Is It Safe To Flust Q-Tips?

Question

Is it safe to flush down Q-tips? My mom said that you should so they don't stink, but are they safe for the environment?

Answer 1

I don't think it would be a good idea to flush Q-tips.  They could cause a problem in your soil pipe, as well as your septic tank.  I don't think it is as much an environmental problem as a plumbing problem.

Answer 2

WTF how does a q tip stink what are you using these for? Do you have piles that need "flust"?

Answer 3

PLEASE don't flush them! they are made of plastic & cotton. plastic is not biodegradable & will pollute the planet. if they stink try putting them in a ziplock baggie & then put the baggie in with the rest of your recyclable plastics.

have-a-loving-day!

Answer 4

No. I have been in the plumbing business for 10 years and that is not a good practice. The plastic gets caught and the material swells up and impedes the normal, (gravity) flow to the sewer system. Even worse in apartment buildings where collection drains accomodate multiple dwellings. Your basic trashcan or dumpster is the way to go.

Answer 5

Q-Tips are made out of two types of materials:

-paper

-cotton

Both are natural materials, which means they do biodegrade over time. However, Q-Tips aren't as environmentally friendly as tissue paper. They can stick around for long periods of time in the environment.

Also, I would advise never throwing any object larger than 1 inch in a toilet, because it can get lodged (stuck) inside a pipe somewhere. Imagine that somehow it gets stuck, and as you flush more Q-Tips and tissue paper, it builds up a lot of gunk and junk- sort of like a Beaver dam inside your pipes.

Not a happy scenario.

So to answer you: It's not that you are destroying the environment per se. You are simply destroying your drain pipes, or putting them at risk.

I advise you to just throw the Q-Tips in the trash.

I am a bit puzzled as to why they would smell so bad. What would you be doing with them- other than swabbing your earwax? Even really gunky, yellowy earwax isnt that foul smelling. Besides, it's not like you are throwing away used toilet paper- eww.

Just throw them in the trash. Trust me, they won't stink up your bathroom.  And your mom should be less concerned with that, it's one of the least important sources of bad smells in a bathroom lol. Focus on other problem areas of the bathroom lol.

Answer 6

How do Q tips stink? You should not put anything down the toilet but toilet paper.Dental floss causes a lot of problems from clogging to problems at the water reclamation plant.If the Q tips are plastic that's worse.

Answer 7

Sure, it's okay for the environment...they are made of simple substances that can break down rather quickly...but the better question is...is it safe for your plumbing system.

I would guess no, but that's just me. I parents wouldn't like it if I flushed them. They could get stuck and eventually lead to clogging of the tubes.

If it's the environment you're worried about, no, it's fine.

Answer 8

Do not flush anything that you have not eaten first. You risk clogging the sewer lines and, even if the swab makes it all the way to the sewage treatment plant, it will have to be fished out. Put the swabs out with the rest of the garbage.

Answer 9

I'm Not Sure about that.....