Flushable Wipes - Do They Disintegrate?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- www.AsktheBuild... founder, Tim Carter, performs a real test on flushable wipes. Read his column FIRST: www.askthebuil...
Some flushable wipes look perfect when they get to your septic tank or city sewer connection. A simulated bowel movement is also shown in this video. Army men are also subjected to a flush as are Lego toys and underwear.
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
Only type what you'd want your mom to see. Lewd and crude comments won't see daylight here.
Ask the Builder Thank you for putting word out. Here in the UK, there has been very little on msm concerning wipes and quilted tissue.
We once had a cafe/restaurant. The landlords upstairs tenant had a baby and somehow flushed disposable nappies. No idea how she got them to go around the bends. Maybe she physically pushed them as far as she could. We couldn't close the business and wait for the landlord to come, see and send a plumber so ended up paying three times for the pipe to be unblocked.
I think quite a few people really do need it shown to them as you have done here.
Can you test more wipes to see if there is one that safe for flushing?
@@amandam5845 No I can't. I took down the test apparatus so I could get in and out of the garage with my car and truck. There's NO NEED to test others. Didn't you have the same reaction after watching the video I did? The *flushable* wipes do NOT break down in your sewer line. Why would you ever consider flushing any of them? Just follow my advice at the end of the video. BUY whatever flushable wipe you want, use them on your bum, and put them in some type of garbage container that isn't disgusting so you see the soiled wipes.
You forgot Equate Flushable wipes
I wish you had tested tissue paper: tissues that people wipe their noses with.
Excellent testing. Here's the difference between lab testing and a real plumber who has worked and does this for years. Great job Mr. Carter!
I would argue that the test could be slightly improved. Each 'test paper' should have been allowed to sit in the water for 1 minute before being flushed to simulate reality.
@@wuddadid do you let toilet paper just sit for a minute before you flush?
Anyone who takes the time to set up a toilet atop of a baker scaffold to make a point deserves my attention and respect. I didn't know until NOW that flushable wipes were such an issue. Guess I've been too busy installing electric vehicle chargers to notice.
Thanks. This was a two-day project. I spent many hours both pre and post-production to share the truth with you. I could have flushed so much more, but I think the point is clear. Go here to get even more information: www.askthebuilder.com/flushable-wipes-clog-sewer/ and www.askthebuilder.com/responsible-flushing-alliance-letter-to-askthebuilder-com/
As a wastewater treatment plant employee, I couldn’t be happier to see this message shared as far and wide as possible. Thank you Mr. Carter. Our industry has been fighting these things since they came on the market. When we try to develop guidelines or have “flushable” removed, American manufacturers fight tooth and nail or argue we’re infringing their freedom of speech. It’s a nightmare. Only truly disintegrating wipes come from overseas.
You're welcome, Chris. You can HELP share it. Contact your trade association. Perhaps there's a Sewer System trade magazine. Reach out to the editor and tell her/him about the video. Editors are ALWAYS looking for ideas and leads about new content. Call up your local TV news stations and make the consumer reporter aware of this video. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and reference the title of the video. You speak from a position of AUTHORITY as a wastewater treatment plant employee and the news outlets will listen to you.
Why can't we get truly disintegrating wipes like you say they have overseas, over here?
Another example of how the most important thing in the US is corporations' ability to make money unencumbered by regulations or oversight.
@Chris Desiderati what are they and where can we get them?
@@ChristineSolazzo Certainly not in the UK, as "The Drain Unblockers" of Mersey Rod in Northwest United Kingdom battle with wipes so ginormous sometimes they look like kitchen towels. They have a TH-cam Channel, check out their views on wipes... hint:: they don't belong in toilets.
The reason I'm so fuss-buckety about this topic is how it cost time & effort in my own home. Elders appreciate wipes, and use them like toilet paper... so, I've seen and lived the damage. It's just not worth it, as my $3500 septic tank bill will prove. Finally got my Mom on board when the entire drain field in the lawn had to be dug up.
I'm actually watching a dude flushing paper towels over and over again.
Fun stuff. 😂
@eternal footman chill dude
@eternal footman dude? Are you kidding me ?
