It Would Be Better Not to Flush These Items Into the Septic Tank

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?

This article lists things that are often flushed down toilets or drains into septic systems but that would be better avoided.

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

What kinds of items may damage the septic tank or leach fields? Can we dump "just a little bit"? Are condoms, dental floss, or food scraps a problem for the septic system?

This document explains how to extend the life of the septic system by being careful about what goes into it.

• Antibacterial soaps,
  
  used in quantity may be capable of reaching a concentration in the septic tank sufficient to harm key bacteria - opinion from Jet Inc., in their owners' manual
  
  for BAT MEDIA SEPTIC PLANTS
• Antibiotics,
  
  used in quantity, particularly in hospitals or nursing homes that are served by onsite wastewater treatment plants, can kill off bacteria in the septic tank as antibiotics are excreted in urine. In our opinion, however, occasional use of antibiotics by one household member in treatment of a non-chronic illness are not likely to have a lasting impact on the septic system.
• Condoms 
  
  won't clog a pipe but like some other debris, because they are of modest size and are quite flexible, but condoms are (usually) not bio degradable. So we listed condoms, or other latex products such as latex gloves above as "never flush".
  
  A condom in the septic tank will probably join other debris in the tank's floating scum layer, and will be removed at the next tank pump-out. Of course, if the septic
  
  tank OUTLET TEE baffles are missing,
  
  the condom will join other floating debris on its way out to clog the drainfield, so ask your septic pumper to check the condition of the septic tank baffles when the septic tank is next pumped. * Septic Pump Damage Warning
• Cotton swabs
  
   (Q-tips(R)) have been known to clog a drain or two - not biodegradable, though trivial in volume.
  
  Worse, plastic-stemmed cotton swabs have been reported to virtually never break down completely in the environment, eventually forming ultra-small or even microscopic bits of plastic litter that contaminate oceans, beaches, and that enter the biological systems of sea life and ultimately the human food chain.
  
  See * Septic Pump Damage Warning below.
• Dental floss -
  
  is not biodegradable, though trivial in volume.
  
  * Septic Pump Damage Warning
• Food scraps -
  
  increase the solids load in the tank and so may be slow to settle into the sludge layer or scum layer. For more details on the effects of a garbage disposer or grinder on septic systems
  
  see GARBAGE GRINDERS vs SEPTICS.
• Fats, oils, grease -
  
  waste or unwanted cooking oil (other than incidental oils and fats from washing dishes and pots and pans).
• Fabric softener, liquid:
  
  some septic system designers recommend using dryer sheets instead of liquid fabric softeners in the clothing wash cycle.
• Ground food from a garbage disposer -
  
  which adds to the solids load in the septic tank and increases the needed pumping frequency. Using a garbage grinder increases the biological oxygen demand in the septic tank to decompose the added food waste, thus reducing the quality of wastewater discharged from the septic tank or treatment system .
• Hair -
  
  animal or human hair combings do not biodegrade in septic tanks and can speed clogging
  
  of SEPTIC FILTERS .
• Laundry detergent - avoid using more than the necessary amount of powdered laundry or dishwasher detergent,
  
  or better, use liquid laundry detergent.
  
  Excessive amounts of powdered laundry detergent often fail to dissolve in the washing machine.
  
  Many septic system experts and some septic system design or service companies emphsize that it's best to use detergents without phosphates and give these examples of acceptable laundry detergents that should be of particular interest to homeowners/occupants at properties where aerobic, batch media, or other high-treatment septic systems are installed:
  • Seventh Generation Free& Clear, Method 3x Concentrate, Arm & Hammer, Era, Oxydol laundry detergents.
    
    More detail on the effect of washing machines on septic systems and tips on avoiding problems can be read
    
    at WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS
• Plumbing drain cleaning chemicals, particularly "heavy duty" or "professional"
  
  plumbing drain cleaning chemical products using caustics, lye, or acids should be avoided, particularly in high-treatment-level septic systems.
  
  Occasional moderate use of a drain cleaning chemical in home drains is less likely to affect the septic system as in the septic tank and drainfield under continued normal use it will become quite diluted in wastewater.
  
  (Whelan 1992 atReferences or Citations ).
  
  Details about high-treatment level septic systems are
  
  at BAT MEDIA SEPTIC PLANTS
• Tampons -
  
  which are basically not biodegradable cotton are advised against in the "Don't Flush" list above. In fact a couple of tampons are not going to clog up a drain line nor ruin the septic tank. However they'll still be there years later when the tank is pumped.
  
  In a large household where many of these items may need to be disposed-of, wrapping them in toilet tissue and placing them in the garbage is a better destination. Tampons, dental floss, string, and similar products are also likely to clog a sewage grinder pump risking costly damage.
• unwanted cooking oil, cleaners,
  
   and the like should not be emptied down your drains. So we listed them above as "never flush".
• Washing machine lint 
  
  which speeds the clogging of septic systems can be kept out of the septic tank and drainfield by using a washing machine lint filter.
  
  Don't flush your clothes dryer lint into the septic system.

* Septic Pump Damage Warning

Watch out: some of the items in this list won't damage the septic tank itself as their volume is small and they don't usually block the septic piping or baffles, but if your septic system or even public sewer connection use a septic pump, grinder pump, or sewage ejector pump, the items marked with

* Septic Pump Damage Warning

can clog and damage or even destroy a sewage pump, leading to costly repairs.

See  SEWAGE PUMP DAMAGE & REPAIR for details.

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Continue reading  at CHEMICALS & CLEANERS into the SEPTIC TANK? or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see BETTER NOT TO FLUSH FAQs - questions & answers posted originally on this page

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• TOILET CLOG REPAIR, UN-BLOCK
• TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST - home
  • NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS
  • BETTER NOT TO FLUSH
  • CHEMICALS & CLEANERS into the SEPTIC TANK?
  • CHEMICALS to KEEP OUT OF SEPTICS
  • CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
  • DISHWASHERS vs SEPTICS
  • DRUGS INTO the SEPTIC TANK?
  • GARBAGE GRINDERS vs SEPTICS
  • GARBAGE GRINDERS on SEPTIC or SEWER
  • * NO FLUSH SUMMARY LIST
  • REVERSE OSMOSIS CONCENTRATE DISPOSAL
  • RV HOLDING TANK DUMP INTO SEPTIC TANK?
  • SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
  • SEWAGE PUMP DAMAGE & REPAIR
  • TOILET TISSUE CHOICES
  • WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  • WATER SOFTENER IMPACT on SEPTIC

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

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