You Might Have Tried to Flush Them Down The Toilet Anyway
You might have tried flushing a wipe or two wipes down the drain without a second thought. At first you might have thought that it’s no big deal because it’s not your problem anymore the moment it gets flushed away. However, not only is it a problem, it’s also your big problem.
You have to realize that not all disposable wipes are flushable. People generally confuse them for flushable wipes. Generally people don’t bother making the distinction, because disposable wipes appears to be just harmless, and moisture paper, so what kind of harm can it cause?
Wipes aren’t your average everyday toilet paper. It is made to endure diaper changing tasks so it’s practically a piece of cloth. That’s what Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes is. It’s a piece of paper designed to imitate cleaning cloth.
Not realizing that and casually flushing it down the toilet is a very expensive mistake to make. These wipes will not break up into any smaller pieces even if you leave them in water for twenty four hours. That’s more than enough time to act as a filter and block “everything” you pass down the drains.
As time passes, that “everything” will definitely accumulate and come back towards you. That can be pretty gross, because you might witness a concentration of digested lunch and dinner that you thought were gone for good. In other words; floating poop.
When that happens, your only option is to call a plumber and snake it out. That could be pretty costly depending on where you live and how serious the problem is. For my area, it can go from $100 – $200. I don’t know about you, but I am not rich enough to believe $100 is pocket change for me. I can buy a almost a whole month of lunch with that.
Now that you know that huggies natural care wipes are not flushable, one alternative you can try is to simply use plain old toilet paper. Toilet paper are designed to break down easily as biodegradable material.
The way toilet paper works is that it’s made of a bunch of short paper fibers that separates back into their own tiny pieces after being fully wet and aggressively moved down the pipes. That’s the reason why toilet paper crumbles so easily in your hands when you wet it. Even though there’s still a chance for it to clog the sewer system, the chances are a lot lower.
However, I know what you are thinking. If you wanted to use regular toilet paper, then you would have done so already. You wouldn’t bother searching the internet for flushable Huggies wipes.
You want to take advantage of the convenience of smooth, moist wipes which you can use any time, anywhere whether it’s for your baby’s bottom or removing make up. Huggies do have such a product.
There Are Flushable Wipes Made By Huggies
Huggies do sell flushable wipes. These wipes are labeled flushable on the package. This is the main thing difference that distinguishes it from regular disposable wipes.
They claim that these wipes breaks down within thirty to forty minutes after being aggressively shaken around in a container. In theory, that sounds pretty efficient. Even though they claim that, I still don’t recommend you flushing them down the toilet.
Let’s face it, thirty to forty minutes doesn’t sound like a very short time. This is especially true when you compare it to good old toilet paper which can break down in a matter of seconds of flushing. Not to mention that shaking a container to break down the wipes doesn’t even come close to real world sewer pipes. Real world sewer pipes are designed to flow smoothly and gently.
Flushable wipes needs to be evenly soaked in water, and moving rigorously down the pipes in order to successfully break down within thirty to forty minutes. A lot can happen during that time as we don’t know what flows down the pipes along with your wipe.
The wastes that people flush down the pipes in your neighborhood might actually interfere with that process. This is especially true if they flushed down oily and greasy stuff. These things will make the disposed waterproof and practically indestructible.
The costs actually come back to you. According this article written by the New York Times, if you see your water bill going higher then this could be one of the reasons. Over the years when flushable wipes were invented, a lot more expensive sewer blockage has happened. Even though there could be many reasons for sewer blockage, it’s been tested that a flushable wipe can actually travel miles down the pipes and look only slightly ripped.
Flushable wipes are actually not too different from nonflushable wipes. The word flushable is actually not regulated by the government. What that means is that the company that uses the word flushable can almost define it any way they want based on their own standards. Whether these standards will be absolutely helpful to you is not a guarantee.
There Is Really No Point To Flushable Wipes
Like I said earlier, plain old toilet paper will do most of your work with a much lower cost. However, if you really want to use wipes then just use any disposable wipes. Your main issue of using nonflushable disposable wipes is that it’s hard to find a spot to dispose of them. There’s a simple solution to that.