@eternal footman how is it rude
😆 🤣 that was funny 😄
Right, even more fun while on the john watching this 😳 I mean.. recliner... saved it!
I don't know how I ended up here...but it kept my intrest, so good job!
Maybe it's my mustache??? :-) If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
A friend’s habit of flushing napkins and paper towels brought me here. A recent issue they had has prompted me to study flushable wipes and see how worth it they are to flush down the toilet.
Thanks for bringing awareness of this problem. I was interested in flushable wipes because there was a compressed towel version I was interested in at Amazon. So I bought it and did a simpler version of your test. I just filled a jar with water and then decompressed the towel and put it in the jar. I waited a few hours - it didn't decompose. I waited a day - nope, not yet. I checked it EVERY DAY for TEN DAYS and it didn't decompose AT ALL! I mean, I even shook it to see if that would help! NOPE! And it was said to be FLUSHABLE! So I just gave on the idea that I can flush this in the event that I'd come across a public bathroom that ran out of toilet paper. I'll just use it, put it in a bag and throw it away in the trash bin. Thanks again for this very helpful video!
just cuz u put it in water dont mean its gonna break up lmao what makes it break up is the pump it has to pass through that grinds up the sewage and plus the miles of flowing water pipes it has to go through
@@drsauce2574 Where's the 🤣😂🤣😅🤣😂 button???
Great idea Melody. 💡 Shaking it up was a recreation of all the pipes it might go thru.
I did the same test with the Cottonelle wipes today, and waited 5 minutes until I went back to the jar. Interestingly, it started breaking up even before I picked the jar up. I shook the jar, and the wipe fell apart inside it pretty easily. I've never tested any other wipe like this, however.
Very informative video thank you.
I've bought flushable wipes on a number of occasions but never threw even one of them in the toilet out of fear of causing a blockage.
Representative from the Responsible Flushing Council shows up at 6:28
😂
BWAHAHAHAH Forgot to tell my wife to keep it quiet as I walked up to the rolling camera. ;-)
The cottonelle wipes actually disintegrate completely by themselves, leave it in the bowl overnight and look at it in the morning.
That's great. Few let TP or wipes sit in a toilet all night and then flush. The point of the video is to show they've not disintegrated by the time they reach the sewer line or septic tank. If your building drain is obstructed, these will CLOG it. Read many of the other comments where people have paid LOTS of money to get clogs unstuck.
My septic company told me to never use Charmin toilet paper in a septic system: your test results show why.
About 20 years ago, my mother had a clog at her house. On a septic tank! I had to have a company come out and pump the tank. The findings: Hundreds and hundreds of unbroken down wipes were still stuck to everything in there, and eventually clogged up the effluent pipe! I personally tested them myself, later on. By putting a wipe or two in a jar of plain water. I left it on the kitchen counter where I could see it. I'd agitate it about once a day just by tilting the jar. After a week, it was still not broken down. Imagine flushing these daily, you'll see how quickly they can add up!
William Prah WHO on earth develops such things? And what sort of manufacturer owners sell them? Amazes me they can get away with it.
You realize they've changed their design since 20 years ago? The Cottonelle one that broke down in this test has been made even more flimsy since the test date.
Clogs happen. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
There is bacteria in a septic tank to help break them down, that you won't have in your water jar for testing
@@angebrowne1730 baby wipes have been around for ages, and thankfully so. Imagine giving your child a massive rash and having them walk around with remnants of their waste on their skin just because you're against the use of wipes.
Nice demonstration, all the more relevant now with the COVID situation and people flushing disinfecting wipes (which are not even meant to break down). As a professional engineer who works in the municipal wastewater realm, I can attest that the problem doesn't stop at your home plumbing. Taxpayer dollars are regularly spent to unclog sewer lines, unclog sewer pumps, replace/upgrade sewer pumps, and screen these materials out at the treatment plant so they can go to the landfill where they belong. Feminine products are also another big culprit. Best rule of thumb: if it's not toilet paper or something your body produced it should go in the trash, not the toilet.
I survived Covid. The survival rate is 98.4%. Why is everyone so worried about it? The common flu has a similar survival rate. I'm confused!!!
