Q&A about what sorts of waste, trash, personal items, chemicals or cleaners or meds would be better not flushed down the toilet and into a private septic system?

Better Not to Flush into Toilets: FAQs

on Stuff which would be better not to flush down a toilet or into the septic system

These questions & answers about things that it's best not to flush down drains nor into toilets were posted originally

at BETTER NOT TO FLUSH - please be sure to take a look at that list of suggested things to keep out of toilets.

On 2019-02-25 by (mod) - fish scaled down the drain

Gord

Abnormal occasional residential usage levels a few fish scales flowing down a drain will not harm the septic tank. Be careful that larger volumes of organic waste can of course clog a drain or trap.

On 2019-02-25 by Gord

Fish scales ok?

On 2018-05-18 by (mod) - plastic dissolving chemicals: never down the drain

No I wouldn't try that, any chemical that will dissolve plastic is likely to be highly toxic and risks contaminating the environment through your drain field.

Also you have to put such a high concentration that you kill the bacteria in the tank.

Also you may dissolve plastic drain lines themselves.

All around it's a terrible idea. Little plastic in the bottom of septic tank isn't going to hurt anything.

On 2018-05-17 by Brenda

Can you put something in your septic to dissolve plastic when we cleaned our septic out it had plastic in it

On 2018-02-12 by (mod) - witch hazel down th drain?

The witch hazel content in tucks pads would not be in sufficient volume to be harmful to a septic tank,

but not those pads: you're flushing a non soluble material which I would not do. See our information about never flushing disposable diapers for example.

On 2018-02-12 by Sharon

Can you flush tucks pads into a septic system

On 2017-07-19 by (mod) - one tapon won't ruin the septic

No, Faith, but over time many tampons may clog a drain line and they won't be processed in a septic tank - if they get that far.

It's better to avoid that.

On 2017-09-19 by Faith

Will one tampon hurt

On 2017-07-19 by (mod) -

No, Dianne, shaving cream isn't a worry for the septic system as long as we're talking about foam or soap and normal quantities.

Even if my granddaughter Quinn squirted an entire can of Barbasol into a toilet, perhaps as an experiment in what her dad would say, that's not going to thurt the septic tank nor drainfield. The volume of soap is so small as not to be a concern.

But flushing a cake of solid soap of any kind into a drain could clog the drain line.

On 2017-07-19 1 by Dianne

Does shaving cream-that was dumped into the toilet-hurt a septic system?

On 2017-05-29 by (mod) - old beer - ok to dump a few bottles down the drain

Yes, that will not be a problem.

On 2017-05-29 by Nancy

Can I empty 9 bottles of old beers down the drain

On 2016-08-11 by (mod) -

Rob,

I can't say a thing about how wine might harm a septic system - at least not at normal household disposal levels, as I'd expect that the occasional dumping of a partly-consumed bottle of wind down the drain won't have any measurable effect.

Excessive dumping of alcohol - if you are for example a brewery - into a septic tank could contain enough alcohol to kill off the tank bacteria.

Coffee grounds, at household usage levels, probably don't have a measurable effect on a septic tank either, at least not from a volume occupancy nor chemical view; but you are certainly risking clogged drains and a sewage backup if you keep sending coffee grounds down the drain.

On 2016-08-11 y Rob - coffee grounds clog pipes; liquid coffee or wine?

Could you explain how wine and coffee(not the grounds) can harm a septic system?

On 2015-10-24 1 by (mod) -

Yes, Roxanna;

The volume of adhesive that would enter a septic tank from dentures is not enough to cause any harm.

On 2015-10-24 by Roxanna Schmidtz

Is it OK to rinse your dentures that have "denture adhesive" on them?

On 2015-03-23 by (mod) - do NOT flush dryer lint down drains

It would be best to put dryer lint into your trash, not your drains.

On 2015-03-23 by Carolynn Coolen

Is it OK to flush DRYER lint when you are on municipal services? Is the problem related to the functioning of a septic field or all toilets in general regardless of servicing.

...

Continue reading  at BETTER NOT TO FLUSH or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• CHEMICALS & CLEANERS into the SEPTIC TANK?
• TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST - home

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BETTER NOT TO FLUSH FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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