Simply add a mini trash can to the bathroom. After you finish using the wipe then just dump it there. You don’t have to risk calling a plumber to come and stop your poop from floating out of your toilet seat or contributing to your expensive water rates. If a trash can takes up too much space then simply add a plastic bag hanging on your bathroom door knob or wherever you find convenient.
Not flushing your wipes down the toilet is not very convenient but it’s definitely worth the extra effort. It can cause sewer issues for the water company and create problems for the environment. Even if you don’t care about the water company or the environment, it’s still not a lot of fun to call the plumber all the time to fix your system when you can easily prevent it yourself.
Try Something Different
You might or might not be a big fan of Huggies wipes, but they aren’t really that good. On Amazon, a lot of people complained that they:
- rip easily when you are doing diaper changes
- perforated (like toilet paper) and difficult to tear correctly apart
- as an end result force you to use at least two wipes per diaper change
Here’s what one user on Amazon said:
Personally, I use the ultra sensitive wipes by Berkley Jensen. They are so strong and they are huge wipes. The packaging is also convenient as they include a bunch of small packs you can use any time anywhere. Other than the wipes I used at the hospital since my little baby is born, these are the only wipes I trusted and used. Give them a try.
Very interesting article! I’m a mom of two, and still doing diaper changes all day long, it seems. I’ve never been tempted to flush the wipes as I just tuck them in to the soiled diaper as I roll it up for the trash… that’s another idea. Using a diaper genie for dirty wipes also traps the smell very well.
You’re so right that even using “flushable wipes” isn’t worth the risk to your bathroom pipes… who wants THAT problem!?
It’s definitely not worth the trouble. You are absolutely correct.
This article is so true! We have been using flushable wipes for several years and still get blockages from time to time. Then I heard recently on the radio that the condition for these so called flushables to disintegrate basically do not exist in normal pipes and sewers and they just end up binding with other waste to create big clumps of disgusting stuff. Since then we have gone with the mini trash can idea and everybody is happier (apart from the plumber, I suppose!)
I think you are right that the flushable wipes just aren’t worth it. It’s easy to tuck regular wipes into a used diaper before throwing it away. Also by the time a kid is actually in the bathroom and needs a wipe, they are probably old enough for toilet paper. Congrats on being a new dad! Great site, I’m sure it has helped to get you prepared! Thanks for sharing the information you find out there.
Hi!
As a father of two, this article was very helpful for me!
I had a very bad experience, one with my own toilet, I was flushing the wipes in the toilet, and I got a blockage in the pipe.
Them I had it with my neighbor that lives above me, she was flushing wipes as well, and I got water all over my apartment a few times.
Now as I read your article I see there is an alternative, I’m going to check it out, and I’m going to show the article for my neighbor!
Thanks for your great article! Helps a lot!
Chanan
Hi Win,
I like your article. It’s been awhile since I’ve changed diapers. At the time disposable diapers did not exist. Although I’ve helped change diapers today from time to time, I used the disposable and just threw them away along with the dirty diaper. After all, the dirty diaper is going into a mini trash can or whatever people use to dispose of the diaper, why not through them in with the diaper?
LOL! Great post, I enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing.
Haha I couldn’t stop laughing at the descriptive review that Amazon customer wrote. That alone has convinced me not to try this product.
The Berkley Jensen wipes are good I agree.
I will continue purchasing them.
Your research on the “flushable” wipes is very informative.
Thanks for the review and tip.
I had to get my pipes snaked because of tree roots growing in them and it cost $300…for a 20 minute job! It was crazy! Remembering that and reading what non flushable wipes can do to your toilet is definitely a good motivator to just go with tissue or actually purchase flushable ones! However, you mentioned that even these aren’t the best option unless you really need them. Is there another type of flushable wipes you’d recommend?
-Jessica
What a great article, teaching about wipes not being flushable! I’ve been a property manager for apartment communities and this is our biggest reason for clogged pipes. They think they can flush wipes down the toilet. Yes, I agree a big NO-NO. What is your best brand of toilet paper?