@@askthebuilder , no shade to you, but a 1.6% fatality rate means an *extra* 5,312,000 US deaths that are.. unnecessary [US pop currently ~ 332,000,000 people]; a significant number to add to all the usual fatalities [significant to me, anyway]. Not looking for an argument; just sayin'..
Bro that was a huge simulated dump
It was exactly what the Maximum Performance test labs said to make. I thought the same thing as I kept weighing more soybean paste, "Wow, this is enormous!"
@@askthebuilder Australia this year got hit hard with Flushable wipes (not flushable in very small print). Causing huge issues for the poor people who had to fix this 3-4 times a week. Now i live in a small state called Tasmania (Australia). our local guys was working on the small pumping station only about 10 doors up. They spent a good few days pumping this crap out of the system. In the end our waste treatment put Adds on Tv asking people not to use them.
Outstanding investigation and I don't know how this video doesn't already have millions of views. Bottom line, if you use wet wipes, flush at your own risk.
I wonder too why it doesn't have more views. See if you can start to pass it around all your contacts and urge THEM to pass it along. Thanks.
Great video. My husband said you look like "Ralphie" from Christmas Story. :)
Denise, your husband is right. He's not the first nor the last to make the comparison. I'd LOVE to meet that actor in person to see how much we look alike now.
Interesting video. I really like how the Cottonelle wipe really starts to break down. I feel like it would be ripped apart when other things are added in there with it to. Also, sooo many people seem to think baby wipes and flushable wipes are the same thing. They aren't, and the fda put heavy fines and stricter guidelines on wipe manufacturers some years ago for causing extensive damage to city systems. Everything now has to meet certain requirements for city sewage use. That does not include septic systems though. They do design wipes that are septic safe and breakdown very easily. Parents have used wipes on their septic now for 13ish years now without any issues caused from them. Just do your research before throwing any wipe down the pipe!
Yes! This is the problem!!! Baby wipes can’t and shouldn’t be flushed yet people do it anyway 🙄🤬
I say we gather them up and strike them with wet noodles! If you want FREE unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
I know it’s been a year lol, but what type of wipe have the parents been using with no problem? Everytime I look it up it’s always Cottonell or a couple other brands and it’s the same but I’m hearing a lot of mixed reviews on them but Cottonell seems to be the best?
What a delightful video. I'm now going to google "disposable wipe bins"...
I found something out about myself watching your videos: I found out I never get tired of watching you flush stuff down the toilet.
I wish I could have a re-do of this video. I would have flushed 20 other different things just to see what happens. Oh well!
Good video for the Contonelle wipes. I would feel fairly good on those every so often if needed. The others are a different story.
Just put one in a bucket of water, it’ll break down fast. The other brands, not at all.
Pay attention to what I say at the end of the video. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
You are flushing in new pipes that are all smooth inside but older pipes or ones with irregularities in the joins or already partially blocked with catch the wipes and stop them from flushing out. These quickly bond together like papier maché and form a semi rigid block.
Yep. I alluded to that in the video. Did you miss that part?
@@askthebuilder Hi, thanks for that, no I had to leave in the middle !! Great experiment though, such dedication. I personally will not have them in the house ( wipes ) and even recently when people complained about toilet paper shortages I replied that there was water and soap ! I have lived in a couple of hot countries and visited more where people do not use paper. In some northern european countries they put the soiled paper in a basket next to the toilet and when I lived in Brazil they said that the diameter of the waste pipes there didn't allow for paper.
Thanks so much for this video. i was thinking about switching to flushable wipes !
After he said lets start flushing i looked away and an ad with rock music started playing. I thought he was doing some hardcore flushing.
Hard heavy metal - like the pipe scaffolding. Get unlimited tips each week when you subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
I know from personal experience they can't be flushed. Totally messed up my pipes heading to the septic. I had a huge clog that I had to snake out and it was all "flushable" wipes. I still use wipes but I throw them away in one of those smell securing diaper pails. I will never flush them again. - Heidi
Correct. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
There's only one thing that I wish you had simulated that you didn't... An average bm does not just have the bm in the toilet. It is also the tp, and it's generally going to be more double the six squares. Followed by one, two, or even 3 wipes. All getting flushed together, which can be dramatically different from the individual situations I saw here. I think if someone saw a simulation of *that* with 2 ply (and there's 3 ply out now) and a wipe or two, it would make a bigger impact.
