7 Household Items That Should Never Be Flushed Down the Toilet

Posted by Melbourne Blocked Drains Plumbers on 10 Nov 2025

Toilets are a common home appliance that we regularly use. The temptation is to consider its utility for granted, but it’s crucial to remember that it’s not a garbage can. There are some things that shouldn’t ever be flushed away down the toilet as they can cause blockage from the pipes or damage for sewer drains.

Key Takeaways

  • Avoid flushing certain things into the toilet because they can cause blockages in the drain, or cause damage to sewer pipes.
  • Seven household items that you should never flush down the toilet include:
    • Baby wipes
    • Condoms
    • Cooking grease and oil
    • Products for feminine hygiene (tampons and pads for sanitary use)
    • Medical Treatment
    • Dental floss
    • Paper towels
  • Doing this will ultimately lead to blocked drains or damaged sewer pipelines in your home’s plumbing system. This can result in an unimaginable cost to you.
  • Melbourne Blocked Drains Plumbers offers unblocking blocked drains, drain clearing CCTV drain inspection and pipe relining.

Seven household objects you shouldn’t flush down the drain.

1. Baby wipes

Baby wipes might seem useful but they don’t break down as easily as toilet paper and can clog pipes. Throw them away in the garbage instead.

2. Condoms

Flushing condoms down the toilet can cause blockages to the plumbing of your home as well as the wastewater treatment plant.

3. Cooking grease and oil

Oil and grease must be removed from the container, and then disposed of in the garbage, since they will harden and cause blockages in your drains or pipes.

4. Produits for female hygiene

Tampons and sanitary pads are frequently marketed by their name as "flushable, " but flushing them will only lead to issues later on when they mix with other things to create a nasty blockage.

5. Medicines

It is not recommended to flush medications down the toilet because they could pollute our water sources.

6. Dental floss

Dental floss is created to be strong, which means it won’t be able to break in water, leading to the possibility of blockages to your pipes.

7. Paper towels

Contrary to toilet paper Paper towels have a thicker weave that means they are less likely to break down quickly when they’re wet. They can easily blockage.

In the end, flushing one of these seven things can lead to blocked drains as well as damaged pipelines within the plumbing system of your home, which comes at an unforetold expense to the homeowner. Stay mindful of what you put down the drain.

Item Reason for not Flushing
Baby wipes Do not break down like toilet paper and can clog your plumbing system. Dispose of them in the trash instead.
Condoms Leads to blockages both at home’s plumbing and treatment plants.
Cooking grease and oil Will harden and cause blockages in your drains or pipes.
Feminine hygiene products Combining with other items creates a nasty clog despite being marketed as "flushable".
Medications Can contaminate our water sources.
Dental floss Designed to be strong, leading to potential blockages in pipes.
Paper towels Less likely to deteriorate quickly once wet, easily causing blockages unlike with toilet paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does flushing feminine hygiene products can cause harm to my pipes?

Yes. Female hygiene products don’t break down in water and could cause blockages in the sewer or your pipes.

Are flushable wipes truly flushable?

Many "flushable" wipes do not really break down and can lead to clogs in your pipes.

Do I have to put baby wipes in the toilet?

No. Baby wipes shouldn’t be flushed into the toilet as they do not dissolve easily and could cause obstructions.

Do paper towels need to be used to flush?

No. Paper towels are thicker than toilet paper and will not break down as easily, leading to the possibility of clogging in your plumbing system.

What happens to medications? Should I flush them down the toilet?

No. Medications can contaminate our waterways. It’s crucial to dispose of them in a safe manner by taking the containers to an appropriate drop-off location.

If you are dealing with a blocked drain, don’t delay in calling our professional plumbing services via Melbourne Blocked Drains Plumbers . We provide unblocking blocked drains drainage clearing, CCTV drain inspection as well as pipe relining services to ensure your home is free of drain issues. Contact us today to set up an appointment.

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