Interesting post! I have been guilty of flushing wipes before. It seemed like it would be no problem since they flushed down easily. They didn’t clog my toilet, but after awhile, I started to smell a sewer like smell in my bathroom, coming from the drains. I stopped flushing wipes and it cleared up, thankfully. I never thought about the damage that could be done by flushing them! On a side note, I much prefer Huggies wipes over Pampers…I can’t stand Pampers wipes…so slippery and overly soapy!
Very interesting article! When my older son was a toddler I have to admit I did use flushable wipes and flush them down the toilet. After reading this I will definitely think twice with my 8 month old when he starts using the toilet. I also flush Kleenex sometimes, is that a problem as well? Thanks for the information!
I have been preaching this all the times. Never flush anything else besides stools and pees down your toilet.
It will clogged the pipes. No matter how “degradable” the wipe is. You should always throw away your wipes, sanitary napkins, or anything else to the garbage bin.
I still wonder why people think that toilet flushing system is a major garbage disposal.
I agree, its not worth it to flush those wipes! I cringe at the few times one has accidentally dropped into my toilet. I throw them away with the dirty diapers. I didnt know that Huggies even made disposable ones, but you are right, they still don’t sound like a good idea to flush and on top of it, Im sure you are paying for the added convenience of being able to flush them.
Hi, I am a mum of eight children. My eldest being 17 and youngest only 6 months. Yip, I am still changing daipers, although I must say, I haven’t had any problems with blockage as I usually wrap dirty daiper with the dirty wipes used. I have been a special fan of Huggies on all their products especially the wipes. Mind you, I haven’t used the flushable wipes. I came upon something very puzzling last year on a trip to the islands. In there outlets they sold huggies wipes, it was packaged exactly the same but the logo was slightly different and when opened and used, the wipes seemed to be thinner and came apart easly when it was used. I found it strange because their product here in New Zealand is excellent, no problems with it and all my children used it. Would the quality differ from country to country according to their economy. Quality control in some brand names is differs from country to country to fit the economy of such country for affordability reasons. Could be a factor? Even so, I enjoyed your article, interesting points raised thank you
I use Huggies Baby Wipes for my toddler’s use. I can say that they are built well and doesn’t disintegrate at all. The last time I tried flushing them my toilet clogged.
There was a time I accidentally thrown a few dirty pieces inside the washing machine and you know what, they stayed as they were as if they weren’t spun and twisted for an hour.
Totally agree with this, I’ve always disposed of wipes wrapped up inside the nappies and put them straight in the bin, it’s really not worth the hassle!
I had to laugh. When my kids were in diapers, we never thought about flushing wipes down the toilet. They were so hard to come by and so expensive where we were living we washed them out and used them again along with the cloth diapers.
I spent a lot of time playing in the toilet 🙂
I know when we upgraded to disposable diapers we had a diaper genie where you could put the stinky diaper in, twist the long roll of plastic, and it sealed off odors as it made a “sausage”. If you are using disposable diapers then it’s not hard to put the wipes in the dirty diaper and dispose of both at the same time.
Definitely true.
Personally, I’ve never taken the risk of dropping anything other than baby poo into the toilet. Diapers and wipes all go into a separate garbage baggie for me. This is because I’ve had the incredibly frustrating experience of having to unclog a clogged toilet. It’s infinitely more frustrating than a clogged sink because of the smell of what’s down there.
In my experience, I even avoid dropping TP down a toilet. Over time it tends to build up and I’ve had to pour some form of chemical declogger down there to clear the pipes. Thankfully I’ve never had to deal with anything that required a plumber’s services.
Yea I also heard that toilet paper can clog your toilet over time if you use too much. As I mentioned, toilet paper is made of short fibers, but fiber is still fiber. It “bulks” up the waste.
Thanks for sharing this great option. I have tried many, many wipes and low irritation is a top priority for me. There is a series of Huggies wipes that my son reacted badly to. His bum reddened after using the wipes. I used their latest range with no issues, though.
Really interesting article. Makes you think about what we’re doing to the environment longer term. You have made some really good points about not flushing these wipes away, even though they are marked and sold as flush-able. It was recently brought to the Western World’s attention the damage micro plastic beads (the types in exfoliating products) are doing to our marine life, and they are pretty small. If these are causing problems, a baby wipe is bound to have even more impact. I hope lots of people read this and think about convenience vs long term effect.