That said, it's amazing the length you went to in order to do a genuine simulation of these different items, and I thank you for your time and effort! You really went above and beyond. 💜
We already know what happens to the TP paper. I showed you two types. You're missing, I feel, the entire purpose of this video. But what do I know? I ate lunch for 20+ years sitting on top of overturned empty drywall mud buckets...
@@askthebuilder I am absolutely NOT missing the purpose, at all. I have been scolding a friend of mine for flushing wipes. And I was hoping for a visual for her, of the fact that when she uses multiple pieces of tp, followed by 2-3 wipes, that there would be at least a small struggle for it all to get down, and then the wipe still wouldn't break down. I did send her this video, but I also sent her a few from other places, so she could see the ginormous wads being pulled out of the sewer systems, and hear the damage they cause.
Like I said, when I watched yours, I was just hoping for that shocking visual that would change her ways. It's still very informative.
Sadly I'm finding this video too late. I saw Dude wipes on crazy clearance at Kroger and decided to give them a shot, now 2 days later my shower is full of (expletive deleted) and I just got a crazy good workout with a plunger. It eventually went down, but the dude wipes are going in the trash.
Ugh. This is why you should be on my newsletter list: Be sure to sign up for my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Someone let this man design a waterslide please. This guy is probably the only person who has lost weight during COVID, that is a long distance and elevation to walk up and down.
You have to give them time to disintegrate. Much better one on YT about using them in RVs and Scotts was the clear winner.
Christine, you missed the entire point of the video... And you should read the comments here from wastewater plant managers that will tell you many of these products are causing huge issues in sewer trunk lines as well as sewer plants.
Thank you sir, need this video as proof for my family to not flush wipes down the toilet!
That was a monster simulated turd. Really cool demo.
It was disgusting to make. I couldn't believe that's the average size. I kept having to add more until the scale got to the correct weight.
Just wow! This was super thorough!!!! I didn’t expect you throw army toys, LEGOS, etc in the testing! I will be disposing my wipes separately. Thank you.
I wish I would have done more in the video. I should have flushed these things down to show you what happens: Kleenex tissues, gravel, sand, glass marbles, cotton swabs, etc. Oh well, I think most people get the idea. Bottom Line: Just put body waste (solid/liquid) in the toilet bowl and maybe single-ply paper. Don't put ANYTHING else down a toilet!!!
Wow ! What a fabulous experiment you made ! Thanks for sharing !
I just wanna commend you for putting so much effort into this video! building the whole contraption and such. You've certainly enlightened me to not flush any kind of wipes!
It was a tremendous amount of work. But I had to do it once the PR person reached out demanding a retraction in my national column. Don't you find it interesting that the PR person or ANYONE from ANY of the wipes manufacturers has NOT commented here saying the setup is inferior or that the testing method is flawed? That tells you everything I show in the video is CORRECT. They KNOW their products are causing problems for homeowners/sewer-plant managers but they only care about PROFIT.
Truly enjoyed your video. Liked your thorough testing. Thank you for shareing your knowledge with viewers. Will share this with others because its a great example. Great job!
You're most welcome. This is the last *FREE* long-form video I'll ever do. TH-cam pays so little money it's not worth it to put in all the time. This video took over three days to do everything. All future ones are going to be paid content. I'm working on one now showing everything one needs to know how to install plumbing drain, waste, and vent pipes in a home. It's probably going to be a total of 2 hours cut into three videos.
Thanks man, thumbs up. I always put my wipes in separate bag but I thought that the wipes would be fine. Also I was unaware that those companies make the claim that they are suppose to dissolve. One thing, I think everything you said was good advise but the only toilets I know of that could possibly take some of that is those powerful toilets in NYC that don't run on septic systems. When you flush it, it sounds like a sonic boom went off. You know what I mean? Its like comparing a Bugatti or Ferrari to a Honda Civic or Toyota Camry.
TY as we say in Morse. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
That is one hell of a test rig. Good stuff, I am a fan of wet wipes, got to be super clean for the ladies.
is it for the ladies thou?....hhhmmmmmm... I'm not judging
Yes, ladies want clean. But put them in a trash can like a baby's diaper.
