothetical you, the best way to avoid that last-minute plumbing emergency is to never have that clogging issue in the first place, which means being a whole lot more careful about what you’re putting down your toilet. 

Plumbers have seen some surprising things on their home visits, and there are several items they caution never to flush again. Below, find out the things they wish people would really stop doing to their toilets, so that you never have to make your “hypothetical you” a reality.

Please stop flushing wipes down your toilet — and yes, that includes so-called flushable wipes! “They aren’t water soluble and don’t break down like toilet paper,” explains Caleb Breen, a master plumber and co-owner of Wild Water Plumbing. Yes, flushable wipes will go down your drain, but they’ll likely get snagged in your sewer line before making their way to the city tap. “This can cause the main sewer line to back up, potentially causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to flooring, carpet, walls, etc. — all of which needs to be mitigated,” shares Breen.

It may be shocking to hear that people pour oil down their toilet, but plumbers have really seen it happen and urge warnings against it. “Over time the grease/oil will solidify, causing clogs. Even small amounts of oil can contribute to larger clogs in the sewer system if multiple people dispose of it improperly,” says Eddie Linares, a virtual plumber expert for Frontdoor.

Sometimes kids will stash their toys in the most unexpected places, like the toilet, without you knowing about it. While you can’t always prevent it from happening (no matter how much you tell them!), be sure to check the bowl before sitting down to ensure there’s nothing in there before you flush. “I’ve pulled out toys and action figures from toilets. Trust me — your toilet isn’t the magical portal kids think it is,” says Paige Knowles, a pro plumber.

At the end of the day, the safest bet of all is to only flush toilet paper down the toilet. “I recommend you never flush anything other than toilet paper — even if it is labeled flushable,” says Linares. Things like paper towels, tissues, and flushable or baby wipes don’t break down quickly enough like toilet paper. You should also avoid flushing items such as menstrual products, hair, dental floss, medicine, cleansing pads, diapers, and any food waste. These can all lead to clogs and costly repairs.

When you’re facing a clog problem, don’t reach for a chemical drain cleaner. They can lead to a whole host of other issues. “The caustic and acidic chemicals in these products can lead to the degradation of the sewer line itself,” shares Breen, who advises using drain cleaners that have natural enzymes and are probiotic-based (like this one).

For anyone who doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about plumbing, it may feel like a plunger is a plunger and they all do pretty much the same job. But not all plungers are created equal. A sink plunger won’t do much for a clogged toilet. “You need a flange plunger to really get the job done,” says Knowles. A flange plunger — like this one from The Home Depot — is made specifically for toilets and has a rubber flap that tightly seals the drain and creates a vacuum to clear the obstruction. 

Toilet tank cleaners are designed to sit in your toilet tank and then clean the bowl every time you flush. Sounds good in theory, but not so fast. “Some of the chemicals in them wear down gaskets and seals on the inside of the tank, which can cause water to leak into the bowl so that your tank is constantly filling up,” says Breen. Not only is this a waste of water, but it’ll also increase your water bill over time. Eventually you’ll need to replace your toilet completely. Instead of relying on toilet tank cleaners, stick to cleaning the toilet bowl regularly.