I can not stop laughing whenever a flashback comes on my mind because problem in our pipe came to us without realizing that it was my mistake on why our pipes got blocked. I used to pay someone just to clean and repair it. I did not know any of that flushable wipes before. But now, I knew what kind of wipes to buy next time for my baby. Also, I can save money for I will no longer pay a plumber service. Thank you for sharing this informative article. I will surely love that flushable wipes.
Thank you dear,
For making this statement. Is really tempting to flush the wipes down the toilet. but your post will always keep me on check. Also on the wipes I use Angel wipes is popular in my neighborhood. Huggies is available but overpriced so is a consolation that it doesn’t worth the trouble. Thank you
Queen
Spot on. The main reason why people flush diapers down the loo is ignorance if the toilet is not there’s and laziness if it is and or may be ignorance too. Even on an aircraft, the sign specifically says no chucking diapers in the loo and yet people still do it although there is a diaper bin next to them.
The best thing to us is a diaper bin that also traps the smell.
I didn’t know flushable diapers are available these days!!! In either case tissues are best.
Very timely article for me. My son is FINALLY potty trained but still doesn’t know how to wipe so I usually use a wipe on him and I was flushing them and started thinking, hmmm…that’s probably not a good idea. We still have a diaper pail in my son’s room (he uses pull ups at night) so I put them in there. And…I have to agree, I hate the huggies wipes. I use pampers and find they hold up much better.
I can tell you from experience NOT to flush wipes down the toilet! The pipes going from your toilet to the main out near your street or wherever the main is, is not a fat pipe. It can get clogged up anywhere. I had to have my drain completely redone with new pipe and it was not cheap. Great advice you have given! Hopefully, this will help someone else not have to go to a huge expense.
Very interesting. I have to run to the bathroom and check what exactly my baby wipes actually say. Disposable wipes or Flushable. While I knew that there was a difference. Coincidentally I just learned that there was a such thing as Flushable ones. But I have been so busy and moving so fast I might be incorrect on that.
And I am staying with relatives for the next week. I don’t want to mess up their plumbing.
Thanks for the article
This was a really good post since I had a lot of confusion if the wipes are disposable or not. I think this is a very important post for everyone since it is very important to understand between disposable and non-disposable wipes.
I think your suggestions are great and I’m going to try them out! Thanks for the great recommendation.
Wow, it’s good to have all of this information. I’ve never thought of putting wipes down the drain as a diaper Genie does a good job of eliminating the smell of dirty diapers. However, I’ve found those products to be expensive so I just use a plastic bag to hide the smell.
Hi Win,
an interesting subject. I by no means whatsoever am a subject matter expert in this area but I am a firm believer that these such product should not be disposed of in toilets. They will eventually clog up your system leading to costly repairs. More importantly, they are probably not biodegradable and are not good for our environment when not disposed of properly.
Jerome
Hi and thanks for posting this. I know a lot of people (me being one of them) who flash down disposable wipes. I actually didn’t they were not biodgradable, but yes they are tough. From now henceforth I will stick with toilet paper and keep my lunch down the drain. Cheers
Hello Blame-Fire,
The information that you have shared is very useful. I didn’t know that baby wipes are not all the same. Luckily I didn’t have a house yet when we have our first baby. I did it to other people’s house, just kidding. Well, you are right imagine when the toilet gets clogged up what do you think would happen next. Yakkks, I can’t imagine the smell, it is really gross. Thanks for this information, I will keep this in mind maybe to give advice to some friends who doesn’t know about it. Thanks.
I need to get involved in the plumbing business if you have to pay $200 for someone to come out and snake your toilet in less than 20 minutes lol. That being said I’m glad I haven’t tried this, looks like I’m sticking to the diaper genie. Thanks for the helpful article..
Hey
I use wipes for my baby only when outside home. And I have never had the idea of flushing them down. Instead of it I put it inside the used pamper and throw out. Well, the idea of flushable wipes is quite tempting though but as I have to throw out the pamper anyway it is no big deal to simply add the wipe inside it.