Great job!
I despise those so-called low-flush toilets. My 33-year-old throne uses 3 gallons per flush. Those low-flush embarrassments flush at least 3.2 gallons per use. (Yeah, I know, 1.6 gallons per flush. How many flushes per use?)
And they don't keep enough water in the bowl.
Agreed!
Yes, they are HORRIBLE. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
One flaw in your experiment, you did not let the material sit in the water after it was flushed; maybe it would have dissolved more.
Thanks Mike. Do you use the toilet, drop in paper, and then walk out of the room to come back XX minutes later to then flush it?
You must have calf muscles of a 20yr old climbing to that pooper so many times......
I will share this, you did a great job here explaining what happens! Thank you!
I'm humbled by your praise. If you want FREE unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Dude Wipes had a recent Class Action Lawsuit for this issue. Charmin was rated by C.R. to not decompose fast enough. Where did they get that pantie and what was the point ? The side comments by the "flusher" made this video authentic ! ( like being there live ).. was that the son keeping Pops in check ?
The point of all the other things being flushed was to show that you CAN FLUSH just about anything down a toilet - including gravel. But it's NOT a good idea. My wife helped record the video. That's her voice you hear in the background from time to time.
can't believe i'm here watching this with no hesitation after eating lmao.
🤣🤣🤣🤣while I’m eating fruit loops at 4:30am
In the UK, the Water UK created a new standard for flushable wipes ((WIS) 4-02-06), where it's designed to breakup in the sewer system. It's worth trying to see if you can get your hands on these and test them.
I don't mind sending you some to test, if you're willing to pay for the wipes and postage. :) They are about £1 for a 40 pack here.
Lots of products in the UK are not available in the USA and vice versa. For example, you can't buy www.StainSolver.com in the UK. Bummer!
Man….. that was a real test and very thorough. Thank I!!
It was fun to do. It took a total of two days. Looking back I wish I would have flushed about five or ten other things. Reading through the comments, people wanted to know about Kleenex, and other assorted items. I also wish I had sent down some plastic Army tanks and other larger kids' toys. Get unlimited tips like this each week by subscribing to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
I’ve had bounty go through the washing machine and come out in one piece many times.
Hey Mr. Tim. I have 15 years of service work under my knees, haha. I guessed every test correctly. Funny, most every customer denies flushing the wipes. I always wonder why people think lying to the plumber will benefit them? I have snaked out shirts, underwear, lots of wet wipes, feminine products and the #2 stuff, your last test....people who take lots or.medications will plug a toilet, even a Kohler. Once I was perplexed badly, could not clear a toilet....upstairs apartment, hot summer afternoon, disgusting messy drug addicts and several unfortunate children occupied this one bathroom unit, took the toilet outside, beat it with a sledgehammer and found a large tablespoon stuck in the goose neck of the toilet.
They lie because they're embarrassed.
One weekend had to pull the kids throne to clear a persistent clog. I was grumbling at my kids for carelessly blocking it again as I cleared the goose neck and was then embarrassed to find the work pen I had lost the previous week rather than some LEGOs.
thank you for taking the time to educate people mr!
Lift stations around the world thank you sir!!!
Bless you for your efforts to educate the masses!
I'll take all the blessings I can get! For unlimited free tips each week subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
I really appreciate the amount of work you put into that testing rig and all the testing you did, but there's one important thing I don't see: where is the house trap? Don't all houses have a house trap exiting the house? I would think that would be the most likely place that flushed items could get stuck and cause problems.
Uh, the video is not about how to install plumbing pipes or even where clogs happen - even though I'm a master plumber. It was recorded to show what happens to flushable wipes as they travel through a building drain to the sewer tap or septic tank. Period.
@@askthebuilder And it does that very well. I'm just saying that after all the effort you put into building the setup, it's a shame not to see the interaction with a trap. Maybe it's just me ... but I was curious.
@@askthebuilder plus ideal conditions, and like you said the waste line can be full of debris etc which wipes cling onto.
Would like to see a timelapse of how long they do take to disintegrate.
