In a nutshell
Paper made for toilets falls apart in water within seconds. Almost everything else that people flush is designed to stay strong when wet. Those items catch on rough cast iron, root hairs and joint edges, and they build into plugs. Toronto's wastewater plants also have to screen them out, which costs everyone.
Working through it
1. Wipes of every kind
Baby wipes, makeup wipes and the ones labelled flushable all hold together. Bin them.
2. Paper towels and facial tissue
They are made to resist tearing when wet, which is exactly the problem.
3. Floss and hair
Thin strands wrap around other debris and make a net.
4. Cotton swabs, pads and balls
They swell and lodge at the first bend.
5. Kitchen fat and food
Grease hardens in cold basement lines. Food scraps go in the green bin.
6. Old medicine
Return it to a pharmacy take-back program rather than putting it into the water system.
Clues worth noticing
- A toilet that regularly needs a second flush.
- The tub water rising when the toilet is flushed.
- Gurgling from nearby drains.
- Clogs that come back a few weeks after being cleared.
Signals that it needs a licensed plumber
If the same toilet keeps clogging, something may be caught further down, or the main may be partly blocked. A camera shows which. Start with main drain backup if more than one fixture is slow.
Calls we field, answered plainly
What about flushable cat litter?
Keep it out of the toilet. It clumps in pipes the same way it clumps in the box.
Is a little cooking oil fine?
No. Even small amounts add up as they cool and harden.