I knew there was a difference between the flushable and disposable wipes, but I never realized how small that difference actually is. While I don’t have little ones, I do use the wipes for other things, like makeup removal and cleaning paint brushes.
Thanks for this article. It will make me think twice before flushing either.
Really interesting, thought provoking and I could come up with all kinds of pictures in my mind thinking about these disposable wipes. But back in the day when I had babies (now 26 and 33) they did not have disposable wipes and I never flushed them down the toilet.
I was always taught that the only thing that gets flushed is toilet paper and human waste.
But anyway, flushing Huggies, Natural Care Baby Wipes obviously is not a good thing to do for our environment. And our environment has become so fragile that we cannot afford to just keep flushing stuff down the toilet. I don’t know where it goes or what gets done with it but I am sure that there is some kind of waste treatment plant that chemically treats human fecal matter? Yuk, I can only imagine, what a nightmare.
I do hope that responsible parents think about what they are purchasing at the diaper store and don’t purchase anything that would, in the end, make our wasteland worse that they already are. Buy the things that are environmentally friendly, Please!
Great post, thanks for sharing these thoughts.
When my kids were babies (not that long ago), I have to admit that I flushed more than one or six wipes down the toilet, and I’m positive that they were not flushable. They went down, but I’m not sure how far they got. Obviously, they must have made it far enough because the water never backed up… but still, it could have been a real mess. Have you ever had the toilet back up as a result?
So true! We struggled with plumbing issues until we realized that one neighbor was flushing wipes. Since our clear no wipes rule in our house, no more plumbing trouble. I use wipes when changing my little ones, but dispose of them with the diaper. We flush toilet paper only!
Share this information with all parents of young children to avoid aggravation!
Sobering article.
In about 7 weeks time I give birth to my 2nd child, so this has come at the right time. And I remember that with my first child I hardly paid attention to how I disposed of my baby wipes – I just either flushed or binned without thinking. Which is reckless when I look back now.
After reading your article I know I will be more conscious of how I dispose of these, and I will probably choose the bin as I do not want a clogged toilet either.
Tell me though, is tissue paper not too hard for babies’ backsides?…..just thinking.
Great preventative technique for not having to call a plumber! I like how in-depth you went in on this issue and for letting us know about the associated costs of using flushable and non-flushable wipes by huggies. I like your alternative ideas as well of adding a mini trash can and your perspective on keeping our local environment clean. I’ll make sure to keep these points in mind 🙂
Interesting article. I am not a Mum so I have no experience changing nappies, however, I use wet wipes every day!
I use them to clean my face, when i go to the bathroom or just to clean my hands if I am out and about.
I learnt the hard way a few years ago that flushing them down the toilet can and does come back to haunt you! I needed more than a plumber, they had to bring a truck and suck all the wet wipes out!
I now keep a small trash can with liner in my bathroom as you also suggested. Much cheaper than getting that truck out again haha
Have a great day!
Thank you for the information. I needed to know if flushing the regular huggies wipes were bad for the sewer system. I see now that they are and that even the flushable ones are a bad idea. I don’t know what to do now because having an extra plastic bag in the bathroom probably won’t work (for decor purposes).
What about those wipes by Berkley Jensen you mentioned, are they flushable?
This is very informative! I have 3 kids, and to be honest, these are questions I feel silly not having asked being a home owner! It’s so great to have such references as this one online when you need them. I learned a lot from your page. A lot of information I will keep in mind as I am still changing diapers with one child.
I just had a new addition to the family a couple of months ago so I could really relate to this article. I truly had no idea that there w as such a thing as flushable wipes. Dont think I would ever try them either lol just sounds like plumbing issues down the road for sure…yuck! Great article!
This is interesting, I didn’t know there were flushable baby wipes! I use wipes often since I change my baby’s nappies all day. I have tried Huggies baby wipes, and you’re absolutely right, it’s not good. I like the packaging of the clutch n’ go pack, but I really prefer to use local brands instead since they’re way better than Huggies.
I think its much better to throw the wipes in the bin, rather than flush it in the toilet to avoid drainage. Not sure about using toilet paper when changing nappies since it’s more rough, and it does crumble easily and even sticks to skin. I think wet cotton is even better, which is what I also use.
