There are many things you shouldn’t put in the toilet when you have a clog – from toys to cotton balls, there is a lot out there that you shouldn’t be putting in your pipes. But what about chewing gum? Is it possible to flush this in the toilet?
Can You Flush Chewing Gum Down The Toilet?
Flushing an adhesive thing like chewing gum down the toilet is not a good idea at all. In fact, it will be a mistake as the gum is sticky and insoluble which may lead to clogging of your pipes. It will very easily stick to the outlet pipes of your toilet. It may result in some major problems to the system down the pipeline as the chewing gum will never dissolve or disintegrate.
Is it possible to dispose chewing gum?
The difference in the types of gum determines how it should be disposed of. Fruit-flavored gum can be thrown in the trash. Some people believe that chewing gum is biodegradable, but it’s actually not. The material is primarily synthetic rubber, so it will take years to decompose.
Is it OK to flush a small portion of chewing gum down the toilet?
It’s not recommended to flush chewing gum down the toilet. Small pieces of the gum will stick to the inside of your plumbing, causing clogs. Gum can also dissolve in water causing it to expand, which will cause more problems. It’s best just to throw it away in a trash can or other paper receptacle.
What is the alternative for the disposal of chewing gum?
The best way to dispose of chewing gum is to put it in a sealable plastic bag and throw it in the trash. The next best thing is to take the wrapper off of the gum and let it dry out, then throw it away. Most people know that they can’t flush chewing gum down the toilet because it clogs up toilets.
Does every country have rules for disposing of chewing gum?
In the United States, chewing gum is not usually allowed to be flushed down the toilet. In fact, it is illegal in some places because it can lead to clogging which can cause a lot of damage. In many other countries though, chewing gum is typically not considered a problem and can be put in trash cans or thrown away in any other appropriate place.
What Should You Not Throw Down The Toilet?
In order to avoid clogging the pipes of your toilet and consequently incurring some costly repairs, you should abstain from throwing certain things down the drain. Some of these common items are hairs, dental floss, cigarette butts, bandages, feminine products, medications and other hazardous materials, fats, oils, or cheese, cotton balls, rounds or swabs, paper towels, and kitty litter, etc.
What Can Be Flushed Down The Toilet?
Modern toilets are designed to take care of human waste but they are not convenient in disposing of all kinds of household items. So, if you flush these items in the toilet, it can result in clogging of the pipes of your drain, contaminate the system of water of your toilet and also cause damage to the environment of your home. It is highly recommended to use trash cans. What can be flushed down the toilet?
The shortest possible answer to this question is that you should throw things as little as possible down the toilet. Adhesive and hazardous substances should not be flushed to keep the toilet clean and avoid unnecessary risk of facing issues like clogging of pipes. Please stick to the basics and flush only human wastes and toilet paper down the drain.
Can You Flush Chewed Food Down The Toilet?
Food does not fall apart to pieces as fast and easily as human waste and toilet paper. So there is a considerable risk of clogging your sewer pipeline which may result in backing up raw sewage in your home if you flush food scraps down the toilet. Therefore, it is not recommended to throw chewed food down the toilet.
Can Shave In The Shower Clog The Drain Of The Toilet?
Many men prefer to shave in the shower as it is convenient as well as comfortable. However, it has to be kept in mind that shaving in the shower can clog the drain of your toilet too. While the hair of heads, especially the longer hairs of women, is most likely to cause inconvenience to your system, even the shorter hairs from your face and legs can also cause trouble to the toilet drain.
Affect of Chewing Gum On Human Body
However, there are some limitations that you should know about. For one, if you chew gum on a regular basis, your body will become accustomed to it and may not function normally without it. Secondly, if you chew gum with artificial sweeteners in it, these sugars can bind to the gum and make it more difficult for the sewage system to process.
Final Words
Now that we already know flushing gum down the toilet is not the right thing to do, the question which arises is how to dispose it of. The best way is, of course, to throw the chewing gum in a gumdrop bin. It will not only keep the streets clean but we all know the difficulty in removing gum from shoes or clothes once it gets stuck not to mention of getting rid of the same from the hair.
