How to Keep Toilet Sewer Clear

Purpose

• Toilet paper, human body waste and water are acceptable for flushing down your toilet, according to the Seattle Public Health Department. It is not OK to use the toilet as a general wastebasket. Flushing foreign objects such as personal hygiene products can clog your toilet sewer. Necessary bacteria in the sewer system can be destroyed by certain objects flushed down your toilet. The sewer depends on so-called “good” bacteria to help with eliminating human waste.

Education

• Teach everyone in your house about the importance of keeping the toilet sewer clean. Children should be taught never to place garbage in the toilet. Adults in the house should also be told not to place inappropriate items in the toilet. The City of Minneapolis reports that some people use toilets as dumps for coffee grounds, kitty litter and even used motor oil. A rule of thumb is that nothing should be placed in the toilet that does not naturally dissolve.

Rats

• Rats in search of food can climb out of the toilet sewer area and into your bowl, according to Sewer Smart, an online consumer information publication. That should be all the motivation anyone needs for keeping the toilet sewer area clear. Keep as much food out of the overall sewer or septic tank system as possible by not flushing food down the toilet. Also use garbage disposals infrequently. It’s better to place food scraps outside in tightly secured garbage containers. Place used cooking oil in the garbage as well, and avoid pouring any down the drain. Don’t panic if you do find a rat in the toilet. Simply flush it back into the sewer.

Backflow Prevention Devices

• Plumbers can install special back-flow prevention devices that could stop a sewage backup from entering your house. Some of the devices are cone-shaped and simply halt the flow of waste attempting to enter your basement, garage or living quarters. Plumbers provide emergency service for sewer backups but you can also tackle the job yourself. Home improvement stores and rental tool companies rent tools for unclogging toiler sewer lines. For example, a toilet auger can reach 6 feet into the sewer after you stick it into your toilet. From there you can manually manipulate the device to clear any blockage.