It’s come to our attention that some people are flushing food down the toilet, which is something that we thought would be a thing of the past thanks to garbage disposals. Now, of course not everyone has a garbage disposal, but we assure you the toilet is not the answer to this problem. So, the simple answer- can you flush food down the toilet? No. No, not really. But life isn’t simple, and although we can ask nicely, if you’re a creature of habit, you’ll likely be scraping your dinner plate leftovers into the toilet tonight. So, the least we can do is tell you what you really, really can’t flush down your porcelain bowl tonight.
Grains & Starches
Now, in general, food doesn’t break down nearly as quickly as toilet paper or human waste does, which is the real main issue with flushing any food down the toilet. But this is dually true for grains and starches, as these foods are often especially difficult to find their way out of your pipes. Grains are incredibly water absorbent, meaning they’ll just keep expanding while sitting in the pipes, which is a recipe for a clog. And starches, similarly, can be very absorbent and difficult to get out of your pipes once in.
Oils & Fats
Much like putting oil down the drain is a no-no, so is putting oil down your toilet. Oils and fats congeal in water, and can sit in pipes and catch other bits of food or debris as they come down the toilet pipe. These oil traps can cause serious, serious problems, with the ability to shut down sewer systems of an entire city if bad enough.
Large/Hard Food Scraps
This one is hopefully obvious, but anything large, or anything hard should not be going in your toilet. The pipes from your toilet are only about 3-4in wide, and anything larger than that finding its way down there will definitely cause a clog. Hard scraps like bones, or pieces of fruit or vegetables should also stay far away from your toilet, as they can actually end up damaging pipes.
In general, if you have to question if you can flush it, the answer is probably no. If you’re open to change, keep all food far away from your toilet, but if you’re hard set in your ways, at the very least keep your toilet free from oils, grains, and large scraps. Instead of flushing, consider keeping leftovers. If you’re flushing small food scraps, throw them out instead, or keep them in a bag in the freezer until trash day to avoid any smells. For those food flushers out there, we wish you clog free plumbing and happy flushing!
At Faulstick Plumbing, we specialize in installs, repairs, and inspections for all of your well, water, and plumbing needs. Our family-owned and operated business has built a reputation as the best-doing things the right way with the customer in mind, every time. Give us a call at 570-992-0447 to discuss your needs today!
