I understand the temptation. The convenience. The quiet thrill of dropping a little “harmless” bit of rubbish into the loo and watching it swirl away with a satisfying whoosh. But treating your toilet like a watery waste disposal unit is a shortcut to disaster.
Flushing anything other than the obvious can lead to a world of unpleasant consequences. We’re talking clogged pipes, damaged sewage systems, polluted waterways, rising floods… and the kind of plumbing invoice that will haunt your dreams. And all because of those flushed tampons.
Still not convinced? Google “fatberg” and we’ll talk after you've recovered. To spare you the trauma, and save your plumbing, here are the everyday items you need to stop flushing down the toilet. Your wallet, and the planet, will thank you.
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Hair clumps
Yanking clumps of hair from the shower drain has to rank among the most stomach-turning chores. Right up there with bin juice and mystery fridge spills. And while it’s tempting to just lob the mess straight into the toilet and be done with it, please resist.
Flushing hair might seem harmless, but it’s a major culprit when it comes to clogged pipes. Hair behaves like a net, catching everything from grease and soap scum to other flushed debris. Over time, this tangled mess builds into stubborn blockages that can wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing, and even the wider sewer system. With each flush, more hair can gather, turning a small issue into an expensive problem.
Wet wipes
The number one culprit behind those “fatbergs”. Wet wipes of any kind, which includes makeup wipes, anti-bac wipes and even those moist toilet wipes, are all terrible for our pipes. That's because they don't break down in water the way toilet paper is designed to. Even the newer wipes marketed as “flushable”, “fine to flush” and or plastic-free, are not breaking down effectively and continue to cause massive blockages. These blockages and “fatbergs” can lead to sewage backing up into homes (ew) and overflowing into waterways, causing environmental pollution and harming wildlife.
Tampons
The vast majority of sanitary products, which includes the oft-flushed tampon, are made of synthetic non-biodegradable materials. Instead of breaking down, they stack up and cause severe blockages in sewer systems, leading to expensive repairs, environmental pollution from plastics reaching waterways, and serious health hazards from sewage spills in homes and nature.
Condoms
While latex, including what's used in the majority of condoms, is technically a naturally occurring rubber material, that doesn't mean it's biodegradable. So as easy as chucking it into the loo may be, please don’t. Even if a condom manages to slip through your household pipes unscathed, they won’t just vanish.
They typically end up clogging sewage systems or, worse still, floating their way into rivers and oceans. Once there, they contribute to water pollution, releasing chemicals and microplastics into the ecosystem. Much like balloons, they pose a serious risk to wildlife. Marine animals can mistake them for food, leading to blockages, internal damage, and death. So, next time, simply wrap it in a bit of loo roll and pop it in the bin instead.
Dental floss
Dental floss might seem small and harmless, but it’s made from tough plastic materials such as nylon or Teflon, which means it doesn’t break down in water.
Instead, it acts like a mini net, tangling with other debris (just like those hair clumps we mentioned earlier, but even stronger). These knotted masses can cause serious blockages in pipes, damage plumbing, and even clog or burn out the motors in septic tanks and sewer systems.
Food
No matter how awful your in-laws’ spag bol was, please don’t flush it. Food doesn’t break down properly in water. Instead, it can swell, harden or tangle with other waste, leading to blockages and sewage backups. Starchy foods like rice and pasta expand in water, fats and oils solidify into greasy clumps, and tougher scraps, like bones or apple cores, can get lodged in your pipes. In short: food belongs in the bin, not the bowl.
Cotton wool
Another infamous "fatberg" culprit: cotton wool. Found in things like makeup pads and cotton buds, these seemingly small items can cause big problems. Cotton is highly absorbent, so when flushed, it swells and clumps together inside pipes, leading to stubborn blockages and massive build-up.
Medication
Knowing how to dispose of different types of medication or expired products can be tricky, but one thing is certain, it doesn't involve a toilet. Flushing medicine is harmful because most wastewater treatment systems can’t fully filter out pharmaceutical residues. These leftover chemicals then end up in rivers, oceans, and even drinking water supplies, posing a risk to aquatic life and, ultimately, to us.
Instead, take any unused or expired medication to your local pharmacy, where it can be safely and properly disposed of.
Paper towels
Now, I get the logic — if we can flush loo roll, then surely paper towels, blue roll, or even tissues are fair game? Sadly, no, they’re not.
Toilet paper is specially designed to break down quickly in water. It’s soft on your skin and kind to your plumbing. In contrast, products like kitchen roll and blue roll are built to be tough and absorbent. Perfect for mopping up spills and drying hands, but terrible for your pipes.
Even tissues aren’t safe to flush. Many contain wet-strength resins that stop them disintegrating in water, which means they hang around in your plumbing and contribute to clogs. So, even if you’re caught short and forced to reach for the kitchen roll, do yourself (and your drains) a favour and throw it in the bin instead.
Goldfish
We're not sure how often it happens in real life, but flushing pet fish down the loo seemed to happen quite a lot in the 90s TV shows and films we watched. But don't do it – not only is it bad for the environment, but it also lacks some serious dignity.
While it might seem like a quick, harmless farewell, it’s far from ideal, for both the environment and your plumbing. Beyond the risk of blockages, flushing fish can introduce diseases or parasites into the water system, which can pose risks to both humans and wildlife.
And if, heaven forbid, the fish isn’t quite dead? Not only is the whole ordeal cruel, but it also risks releasing invasive species, like goldfish, into local waterways, where they can outcompete native species and disrupt entire ecosystems.
Fat, oil or grease
While hot fat, oil, and grease might look harmless as they swirl down the drain, what do you think happens when they cool?
They solidify. And once they harden inside your pipes, they start to build up, causing stubborn clogs and costly blockages in both home plumbing and public sewer systems. These greasy lumps can combine with other waste to form dreaded “fatbergs” by combining and binding together. Leading to sewage backups, street overflows, and serious damage to infrastructure.
Instead, let fats and oils cool, scrape them into a sealed container, and pop it into your general waste or food bin.
Cat litter
Even if the packaging claims it’s “flushable”, don’t believe the hype as cat litter has no business being in your toilet.
Most types of litter expand and harden when wet, leading to serious pipe blockages. But it’s not just your plumbing at risk. Cat faeces can contain a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, which isn’t removed by standard wastewater treatment. Once it enters waterways, it can pose health risks to humans, particularly those with weakened immune systems, and harm aquatic wildlife, including sea otters. So please: stop. Think of the otters. Use the bin.
What is safe for flushing?
Sorry to disappoint, but the answer is as simple as it is unglamorous: only toilet waste should go in the toilet. And yes, that really does just mean the basics.
If you’re ever unsure, despite the many don’ts listed above, just fall back on the golden rule, the three Ps: pee, poo, and (toilet) paper. That’s it.
Your toilet isn’t a bin, a food disposal unit, or a shortcut to avoid taking out the rubbish. Keeping it simple protects your plumbing, helps prevent environmental damage, and saves you (and your local waterworks) from a world of unpleasant and expensive trouble.