Well, just do your own experiment. Put them in a bowl of water. The issue is that's not reality. In a sewer line, they are moving downstream. In a septic tank, there is movement but not much. Record a video of your experiment, upload it to your channel, then come back and share the URL with us. GL as we say in Morse.
What type of chemicals used in the making of flushable wipes ?
Easy. Read the product label. If the information you desire is not there, then reach out to the manufacturers for those trade secrets.
You went above and beyond for science and I respect that. We could use much more of this effort in the world.
TNX. Did you subscribe to my FREE newsletter? I often mention science in it: askthebuilder.com/newsletter/
do you have a shorter like 2 minute version of this video ?
No. I can't imagine doing one and giving the viewer the required *context*.
My city water department has stated that the flushable wipes are clogging their system.
That's true. Lots of videos here on TH-cam about sewer plant clogs from wipes.
There are already several videos and documentaires made on youtube about the problem. If they mixed it with grease in sewers, they will turn in solid mass, almost impossible to break. Every time pipes must cleaned again with handtools and that is a lot work and very dirty.
Manufacturers SHOULD not named them "Flushable" and must make it just normal wipes and after use THROW in the bin like normal trash.
Manufacturers are biggest morons on the earth for sure. The another problem (wipes are actually plastic stuff because they don't break) are a lot microplastics in cosmetical stuff. They're all bad for our earth and we will eat them too from fish.
You can't have too many. For unlimited tips like this video, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
I managed the maintenance and operations at a 300,000 square feet office building with around a thousand employees working there. I had to spend a month educating them of the hazards of wet wipes blocking the toilets. And tampons etc. The most common argument I got was it says on the pack flushable ....go figure
Stephanie, consider sending out an inter-office MEMO email with the link to this video asking all employees to watch this video. As you know, I explain in the video that the labeling is unethical.
This deserves 10 million views, if not 100 million. People need to know this shit!.
I'm sure the pun was intended, right? :-)
I was told by a plumber to never flush a Kleenex. That would flush similar to a paper towel.
Tissues will react much like the high-quality paper toilet paper. Throw tissues in the TRASH CAN.
@@askthebuilder I... Did not know that. I have only flushed kleenex about five times in my entire life, when I'd realized too late that there was no tp and used kleenex. I usually use Puffs Plus for my nose, and that always goes in the trash. I keep a small can beside my recliner just for that. But now I can say I know for a fact that no one should flush them, and I will mention it to everyone often, now.
*not trying to be crass*
If you are quite sure your stool exceeds the size and weight of the model used, would you recommend adding water to the flush to prevent clogs and get everything to the municipal system? Or should we count on breakdown similar to the soybean paste model.
I'd have a 5-gallon pail filled with 4 gallons of water next to the toilet. Once you're about to flush the toilet to send the mass on its journey, get ready to add the 4 additional gallons of water as the water from the tank enters the bowl to send the log down the porcelain flume. You flush the toilet and as your stool disappears, start to add the water from the bucket. WATCH this video for the pouring technique: th-cam.com/video/kahfe0kXvo0/w-d-xo.html
Useful video Thank you for your honesty
As they say on the X-Files show, "The truth is out there." It's important that you and others know what's really happening inside your plumbing pipes.
You read my mind.... As I watch this video I keep wondering why the clear plastic bin will get overflowed for almost each flush. LOL
I've done enough videos and replied to enough comments that I KNEW people would wonder about the extra 6 liters of water.
I live in Virginia and know only two other people who have bidets (both because I recommended it, lol). Bidets are amazing! I'm sure the reduced toilet paper usage has helped my septic system.
Yes, they are. The Europeans have used them for years and did their best to keep it a secret.
How do you clean your butt overseas? I mean, I use bidet like twice a day, I could not simply live without that
The flushable wipes i recently got pretty much fall apart in my hand. I’m sure they don’t take more than a couple hours to disintegrate
Well put it in water and leave it for an hour and compare it to toilet paper that also has been soaking. And what brand did you get? This effects everyone who uses the same sewerage system as you, so it shouldn’t be a “I’m sure” it should be a “I know”
Truth For unlimited tips like this video, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
What if you have a holding tank. Not a septic or sewer.
Easy. Re-watch the video. Pay attention to WHAT I SAY in the last 90 seconds.
