Many parents do not know how to dissolve baby wipes in a toilet – or if they should even try doing it in the first place. At a point in our lives, we are guilty of flushing down baby wipes down the drain. Or is there any innocent mother or caregiver in the room? Oh, no hands up!
Interestingly, when we buy baby wipes these days – especially from big convenient stores, we see brands that claim that their wipes are flushable. The big question is, are they really flushable, and even if they say it is, should we be flushing baby wipes?
In this article, we will be answering the questions surrounding the flushing of baby wipes and how we can dissolve wipes that are stuck in a clogged septic tank.
Surprised? Well, yeah, flushing baby wipes down the drain can lead to a clogged septic tank. Sit back and let’s work you through all you need to know – and more about flushing baby wipes. We will also look at how you can unclog a septic tank by dissolving baby wipes. If you are ready as we are, then let us get started.
Should You Flush Baby Wipes Down the Toilet?
I will save you the time of reading through long tests to decipher the answer to your question. Since this is a direct question – which I love so much, I will provide a direct answer.
No, you should not flush baby wipes down the toilet. Yes, even the ones that read ‘flushable’.
According to reports across the globe, baby wipes are causing more harm than you can possibly imagine to plumbing systems in the home and drainage facilities. This poses a bigger threat than it looks, because it endangers the safety and comfort of the public.
Researchers and experts advice that mothers or caregivers should not flush baby wipes down the toilet. Yes, even modern products which the manufacturers term as flushable, disposable, or biodegradable.
Also Read: What to Do When your Baby Drinks Dish Soap
Why Should You Avoid Flushing Baby Wipes in Toilet
Now, let’s get this straightened out nice and for all. There is no such thing as a flushable or biodegradable baby wipe. So, let us get that straight into our heads as we advance and act more carefully when disposing of these baby wipes.
When you flush a baby wipe in a toilet, you have every right to be concerned. This is because these baby wipes do not dissolve or break down in the water. Unlike regular tissue papers, they do not dissolve and can clog up plumbing systems in the home.
Note that I said regular tissues because not all tissues are meant to be flushed also. These wipes also cause more damage than clogging up the plumbing systems in the home. They can cause severe damage to the facilities and pipes at treatment plants, hospitals, facilities, and factories.
How to Dissolve Baby Wipes in Toilet
Yes, it happens. There are times when you must have made the mistake of flushing baby wipes down the drain, and you are thinking of dissolving it.
Well, let me not deceive you. All the information you find on the internet about missing baking soda and other substances to flush baby wipes are hardly true. Again, I am speaking from experience and have tried over a dozen of those procedures to no effect.
Baby wipes are highly resistant and manufactured to be durable, so they do not dissolve in water and hardly react to a chemical. Someone even recommended bleach, but trust me when I say this didn’t work either.
If you are thinking of something more dissolving like acid, then you should also be aware that this would destroy your toilet pipes also. So, it is not even worth trying. So, what can be done?
First things first, as mothers and caregivers, we need to do everything we can to prevent flushing baby wipes. You should have a plastic bag beside you where you dispose of used baby wipes. So, your rule of thumb is to dispose of the wipes in the plastic bag, not in the toilet.
What can you do after you have accidentally flushed baby wipes down the toilet, especially when the toilet is clogged? The best advice is to try to unclog the toilet. Want to know how to unclog a toilet? Sit tight, and you’d find out!
How to Unclog a Toilet Blocked With Baby Wipes
Call me a serial baby wipes flusher if you like. I have had to carry out the procedures of unclogging a toilet blocked with baby wipes many times.
In fact, I can tell you for free that I am a master at it now, so you are in safe hands if you wish to learn how to unclog a toilet blocked with baby wipes.
Below, we have highlighted the top 5 solutions to unclog a toilet that has been blocked with baby wipes.
4 Solutions to Consider to Unclog a Toilet Blocked with Baby Wipes
1. Make Use of Your Hands
Yes, you just read right. Hands in the toilet? Oh yeah! It may not be pretty, but trust me when I say it is ‘pretty effective.’ I have carried out this procedure countless times. All you need to do is wear long protective gloves and dip them in.
Once you put your fingers down, try to catch a tip of the baby wipe and pinch it up. First, it is advisable that you first try to remove as much water as possible from the toilet before attempting this.
You can drain the water with a small cup-like container before putting your fingers in. hopefully, you are able to pick out the baby wipe, and your toilet gets back to normal again.
2. Use a Dish Washer or Liquid Soap
Yes, you can unclog a blocked toilet by lubricating the toilet with dish washing soap. As you would notice, we are making an emphasis on dish washing liquid soap. This is because this type of soap contains compounds that help to reduce the surface tension of water molecules.
