Plumbing can be very sensitive. Think about it – if we ingest something that our body's plumbing can't process, we have a problem. Similarly, flushing something down your toilet that doesn’t belong there can cause major plumbing issues either in your home or, worse, in the street.

We get it, toilet paper has become scarce as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Because of this, you may feel that you gotta do what you gotta do, but we ask that you please not flush anything that shouldn’t be flushed down your toilet. Do not treat it like a trash can. 

There is a long list of items water utilities find in the waste pipes, including paper towels, pills, disinfecting or baby wipes (even those that claim to be flushable) or believe it or not, shirts. They also commonly find feminine hygiene products, tissues, dental floss, cotton balls/swabs, cat litter and cigarette butts.

All these items should be disposed of in the trash, not into the plumbing. Flushing any of these items can cause major plumbing problems for either your family or, worse, your community.

In short, you should only flush the three Ps: pee, poop and (toilet) paper.

Here’s to a clog-free quarantine.

Photo credit: CNN