Are Flushable Wet Wipes Really Flushable?

[Richard Cranium]

Last Friday, we had our septic tank pumped in NH. Of course after the water was pumped out, there was that layer of crap at the bottom and I said to the pumper guy “there’s all those nasty shits my wife took”. That line had him laughing for about two minutes.

 

[kiwigtx]

...and maybe a stick to break the turd up a bit.

 

[Ron H]

waste baskets in the bathroom - try a small, fitted plastic bag inside it also

My daughter spent two-years in Costa Rica; we visited her a couple times. The drill there was NO TP in toilets. The fabulous homes we were able to stay at and any public restroom, had little covered waste containers for the TP, usually with the foot pedal. Some a those restrooms were ahh, shitty, gotta be a pun here. Yeah, hot/humid, few places had AC. Finagle yourself to open the lid and near pass out from the stench..

 

[Rishi]

The fibers in disposable (and self-proclaimed flushable) wipes catch on just about any imperfection in the sewer lines as it drains to the street. In time, this towel catches other debris swimming by and eventually, results in a blockage or restriction that must be cleared.

The same applies to hair, which is why you want to avoid flushing hair (my wife does this cleaning her hairbrush) or allowing hair to wash down the shower drain. It catches, the clump catches more, and in time, it's an unhappy plumber expense.

 

[Paul_B]

Definitely don’t flush them. I had a backup in my sewer line which was at least partially, if not totally, due to them. I ended up pulling out almost 2 grocery bags of the stupid things that attached themselves to the drain cleaner snake I was using to clear the line. They were just as tough as if they were new and didn’t appear to have even started to break down.

All I can say is the smell of these wipes being pulled from the sewer access in the basement prevented anyone in the house from ever wanting to use them again.

 

[Detective D]

Are they flushable?
LOL, not at my house. I live in the country, in a place that would 99% end up with a mound system, still on my old school underground drain field because it works just fine still. It works because we feed it a giant bag of starter after it is pumped and stuff like those wipes are a no no.

Story time about wet wipes....(not flushable, just regular)
I am much younger, this was like 30 years ago. Dad is telling me how he had the tank pumped at the old farmhouse. Mind you, farmhouse was built in 1870 something and had an addition put on in 1938 so they could have water indoors, and actual water for the milkhouse they didn;t have to hand pump out when the electric lines were run the following year. The septic tank and system dated to then. I grew up in the house: 2 parents and 7 kids so that tank got a workout!
Anyway, local guy is pumping it empty. Dad is inspecting the tank condition with the pump guy to make sure 70 year old concrete is still OK, they both notice this white-ish spot. Pump guy gets his poker-stick and snags it. Guess what it was? Pump guy (had gloves obviously) takes it and un-scrunches it and it is basically dry and undamged in any way. Dad asked Ma about it, she came forward saying she had accidently flushed one she was using to clean the toilet when she absent mindedly had thrown it in and didn;t want to fish it out. A year and a half earlier.
I mean it was fine, went right out the pipe and into the tank. And then sat undisturbed and resisted everything for a year and a half. Pump guy said he sees it all the time, and scolds people but some people won't stop.
It was forbidden at my house and all it took was explaining to the wife and kids a chunk of backyard and about $20grand will dissapear if the drain field and tank need to be replaced to make sure it never happened.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Nope. I've had this discussion before. With that and simular talking points. I explained to her flushable is a little safer. For emergency or accident. Never do always. I've had this same discussion about garbage disposal. Just because it can chew up leftover foods. Doesn't mean always. Scrape in garbage. It's just for what you missed.

Same answer for flushable.

 

[Ron H]

On this ahh, shitty topic: There are DIY'ers who will do stuff I wouldn't think of doing. This includes going down into a septic tank. The husband of a gal I worked with did. After their tank was pumped out the pumper guy said something should be inspected, a baffle or such. Didn't like what it would cost. He rigged up an old garden hose for breathing and a clothes line clip on his nose, and climbed in. Most know how little survival time there is given the methane. He made this trek staying alive. Can imagine how many things could have easily gone wrong, slip/fall on the slimly surface, climbing back up the ladder with slimy boots, etc., etc.

 

[Edward Zeliesko]

no

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Get yourself a Bidet.

 

[Tony Tee]

The rats will eat through them on a city system. LOL!
On a serious note. My girlfriend flushes them at her house on a city system. No problems yet.

 

[eldubb440]

fix your clogged leach field in a day.... cheap and below the radar

order a truck load of stone, rent a back hoe, buy some perforated pipe

leave the original stuff there (purple), and go diagonal with the new (blue)

hire a helper or 2......all in for under 2K ........ enjoy

 

[PlymCrazy]

and...... any and all cooking grease into the trash

I agree with you on that. Unfortunately most of the time that rule does not get heeded. It's dumped down the sink drain while hot water is running. The hot water is run for a short while after the grease is emptied to make us feel better about it lol.
We've even been warned by the septic cleaners to stay away from dumping stringy foods such as lettuce down the drain...

 

[PlymCrazy]

When our kids were on disposable diapers, we had a bin that had endless disposal bags that when full, could be removed and put into our regular garbage bags - all sealed. The bin and the bags were sanitised and fragranced. It wasn't an issue.

We also have a City notice/edict that 'flushable wipes' should not be flushed. Crazy that the companies selling them call them flushable. They should be called 'Disposable' instead.

Another thought for those with waste baskets in the bathroom - try a small, fitted plastic bag inside it also - that way the bin stays clean longer.

The good old days of the Diaper Genie...

 

[1967coronet]

Our bathroom drains plugged up a few years back, sink , stool , shower.
I knew the ( blockage ) was past the last Tee,
Down in the basement I go and start tapping on the 3" pvc with a screw driver.
Tap tap tap, thunk.
Blockage located, grab the cordless sawsall a 5 gal bucket and a 3" fernco.
Cut through the pipe, Wtf is that ??
It turns out it's a squirrel well at this point it was now 2 short squirrels.
Sucker had came down the vent pipe, pulled the down stream 1/2 , pulled the up stream 1/2 , turns out I needed a 6 gal bucket.

 

[DeltaV]

Tightly roll up the wipes and then soak them in used motor oil. Burn them outdoors and the insects will stay away.

 

[Ultra mag]

Last Friday, we had our septic tank pumped in NH. Of course after the water was pumped out, there was that layer of crap at the bottom and I said to the pumper guy “there’s all those nasty shits my wife took”. That line had him laughing for about two minutes.

That’s funny ****…..