In recent years, ‘
flushable wipes’ has become a new favourite for household cleaning due to its convenience, but the controversy of ‘will flushable wipes block the toilet’ always exists. This article from the product standards, decomposition experiments, pipeline risk of three dimensions of in-depth analysis, teach you to avoid the bathroom "water flooding" hidden danger.
I.can flush dispersible wipes ≠ 100% safe flush toilet? The industry standard is revealed
The GD4 standard set by the International Nonwovens Association (INDA) stipulates that dispersible wipes need to be dispersed under laboratory conditions:
Completely dispersed within 1 hour in the mixing test
Passed through a simulated pipeline system in the pumping test
Biodegradation degree of 60% or more
However, the reality is complicated:
old municipal pipes: more than 30% of residential areas use cast iron pipes over 20 years old, and the inner wall corrosion is easy to hang up the fibres;
mixing of multiple items: combined with grease, hair, etc. to form "wet wipes stones";
insufficient soaking time: only 10 seconds of flushing can not meet the demand for decomposition;
II.4 real test wet wipes whether really "can be flushed"
shaking test: shaking wipes, quality products will naturally break into floc
hydrostatic decomposition: soak the wipes in a cup of warm water, should be completely loose within 30 minutes
stirring experiment: chopsticks to stir quickly, to observe whether the complete decomposition of the lump-free
III.the authority warned: these situations are strictly prohibited to flush wet wipes!
Scenarios
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Risk Level
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Alternatives
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Septic System
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⚠️ High Risk
|
Seal bag and dispose of in the bin
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Low Water Pressure Toilet
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⚠️ Medium to High Risk
|
Upgrade to 6L per flush Water Saving Toilet
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Rainy Season Drainage Peak
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⚠️ Medium Risk
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Stagger use and have it serviced in a timely manner
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Areas with Tree Roots intruding into the pipeline
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⚠️ High Risk
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Yearly Pipeline Borescope Inspection
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IV.3 guidelines for the correct use of flushable wipes
Single flush: avoid stacking multiple wipes to increase the risk of clogging
Post-flush observation: wait for 2 minutes after flushing on first use to make sure that there is no reflux before leaving
Regular maintenance: clean the pipes with enzyme disintegrant every month to dissolve residual fibres
V. Controversy QA
Q: Which is safer, flushable wipes or toilet paper?
A: Experimental data show that:
Toilet paper starts to decompose in 4 seconds and dissolves completely in 2 minutes
Flushable wipes take 5-7 minutes to decompose, and the amount of residual fibre is 3 times higher.
VI.Conclusion
The safety of flushable wipes depends on the quality of the product, the condition of the pipeline and the usage habits. Consumers are advised to prefer brands with clearly labelled decomposition times. When clogging occurs, use plumbing enzymes instead of chemical solvents immediately to avoid corrosion of the pipes causing more damage, click for a free sample.
