What Type of Toilet Paper Should You Be Using?

If you want to avoid costly repairs or having to call your friendly plumbers to your rescue, it pays to know a bit about what type of toilet paper you should be using.

As common as clogs are for homeowners, it’s surprising that many don’t understand how something as simple as the kind of toilet paper can lead to needing plumbing repairs. We’ve got some tips to help you choose the best toilet paper for your system.

Why Toilet Paper Matters (the Wrong Type Can Clog Your Pipes)

It’s a fact – the type of toilet paper you use matters to your pipes. Most toilet paper contains wood pulp, which breaks down quickly in the sewer system and causes clogs.

Furthermore, it could be harming your septic tank. Septic tanks need room for drainage, so they don’t become overloaded and overflow into the ground around them. This can happen if too much wet material is flushed through.

Toilet Paper Factors

There are four main factors to consider when choosing your toilet paper.

How Fast it Dissolves

When we flush our toilets, those used sheets of toilet paper go down into our plumbing system and begin their slow journey to the wastewater treatment plant.

Unfortunately, this journey can take weeks or even months to complete as they travel along with all the other sewage in our pipes.

The result? Clogged drains and backed-up toilets causing flooding in your home.

Fast-dissolving toilet paper has been specially designed to travel through your pipes quickly and efficiently so that it doesn’t clog or cause blockages in your system.

Chlorine-Free

Chlorine-free toilet paper is made from recycled paper with no added chemicals or bleaches. Making this toilet paper involves mechanical and chemical processes that remove all impurities from the pulp before it becomes tissue. This process results in a completely natural product that is safe for your pipes and septic systems.

Strength

Toilet paper is made from long, thin sheets of paper. The number of sheets per roll is often called the ply. Toilet paper of a higher ply has more sheets and can be used for tougher jobs, such as cleaning up large messes. In general, the higher the ply, the stronger your toilet paper is. Ply count can also determine how “soft” the toilet paper is as well.

Eco-Friendly

Eco-friendly or recycled toilet paper may cost more than regular toilet paper, but it has less environmental impact than traditional brands. This means fewer trees are cut down to make paper products, and there’s less waste in landfills because of the recycled content used in these products.

Why Ply Matters

The best bathroom tissue for septic systems is single-ply toilet paper. It’s made from a single sheet of tissue that can be torn apart easily and flushed down the drain. Most other types of toilet paper are made from two or more sheets of tissue glued together, making it difficult for septic systems to flush them away quickly.

Toilet Paper That Can Hurt Your Plumbing System

We all know that using the wrong toilet paper can clog your pipes, but did you know that some types can damage the inner workings of your plumbing system?

Here are a few common types of toilet paper and what they can do to your plumbing –

The “Softest” Option

This is generally any brand that boasts about its softness. These brands use extra thick fibers to make their product softer. While this may sound appealing, it’s not good for your pipes or septic tank. The extra thickness means more material is flushed down the drain, leading to clogs and backups in your pipes and waste system.

Flushable Wipes

While the flushable wipe industry is booming, it has also caused some problems for homeowners. Even though they say they’re flushable, the wipes don’t break down like traditional toilet paper. This causes clogs meaning you need urgent plumbing maintenance.

3 or 4-ply Toilet Paper

You shouldn’t use 3 or 4-ply toilet roll in your toilet because it is too thick and can clog the pipes.

While 2-ply toilet paper will dissolve in a reasonable amount of time, if you use 3 or 4-ply toilet rolls, it will take longer for the water to flush everything away.

This means there is a chance that the pipe could become clogged, resulting in having to call out a plumber to unblock your drains.

The Best Type of Toilet Paper to Use

Several types of toilet paper are on the market today, and each has its own characteristics.

The best type of toilet paper to flush down your toilet is one that dissolves quickly and easily. The thinner, the better – 1-ply or 2-ply is perfect, especially if not too soft.

Even better, if you can use recycled toilet paper, you’ll also be taking care of the environment.

Need plumbing maintenance? Call the plumbing pros at Adeedo.