To make this work, apply the liquid dish washing soap into the toilet and allow it to lubricate down the drain. It will ease into the spaces between the baby wipes causing the clog, and will enable them to flow down easily.
You need to ensure that you have poured enough dishwashing liquid into the toilet bowl until it covers the surface inside the toilet bowl. Then pour a bucket of hot water into the toilet bowl to soak the clog and push it down the drain.
From experience, I found out that this procedure is not always effective. Also, I’m not too fond of the idea of pushing clogs down the drain. But if you have the time and dishwashing soap to spare, you can try it out.
3. Get a Plunger to Do the Work for You
Yes, we totally agree! This is more convenient – although there is not a high level of guarantee that it will get the job done. On many occasions, we never get to use our toilet plungers ever; here is one thing we can actually use them for.
You may ask, why should I use my hands when I can easily use a plunger? Well, the issue with plungers is that they have the tendency to push things down the drain more than they have to pull them up.
For wipes, we want them up but pushed down. But will it clear the clog caused by baby wipes? The answer is yes. If your goal is to clear the toilet, whether by pushing the baby wipes down or pulling it up, then a plunger is your tool.
However, you must note that unlike when using the hand method, the toilet should have water in it. This makes the push and pulls routine of the plunger more effective. It would be best if you repeated the routine multiple times until you hear the water in the toilet running freely.
The toilet should be wet enough for the plunger to seal properly. You should press the plunger so its rim fits tightly under the toilet bowl’s rim. Push and pull it a couple of times to release trapped air and create pressure that will try to unclog your toilet.
4. Call the Attention of a Professional
Note, by professional, I mean a plumber! Not your neighbor or friend! You have to admit that there are sometimes, you have no choice but to spend some money to get things done.
If you have tried one of two self-remedy methods and still have issues with the clog in your toilet, you need to call a qualified plumber. Although this may cost you more than you anticipated – it always does! At least you will be able to solve the situation at hand.
There are some times when the issues with a clogged toilet from baby wipes need expert intervention. This could be due to the position of the baby wipes or as a result of too many baby wipes in the urinary system.
Also Read: When Can Baby Drink Distilled Water
How Many Baby Wipes Will Clog the Toilet?
Although this is a very interesting question, I am sorry to inform you that it doesn’t have an interesting or straightforward answer. One or two baby wipes may not look like a lot, but it is still not advisable to throw any baby wipes down your toilet drain. One reason for this is that you do not know the current condition of your toilet, and one baby wipe could make matters worse.
There is no way we can determine or advise on how many baby wipes can clog a toilet. So, it is best not to take the risk and resist the temptation of throwing one down the drain.
In a situation where you throw one down by mistake, be sure to try your best to take it out before it starts forming a clog in the toilet.
Will Bleach Dissolve Baby Wipes?
If you are someone who asks questions around a lot, you must have been told that bleach can dissolve the baby wipes that have formed a clog in your toilet.
Well, sorry to kill your hopes, this is not true. Bleach cannot dissolve baby wipes. These baby wipes are manufactured to be durable and absorb different types of compounds.
Also, do not forget that they are medically treated with chemicals and antiseptic to help clean the body adequately. So, bleach has very little or no effect on baby wipes.
Will Sulfuric Acid Dissolve Baby Wipes?
In reality, yes, depending on its concentration, sulfuric acid may be able to dissolve the baby wipes. But you also have to consider the pipes of your urinary system.
While trying to dissolve the clog in your toilet caused by baby wipes, you also need to remember that the acid can have an adverse effect on your pipes and urinary system.
So, it is advisable that you do not try to use acid to dissolve a clog in your toilet caused by baby wipes. If all other home remedies do not work, consult the help of a professional plumber.
Frequently Asked Questions On How to Dissolve Baby Wipes in Toilet
Question 1: What dissolves baby wipes in the toilet?
Answer: Only acid has the potential of dissolving baby wipes in a toilet, but this is highly not advisable because it can cause bodily harm and also destroy the urinary system.
Question 2: Do baby wipes clog up the toilet?
Answer: The answer is yes. Baby wipes can clog up the toilet and cause a lot of harm.
Question 3: How long do baby wipes take to clog a toilet?
Answer: The effect can be immediately, especially since you may not be aware of the condition of the toilet. Or if there are other baby wipes settled in the urinary system before.
Conclusion
Sometimes, we flush the baby wipes down the drain by mistake or unconsciously. I have been a victim of this more times than I can remember – I admit. Also, there is a strong possibility of this occurrence if you have older kids in the house. Yes, those guys can flush down the entire house down the drain if you let them.
So, the best option is to remain vigilant and, as we mentioned in the article, have a provision for the disposal of baby wipes.
