To think you should not put baby wipes down someone else's toilet?

[LiegeAndLief]

This going to be massively identifiable if the culprit is an MNer, but anyway...

We have a downstairs toilet with a macerator on it. I had a friend round with a potty training toddler who had an accident, so she went to the downstairs toilet to clean her up. Later that evening, I discovered that the toilet was backed up and the macerator wasn't working. There was a suspicious looking wipe floating in the toilet.

Dh and I tried to unblock it but had to call in a plumber, who has just left (with a large chunk of cash). There was what looked like half a packet of baby wipes in there. Not even flushable wipes, proper tough Johnson's type baby wipes. Some of them have been pulled through into the motor and it's fucked. Going to have to get a completely new macerator at exorbitant cost.

I'm really cross with myself for not mentioning that you can't put anything but toilet paper into a macerator, but really, would you put a whole load of actual baby wipes down someone else's toilet? Or even your own?! My friend is lovely and has done lots for us and I can't bring myself to mention this to her but I am just so frustrated.

[LiegeAndLief]

Annoying?! £600 worth of really fucking annoying! However, I have a had a drink now and calmed down a little. I appreciate that it really was my fault for not making it clear, I'm angry with myself really, not my friend.

I'm surprised by the number of people who think it's not a problem to flush baby wipes - it would honestly have never occurred to me to do it, but I couldn't tell you why, it just seems wrong! Makes me realise I really would be BU to pin any of this on my friend. Also pleased there are other people who would never have thought to say not to flush the wipes, makes me feel less stupid!

[earlgray]

I saw a sign that said 'do not put anything down this toilet that you haven't eaten first (except toilet paper)'. Does the trick!
I don't think you need to explain exactly what happened or how much it cost, just say it needed unblocking.

[LiegeAndLief]

Just want to make it clear though that they were def not flushable wipes, they were proper baby wipes.

[DipMeInChocolate]

I accidentally put a tampon down a saniflow at my boyfriends parents house when I stayed over one night. I didn't know it was a special toilet. It was humiliating when he had to tell his parents. They're now my PILs so I'm hopefully forgiven.

[Kikibee]

We rent out a holiday home and actually have a contract that has to be signed saying that visitors scan only put loo paper down the loo or they will be liable for plumbing bills, seems to work

Our neighbour at home has been known to block drains with disposable nappies and/or sanitary towels

[quoteunquote]

I've experimented with lots of design solutions to the problem of people flushing things they shouldn't ,

By far the best solution is bins, easy to use, large bins, swing lids, large and in all places people are with items that should not be flushed,

Small bins up high, next to shelves, and big bins in easy reach, clean empty and fresh.

the things that should't be flushed, are things that people are repelled by, they think yuck and want rid as quickly as possible, if the quickest option is the loo that is what they do,

The only cure to solve the flushing habits of the unwatched, is make it easier to put in the bin than in the loo.

[Retroformica]

Say it in an unknowing way ' ooh, don't put any wipes down the loo will you, we've had lots of problems with the masarater loo and have to tell everyone t it to put things down it'

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

I have another question (bit gross - sorry!) - I often wipe myself with various creams on toilet paper as I get terrible thrush and I flush the toilet paper. Is that bad too?

[Terrortree]

I had a poo explosion from a pipe that crosses my garden, I've was astonished by what came out: sanitary towels, tampons, wet wipes, condoms and socks. SOCKS! It took two days for the water company to clean it all up, and they said it was usual to find all these things although utterly unacceptable.

Plants have grown lovely this year.

Also had someone put a tampon in my macerating loo. Husband was not amused.

[AveryJessup]

How bizarre! When has your friend ever put baby wipes down the toilet and had that work out well?? If she does it at home her loo must get blocked constantly. Everyone knows you can't put wipes down the loo, even flushable wipes aren't ideal but normal wipes are a definite no-no.

You should mention it to her. It might at least make her remember to carry nappy / bin bags with her at all times while she's potty-training.

[kali110]

Socks????

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Are there any baby wipes at all that claim to be flushable?

[bumperella]

candycoated - nope, would imagine all creams wold be fine. We've a septic tank and I'd not worry about that type of thing. My parents used to have a "mystery outflow" (ahem) - basically, it went into a burn (stream) but they didn't enquire to closely, but when they had it all upgraded were told they shouldn't have been wee-ing/pooing into it if they were on anti-biotics! Weird.

[Saffyz]

Are there any baby wipes at all that claim to be flushable?

Earth Friendly Kids

Beaming Baby

Kandoo

Jackson Reece

[MrsMook]

Even if it claims to be flushable, it's still a bad idea for the reasons given up-thread. I know someone caught out by "flushable" nappy liners. They might disappear with the flush, but they don't break down.

As a child, we had a big blockage that was mainly caused by ciggerette butts and ash (my bother and his mates) and hair (my mum). A bad combination.

[MmmmWhiteWine]

Ok....having read this thread, I'm now embarrassed to admit that I always flush tampons and want to ask what do you do with tampons when you remove them? Leave them seeping in a bin? Bag them individually and take them to the outside bin right away?

[olidusUrsus]

Horry so you should bin paper you've used to wipe wee with and not flush it because it's damp?

[FatimaLovesBread]

olidus No 'moist toilet tissue' as in the wet wipes type you can buy can't be flushed. Toilet paper that is made moist by your wee is fine to flush

[HorryIsUpduffed]

What Fatima said. Wet toilet paper isn't the same as Moist Toilet Tissue..

[earlgray]

Mmmm, I rented a house with a septic tank and had to get used to managing that. Tbh and probably tmi I half remove it and then collect it in a thickish wad of tissue, wrap it well and just put that in the bin, didn't need nappy bag etc but I did empty the bin frequently. Worst problem we found was the dogs reaction! We had to always keep bathroom door shut that week!

[krasnayaploshad]

I'd like to add in the other reason why only wee, poo & toilet paper should go down the toilet. If any of those other items (baby wipes, tampons etc) make it through the pipes, sewage treatment works can't handle them.
Sewage treatment plants are set up for treating water & removing human waste, they aren't designed to breakdown baby wipes, tampons etc.

OP, for the environment's sake, please tell your friend that she can't flush anything but toilet paper & human waste. Regardless of what type of toilet it is.

[DizzyPurple]

Just (well dd is and i'm in the room) watching CBeebies whilst reading this. The presenter said "what's that doing there?" So I looked up expecting to find something nasty relating to this thread! Thankfully not..

[olidusUrsus]

Ah I see! Sorry, I am not an expert in the types of toilet tissue from your earlier posts it just seemed like wet = bad.

[MrsKoala]

This seems to be something i only discovered on MN. It would never have occurred to me not to flush things like that before i came on here. All those people saying it's obvious and how could you not know, how would you know if someone had never told you? I was always told to flush my tampons etc. What do you do with them if you don't flush them? They must stink in your bin. And when i visit peoples houses am i supposed to put a blood soaked tampon or shit smeared wet wipe in an open wicker bin in their bathroom?