Due to how similar paper towels and toilet paper look to one another, many people have repeatedly confused the two. People frequently mistake these toiletries for each other because they are both continuous daily necessities, and they fail to use them for their respective intended purposes.
Paper towels flushed down the toilet drain in place of toilet paper is one of the errors people have made. Ever been a victim yourself? Did you accidentally flush a paper towel and don’t know how to fix it? Don’t stop reading.
We will help you learn what to do if you mistakenly flushed a paper towel down the toilet in this blog post. We would also provide the best possibilities for resolving this issue and how well they function. So, to increase your knowledge of how to deal with circumstances like that, continue reading this blog post.
Paper towels should not be flushed down the toilet since doing so may cause a clog in the toilet drain pipe. The reason is that paper towels absorb moisture and do not degrade quickly when exposed to water, unlike toilet paper, which is thin and dissolves easily and faster in water.
Effects of flushing Paper Towels.
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Paper towels are made of cellulose, a ground-up plant substance that contains wood, cotton, and other plant compositions. However, unlike the sugar we consume, the cellulose molecules are true sugar, attracting water molecules and do not dissolve easily. Therefore, Paper towels are excellent at cleaning up liquid spills.
Paper towels are meant to be used only once and are disposable. They absorb water due to their loose weave, so water can pass through the fibers even when they are not supposed to. Like regular towels, they can be used for various tasks, including drying hands, wiping windows and other surfaces, dusting, and removing spills.
Compared to toilet paper, paper towels take longer to dissolve in water. As a result, if you flush them, your toilet may get clogged up, and you may not be able to flush through or experience other effects, such as:
1. Slow flushing
2. Odd gurgling sounds
3. Filthy mess on your floors
4. Expensive plumber repair charge
5. Foul odor from the toilet that could make the home uneasy.
Certainly, you can now see why paper towels should always be used for their intended functions and disposed of appropriately.
So then, how should you dispose of your paper towels?
Paper towels should be disposed of if they were used as a napkin or to clean surfaces. Place it in a plastic bag, tie it up, and put it in the trash. Endeavor not to discard this item loosely in your trash can. You could also burn them. However, it would be best if you exercised caution since paper towels contain chemicals and a particular coating that could be harmful to your health and the ecosystem.
Can a toilet be clogged with one paper towel?
A toilet won’t get clogged by one or two paper towels. They won’t dissolve and decompose as quickly as toilet paper, but the flush water will easily transport them down the sewer system. It also depends on the design of the toilet.
That factor makes one paper towel either harmful or insignificant. In cases where there isn’t enough force to push the paper towel out of the toilet, it can clog easily.
Nevertheless, you should never undervalue the influence of a single paper towel. As said earlier, Paper towels don’t disintegrate quickly in water, regardless of the quantity. However,
you may run out of toilet paper at home don’t up for paper towels to use the restroom.
What more options do you have? Of course, you can use paper towels, but never flush them down the toilet; instead, promptly dispose of them in the garbage.
Baby wipes or wet wipes are other options. The most crucial step is to put the wipes in the trash instead of flushing them down the toilet. Another simple method is entering the shower and cleaning everything up immediately.
A toilet seat bidet installation is also a very great option. A bidet is a basin or container one sits on to wash the anus, perineum, inner buttocks, and genitalia. Modern versions come with a drainage aperture and a piped water supply, making them plumbing fixtures that must adhere to regional hygiene standards. The bidet is used following urination and before and after sexual activity to promote personal cleanliness.
How to Remove Paper Towels from a Toilet Zinc
There are several ways to unclog your toilet way if a paper towel is stuck in it including the use of vinegar solution, hot water, or a plunger. In this guide, I will provide two major and easiest ways to dissolve paper towels along your toilet flush system.
- Use of Vinegar solution
There are several methods for getting rid of paper towels, but vinegar has often been recommended. How does this then work?
Paper towels will disintegrate in vinegar. Yes, the bonds in a paper towel can be destroyed by the vinegar’s acetic acid, a potent solvent, but it also needs to be mixed with heat to break the bonds properly.
Hot water and baking soda should be added if you plan to dissolve the paper towel using vinegar. By combining these two substances, you can cause the paper towels to dissolve in a fizzing reaction. These work well at tearing paper and assisting in flushing paper towels.
- Pour Hot water into the Toilet sink
You can also resort to pouring a gallon of hot water into the toilet. This is because, in hot water, the paper towel reacts quickly to dissolve and disintegrates the cellulose component of the paper towel. Scientifically, although cellulose won’t dissolve in ordinary water, it dissolves partially in the presence of hot water.
Therefore, you will need a large volume of hot water if you choose to dissolve the stuck paper towel with hot water.
- Use of Plunger
If the toilet drains slowly or you have a little clog, you can also use a plunger. The plunger draws and pushes air through the pipe. Plunge the toilet forcefully for about 5 minutes to clear the obstruction. The plunger clears the obstruction through the forced air exacting pressure on the water in the toilet which in turn forces the obstruction through the pipe to clear it.
CONCLUSION
Paper towels shouldn’t be flushed because they are difficult to dissolve in water. Remember that if you unintentionally flush it, hot water, a plunger, an auger, or vinegar can help clear the obstruction. However, please make an effort to always throw it away in the trash. The best treatment is prevention. Save yourself the anxiety that a clogged toilet would cause.