Excellent video! Did you get a response from the moist towelette manufacturers after performing this test with their guidelines?
No, I've never heard again from them or their PR person. Their SILENCE tells you all you need to know. In my OPINION, they know they're being unethical with their labeling.
You have to leave them in water for 24 hours bro I guess you should have Googled that this test is not reasonable I mean how long are these things going to stay in your septic tank
Mike, I don't think you listened to the first 60 seconds of the video. Or if you did, you forgot it already. Go back and watch/listen to exactly what I said the *purpose* of the test is. I've been a master plumber since 1981 and know a thing or two about building drains, sewer lines, etc. Also, you might do well to take a flushable wipe and put it in a bowl of water for a day, a week, or a month. Be sure you don't touch the water after putting the wipe in because in septic tanks there's NO turbulence. Come back in a month and let us know what your tiny gray cells have discovered.
great video I have had this happen plugged the main sewer pipe from the house had to call a Plummer now they go in the trash only
Smart man. If you want unlimited tips like this each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Great demo. Although, I do need to point out that using higher quality TP like Charmin one can (and shoud) use far less. The cheap single ply stuff requires one to use many more sheets for number two LOL! As far as a septic system---people often don't think it through well before flushing and they do sell TP that breaks down better for these systems.
Glad you like my videos. If one or more helped save you time and $$$, check out the *THANKS* text link under all my videos.
Yes flushable wipes are bad for any type of sewer system period, cigarette butts are WORSE they never break down. You need to show the products after 30 plus minutes sitting in water to break down plus the bacteria in systems also helps break them down as most end up like the single ply toilet paper. LOL you have to much free time :)
No, I don't. It was just imperative to make this video to put the Flushable Wipes Alliance to SHAME. Get unlimited tips each week in my FREE newsletter. Subscribe at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Excellent testing demo!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👌🏼👌🏼
Ask anyone that works in a water treatment place and they will tell you no they do not brake apart that well. As it not the problem with 1 wipe it is when people put 3 to 5 wipes down the drian and they dont brake down as good then they meet up with oter wipes down the way in the sewer and ball together and that is when it does not brake down at all and becomes a ball that causes trouble down the line.
Truth.
Great video, won't be buying any more of these wipes. But I am curious, would build up in the lines help shred the wipes, or only give it a point to stick to and clog?
What do you think????? Ponder your question and apply some common sense.
You realize you can still buy the wipes and put them in a bin when finished right?
Or just throw them away
Put a mini lift station at the end and try to pump those wipes out. Send the resulting pump clog video to that "alliance".
The Alliance already knows that wipes clog pumps and sewers. The Alliance is to the Flushable Wipes Mfrs what lipstick is on a pig. It's the job of the Alliance to spread stories of unicorns squirting rainbows from their butts about everything wipes.
We use wipes but don't flush them we put in small trash bag and throw away everyday
I have an idea. What about installing a grinder pump into first septic tank set to a timer to run intermittantly (1xday, 5min) to grind up effluent and circulate it inside tank for better decomposition?
This is a horrible idea. Why not just do as I say in the video and save yourself all sorts of money on pumps and electricity?????
@@askthebuilder that is the plan. Ill do an update in about a year.
Just keep a trash can next to the toilet & use it.
Wish I knew this sooner as I’m watching this while the plumber works on my septic.
I have chrons so I use “flushable” wipes… didn’t know it would clog.
I’ll definitely be using a diaper pail and throwing the wipes in there instead.
Good. Subscribe to my FREE www.AsktheBuider.com and you'll save thousands of dollars. I give you warnings each week.
So wouldn't older systems with their rough interior pipes cause more friction and abrasion on the wet wipes as their passing through further causing their break down??
When I asked my tiny gray cells this question and invoked 40 years of plumbing experience, the answer came to me like one might hook a fish. Get it?
Flushable wipes are Not-So-Flushable. They have a lot of mixed results most times they go down the sewer other times they clog the sewer. Which is why plumbers don’t recommend it. Toilet paper can liquidity while wipes barely disintegrate / sometimes just stays together.
One might think you watched this video! Will wonders never cease????
No No No, Do NOT EVER FLUSH WIPES. eVER.
Very insightful. Thank you for the video.
