Toilets and sewer pipes are engineered for exactly three things: human waste and toilet paper. Toilet paper is designed to break down in seconds. Nothing else you might flush behaves that way.
The worst offenders we find in blocked drains:
- Wet wipes — including every brand labelled "flushable". They do not break down; they knit together into ropes and combine with fat to form solid masses. Water utilities across Australia consistently name wipes as a leading cause of network blockages.
- Paper towel and tissues — designed to stay strong when wet, which is exactly the wrong property in a sewer.
- Feminine hygiene products — designed to absorb and expand.
- Cotton buds, dental floss, hair — snag on any rough edge and net other debris.
- Nappies and nappy liners — even "biodegradable" liners need composting conditions, not a pipe.
In an older drain with roots or a rough joint, a single packet of wipes can create a full blockage. In a sound drain, the wipes often make it as far as the network pump station, where they contribute to fatbergs and pump failures.
The simple rule: if it is not the three Ps, bin it. Keep a small bin in every bathroom and the problem largely disappears.