Oftentimes we tend to feel we can easily flush down anything down the toilet. And one of those is the hair, daily, as humans, we lose up to 100 hairs per day. As natural as this is, we often find it irritating and try to get rid of these strands by any means possible. Since it’s just not normal to treat your hair as you treat other debris, you probably might be thinking of just flushing them off. So here comes the question can you flush hair down the toilet? The question is to be answered in this post.
Can you flush your hair down your toilet?
The answer to this is No. It would help if you never tried to flush your hair down your toilet. Flushing your hair or getting rid of other stuff through the sink feels good, but it is not in any way advisable.
The first thing you need to get information on about your hair and the sink is that just a single strand of your hair will get stuck more hair you flush coming together to form a stubborn clog of hair.
This can happen because human hair or animal fur does not dissolve in water and can stick to the pipes.
Read on to learn how the toilet functions, what comes out of hair and other of your flushable items, and how you can prevent your pipes from the wreckage.
Can the hair be flushed down the toilet?
Faeces, urine, and all sorts of wastes that go into the toilet can make you think it’s just right to get other wastes in there as well. This doesn’t seem right. Although hair seems smaller in size, it’s capable of causing more damage to your toilet than any other form of waste.
Baby wipes, goldfish, napkins, paper towels, hair as well as other non-human waste should never be flushed. Toilets are structured to process human waste, and any other form of waste shouldn’t go in there.
The modern toilet didn’t just come into existence, and It has gone through a series of transformations and redesigns. The result, which we make use of today, is the outcome of various experiments.
When you flush your hair down the toilet, it doesn’t just move as other wastes do. There is a high tendency of it getting stuck and forming a clog, which will cause blockage.
Will hair block the toilet?
Your flushed hair will do nothing but block your toilet. How this happens is technically simple. Imagine a big round ball of hair trying to navigate its way all past your very narrow plumbing to land in the sewer system. This is also in one way or the other related to how dental floss gets tangled up with other unwanted waste and results in the accumulation of clogs.
Your hair, your pet’s fur as well as other non-degradable materials are likely to get stuck to your sewer pipes interior and also gather other particles that flow by.
Gradually, this accumulates over time and forms clogs which might be a herculean task when trying to remove.
You might be thinking of totally avoiding the toilet whenever your hair is not covered if you are with a comb. A strand of hair will not cause any unintended harm to your toilet. But this does not guarantee that you can overlook hair strands in your water closet.
When cleaning your toilet, if you get to know any strand. You can do yourself some good by simply getting a brush and wiping it out instantly.
The best way to dispose of your hair is by either dumping it in the garbage bin or composting it, which is the most advisable way of doing this.
What should you do with excess hair instead?
Since it’s not in any manner proper to dispose of your hair through your toilet, there are other safe ways you can pull this. We’ll be providing you with two of the most practised methods of disposing of excess hair.
Firstly, you know you can always go back to the way by composting it. Composting your hair is by far one of the oldest and safest ways to dispose of your hair. You can do this by gathering all the hair with little quantity of other organic waste. You can then dig the ground to your satisfaction and bury it in the soil.
However, apart from the fact that you are saving your toilet from damage, the human hair has been researched to help the soil gain moisture, regulate plant’s temperature, and keep plants roots hydrated.
Later, the hair releases nitrogen which contributes to vibrant plant growth.
With this in mind, you cannot afford to deprive the soil of this nutrient; you are about to incur maintenance bills upon yourself. Composting your hair is just the best way to help yourself and your environment.
Next, You can also make use of the trash bin. This involves treating your hair just like you treat other trash in the home. Resolving this method will also help save your toilet from any form of unwanted blockage.
What not to flush down the toilet?
Not just hair, other materials are also capable of blocking your plumbing system. There are quite a lot of things you shouldn’t flush too. Most, if not all of the following listed items should also not be disposed of or flushed.
Huge Clumps of Toilet Paper
Toilet papers are basically for toilet use. Most people, however, roll more than they need while using the toilet and end up flushing them and the wastes together. This is capable of causing a clog, thereby blocking your pipes. To avoid these, make sure you are always rolling the right quantity you need at the moment.
Paper Towels/Tissue
Paper towels and tissue are quite similar to toilet paper, but a noticeable difference is that they don’t dissolve like toilet paper. Therefore, when flushed, they have a higher chance of causing havoc in your septic tank.
Cotton Products
Items you often overlook like rounds, cotton balls, and swabs. Rather than break down, they build up and can cause blockage, which is capable of causing damage.
Dental Floss
Also, Teflon or nylon materials do not easily break down in the water. They tangle with others not supposed to be flushed to form large clogs for your sewer lines and plumbing. All floss should be disposed of in the waste bin to avoid this.
Feminine Products:
You should never flush feminine products, sanitary pads, tampons, or other feminine products that can absorb liquid. They absorb more water when flushed due to their absorption qualities. This is capable of bringing about blocked pipes or even overflow. This information is not as commonly.
Bandages
Non-biodegradable plastics like bandages Often stick to other items in your plumbing, forming big clogs, resulting in water pollution. You might feel reluctant to dispose of this in your trash bin because it has been stained with your blood. Do this and save yourself from unnecessary expenses.
As dangerous as they are for the plumbing system, Diapers remain the most flushed unnecessary item. Like sanitary pads, diapers are made with water absorption that causes clogs when they expand, blocking your plumbing and giving you serious issues.
Condoms
Non-biodegradable material like latex can bring about complex sewer problems. 95% of people that use condoms find it comfortable to flush them away. It would help if you did not do this. You can get to wrap the condom in other debris and drop it in the garbage if you do not want your kids or anyone else to see them.
Oils, Fats, and Grease
Fats, Oil, and grease can solidify and clog the inside of your pipe. This can block the flow of water and lead to serious sewer problems. Food or associated oils, fats, and grease can quickly solidify and coat the inside of pipes, blocking water flow.
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What to Do With a Clogged Toilet.
A basic tool that is designed for this function is the Plunger. It is advisable for all households to make this tool readily available as they are regarded as the best for unblocking toilets.
To use, gently place the Plunger in your toilet bowl and push it down. This first is designed to eliminate the air. Be careful not to push with force to avoid the water from splashing on you.
Having sensed a good seal, you can then pump your Plunger down and up in the course of seal sustenance. Next, sharply pull the Plunger up while the air seal is broken. You are sure to notice water running down, which indicates clearing. If you notice it is still blocked, carry out the processes again until it’s clear.
Another way you can clear clog is by using Vinegar and baking soda. This method is referred to as the most effective one, aside from using a plunger.
It is not new that baking soda and Vinegar are excellent cleaning agents.
They, however, can also help you fix your toilet. You can use a certain minimal amount of baking soda first and then wait for a few minutes. After this, carefully add two cups of Vinegar
The combination of the two will normally spring up bubbles, which is why you should be careful in your application to avoid any form of overflow.
Leave the two to work for some minutes and then flush the toilet to make sure you have cleared the clog. You can then repeat the process to ensure it is no longer blocked.
You can also use heated water and dish soap in situations where these two are not available.
Conclusion
Flushing down your hair is not in any way the best as it will play a vital role in developing clogs to block your plumbing pipes. Compost it or dump it in your trash bins to prevent yourself from serious plumbing issues, which will cost you so much money.