Hi Blame-Fire,
I totally agree with you. I’m a mother of 4. They are all grown now, but when I did their nappies the wipes never went in the toilet. At home I used warm water to clean them most of the time. It’s the best, cleans your baby perfectly. Wipes are better used on outings and not to be disposed in the toilet.
So true about the wipes (any wipes). I’m pretty sure this is not good for the environment either.. What we do with our little one is use water and large cotton pads which we then tuck in the diaper, roll it up together and trash in a small bin with a lid next to the changing table. We do use wipes when travelling (not all baby care rooms have water supply!) but again we just tuck them in to the diaper, roll up and throw away.
Hi, I’ve never risked flushing a wipe down the toilet and when I saw the title of your post I thought I might have been wrong the whole time and just made my life a little bit more difficult than necessary, but no.
I agree, it’s safer and cheaper to simply use a nappy bag and dispose of the wipes not down the toilet.
And all parents should remember that sooner or later children grow up and we stop using wipes 🙂
I started introducing the normal toilet paper to my toddlers when they go to the toilet and only using wipes for very dirty situations.
Best wishes
30 – 40 minutes after being shaken vigorously? That’s crazy because you’re right, our sewer systems don’t even do that! Not to mention, in a house with 5 or 6 people someone is constantly using the bathroom. There’s no time to be careless, just wrap them up in the diaper.
I love learning new things everyday. With my sister just having her baby daughter, I might, but hopefully not, find myself having to change a diaper. I never would have thought twice about flushing a wipe down the toilet. I would figure its like toilet paper but what you said about it being designed to withstand diaper changing tasks, makes a lot of sense why it shouldn’t be flushed. How did you learn this?
very true, you can still get a lot of blockage flushing the “flushable” wipes down the toilet. They are not worth it at all. Its easier just to throw them away in a diaper genie. A diaper genie Is meant for disposing diapers and wipes. Your content is very awesome and informative. I really enjoyed reading it. Take care
This is very common where I live, my uncle and I maintain the buildings he owns and we run into pipe issues for this exact reason.
Multiple wipes going down the toilet at once and such only lead to more trouble. I personally heard people talking about not flushing wet wipes for a few years and I see why it is a constant topic of discussion.
Great article, many people can learn from this and take your recommendation, a lot of babies are around my area, mind sending me a few banners to put up? haha 🙂
Now that I am babysitting my grandson, all information regarding baby products arouse and hold my attention.
Even though I do not flush the wipes down the toilet, your blog has shown me all the complications that could cause if I am ever tempted to do so.
Very interesting reading and very informative.
This is brilliant, I laugh as I read this post. I have 3 kids and they are very young and so we are in the middle of potty and toilet training which I find one of the most difficult things to do – last week I ended up having to “unblock” our toilet die to wipes being flushed down the toilet, messy job but someone has to do it! I will check our your suggestions ASAP as I need all the help I can get, thanks for your great and helpful post!
I have often wondered about this topic. I know a lot of my wifes friends that just throw babies wipes in the toilet.
I am not sure if they are Huggies Care Baby Wipes or a different brand, but it really doesn’t make a difference. Any brand will plug the toilet I imagine.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Berkley Jensen wipes. I will let my wifes friends know about them.
Yes, you can not flush all types of disposable wipes into a toilet and yet they look soft.
Thank you for Are Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes Flushable? – Alternate choices blog.
When you see with a label flushable, you think that can flush it into the toilet.
Some moms usually throw them into the toilet and get trouble of flooding the toilet.
Thank you, Bill, for the informative article.
Really interesting post. I never gave that much thought to flushing wipes down the toilet when my daughter was a baby. Personally I tucked the wipes in the used diaper and placed it in the Diaper Genie. I didn’t realize all the problems that could happen by flushing wipes down the toilet.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Good that someone has brought this issue up.
Do you remember the sage of ‘fat berg’ – a giant mass of tissues and wipes (which shouldn’t have been flushed!) which turned into this massive ball blockage in the sewers.
The sewer system in London is still primarily the original Victorian design which can’t really cope with the massively expanded population- we will have another fat berg on our hands if we don’t start using viable alternatives
Good read