Man if something that big was a simulation, then I hope you poured some tears and sweat in there for authenticity. Holy moly.
Go back to the video and freeze the screen where I show you the BM specs by that company. It's unbelievable but I made it per the spec so the FWA would not cry foul.
@@askthebuilder I took a look at that, now I wonder if they were aiming to match a human spec or if they were considering how to potty train a grizzly bear. 🐻
Thanks
No problem. Be sure to subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hey man, I loved this vid, but is it okay for me to use the Cottonelle Wipes? I know you mentioned that older drain lines are rough on the inside, so if it began to break from this smooth piping, I would assume it would break apart in an older one.
Did you watch the last minute of the video? If not, WATCH IT ONE MORE TIME.
No. Stop being in denial like I was. It’s very expensive to have septic pumped twice because of flushable wipes😔
No!
I don't remember the brand of toilet, possibly Kohler or American Standard, but one of them claimed to be able to flush multiple golf balls without clogging. I would like to see how well their claim stands up.
I'd go to their website and ask them about it.
I know for a fact that Kirkland brand ones do.
They disintegrate as you use them. You must be very careful...
why do you use 3 inch black wast in the us in uk we use 4 inch as this reduces blockages
Because a 3-inch waste line for toilets works fine. I've never had a blockage in 50+ years. The colon in the toilet regulates what goes into the pipe. 4-inch toilet drains are required here in commercial installations.
I had to show this video to my wife. She was convinced that it was ok to put flushable wipes in the toilet.
Well, it's easy to understand why. She was just like the rest of the SHEEPLE out there. She was reading the words on the label and TRUSTING the source. That's not a prudent plan of action in today's world.
To bad you didn’t put a cast iron house trap at the end, since that is where I find what looks like floating concrete, a big spit ball mixture of wipes and food grease clogging the trap on the house side right under the plug.
And this is precisely why running traps are a plumbing WORST practice. I'd never put one in on my job nor would most plumbing inspectors permit them.
Great Video! Thank you so much for this important information!
TNX. Did you click the *Thanks* text link under the video? Try doing it.
Very educational and informative. Thank you.
Ana, YW as we say in Morse. If you're serious about the "thanks", please click the *THANKS* text link under the video so I can make MORE videos faster for you.
I wonder if you could use a blender? Drop the flushable wipe in the blender and chop it up into small pieces, then dump it in the bowl.
I wonder if you're SERIOUS. I can't wait to hear others chime in. Holy tomato.
@@askthebuilder Thanks for replying, you'd have to mark it (not for Margarita's). But maybe something inline line a garbage disposal that would pulverize the waste... but I guess that would cancel the flushing action of dropping the water all at once.
Thank you
Why don’t you let the wipes sit in the bowl as long as you did the TP? You obviously cut time out of the video between when you dropped the single ply paper in and when you flushed it
I did. No time was cut. I dropped in each thing and then reached for the flush handle. Perhaps there's a second, two at the most, difference in the times. I invite you to set up your own test apparatus and let's see the results you get with your suggested timing.
Most wipes in the store are not flushable wipes. If you read the packages only one in 10 actually say flushable. People just assume if its a wipe its flushable.
Can you share the names of the 9 that don't say Flushable on the label? Inquiring minds want to know.
Can you review Dude wipes?
Well, I did in this video!! They are quite durable.
Does having poop on the wipes affect their ability to dishitengrate? :)
Your question is a very good one and it's a marvelous teaching moment about how many fail to employ critical-thinking skills. Go back and re-watch the video paying close attention to what you see when the water starts to flow out of the end of the pipe into the clear container. Then start to thing about turbulence and turbidity. Think about city sewers and how often they get clogged. Therein lies your answer.
@@askthebuilder what’s with the cryptic reply?
Dont mean to be rude but, did u expect these wipes to dissolve instantaniously? Those same scott wipes where tested in another video and dissolved completely in 3 hours...
I think you need to go back and LISTEN to the first 90 seconds of the video. So you understand WHAT the test was about and WHY the test was done. You should also READ my syndicated newspaper column that was the SEED for the video.
I'm only a minute in and I love this video! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it! After getting that email from the PR guy, I thought, "I'll see your silly letter and RAISE you a full-blown video!"