Many people commonly throw used wet wipes down the toilet because of their convenience. Some wipes are labeled as “flushable”, making them safe and friendly to the drain and sewer systems. But, are wet wipes safe for septic systems? Learn more about what you can and cannot flush down the toilet and how to properly dispose of items that should not go into your septic tank in the article below.
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The answer to the question of are wet wipes safe for septic systems is no. Wet wipes are increasingly popular because they are very convenient. They are compact enough to carry in a purse or pocket, and their cleaning ability is excellent. Ordinary wet wipes have good surface cleaning ability, but specialized towels, such as alcohol wet tissue can also help remove bacteria and viruses, protecting the health of users. Wet wipes have many outstanding uses and benefits, but they should not be thrown down septic systems.
When toilet paper comes into contact with water, it immediately begins to disintegrate. This is because toilet paper is designed with a specific “weave” that makes it easily degradable in sewer systems and septic tanks. Wet wipes, however, are designed to remain moist and can clog pipes if flushed down the toilet.
Septic systems rely on bacteria to break down all of the materials that they receive through the drainpipe. Toilet paper is designed to mostly break down on its own, and healthy bacteria within a septic tank will feed off some of the organic material that toilet tissue is made with. However, wet wipes contain a mix of fibers, including cotton and rayon, as well as plastic resins. Bacteria cannot break down most un-organic materials; thus, wipes flushed down drains will remain in septic tanks.
Flushable wipes can cause issues for septic systems. When these wipes are used and flushed down the toilet, they will gather together and form a mass of waste that adds to the solid sludge layer at the bottom of your septic tank. This mass will not dissolve, so your tank will need to be pumped out more often to avoid major issues. The biggest recurring expense of maintaining a septic system is septic tank pumping; therefore, if you are continually adding to the solid waste within your septic tank, you will be spending much more expenses to have it pumped out.
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As discussed above, you should not flush wet paper down the septic system. Wet facial tissues are not biodegradable, so they will clump and clog your system. Besides not flushing tissues down the toilet, here are some do’s and don’ts for protecting your septic system (as private label wet wipes manufacturers says)
1 – Things to do for septic systems
2 – Things not to do for septic systems
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Are wet wipes safe for septic systems? As mentioned before, wet wipes, even flushable wipes, biodeogradable wipes are not safe for septic systems. If you intend to use these wipes, keep in mind to throw them into the trash or garbage. In addition, we recommend that you should follow things of do’s and don’ts to protect your septic system. If you have any questions, please contact us for a free consultation.
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