Flushable Wipes - Do They Disintegrate?
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 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.
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?
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!
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 CZcams 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 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.
In Fredericton NB this spring they had an odor problem at their sewage lagoon, after removing a larger than usual amount of grease from the lagoon they pulled the pumps and removed 2 tons of flushable wipes from the pump intakes. Just because you can flush something doesn’t mean you should.
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.
I've been a Public Health Inspector for over 30 years. When "flushable" wipes came out, I was teaching septic installer courses, so I put wipes in a mason jar with water and shook them. I still have them, more than 20 years later, they are still intact. They do not break down. Same thing with "flushable" cat litter.
Alex, some now do break down as evidenced in this video. The point of my video was to show what state they're in just before entering a septic tank or a city sewer line. The Internet is littered with stories supporting your stance showing how many sturdy wipes cause massive clogs in sewers and serious issues at sewage treatment plants. As I said, I'm good with people using them, but dispose of them in a can just as you'd do with a soiled paper infant diaper.
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.
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/
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 testing.
In the Navy on ships they only allowed 1 ply toilet paper... not fun but it kept things from backing up for the most part.
TNX for your service to our great nation. I did a tail hook one day. www.askthebuilder.com/aircraft-carrier-adventure-cruise/
Thanks for all the hard work put into this video Tim. Great job!
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.
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. ;-)
My take away: So basically, you can flush just about anything down a toilet.
Pretty much that's true. Remember, old drain lines have rough inside surfaces and it's easy for clogs to build up.
That’s what we should be worried about if we have a habit of flushing things that we shouldn’t flush down the drain. If Cottonelle made flushable wipes that break down in the pipes, then they should be fine to use.
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.
This guy went above and beyond in his test!
Thank you. Two days of building and recording the video, two hours getting material, 5 hours post production editing the video. All for you.
Thanks so much for this video. i was thinking about switching to flushable wipes !
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
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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.
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'..
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
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?
Thanks for this elaborate test.👌
While I love this I will say we have no idea how long you left each thing in the water. And if the cottonelle was already breaking down even to the point you said it was a lot like the expensive toilet paper then why wouldn't you be OK with it?
When these get flushed do they not stay in water to continue breaking down? All this proved to me is the 30 seconds in the water wasn't enough time and the cottonelle had already begun breaking down in that time
I think you better re-watch the video and pay really close attention to what I say in the first 120 seconds...
@@askthebuilder I did. And I just did again. I watched the first 3 and a half minutes again to make sure I didn't miss anything.
My questions still aren't answered. And I've seen other plumbers recommend them or specific brands that break down great. But you still put a blanket statement at the end that you wouldn't recommend them at all. Even the cottonelle which by the end of the pipe was already breaking down and breaks down great in other tests. Maybe just answer my question if you can instead of telling me to rewatch what I've watched 3 times now?
Wow ! What a fabulous experiment you made ! Thanks for sharing !
I don’t even use toilet paper anymore.
I bought one of those water sprayers that attaches to the toilet. It costed $70, but the amount I’ve saved in not buying toilet paper anymore.
TMI - We don't need to know about your personal hygiene habits.
@@askthebuilder you have a good point. But the fact that a person can spend $70 and never have to buy toilet paper again is too powerful for me not to mention.
Day #12 in COVID 19 lockdown CZcams video viewing... Time to start throwing these in the can and not down the throne.
Day 363 here
You better go watch this video: ise.media/video/plandemic-ii-indoctornation-23.html STOP BEING PLAYED.
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.
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
Thank you sir, need this video as proof for my family to not flush wipes down the toilet!
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
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!!!
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.
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!
I am a home inspector and have a sewer camera. I see these wipes fully intact in sewers all the time. They stick to the old rough cast iron sewer pipe like Velcro. I would never use these.
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.
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 for this experiment. It really showed me what happens to a flushable wipe and toilet paper. Is it possible to go further and test the other popular brands of flushable wipes and toilet paper? For example, the Equate brands from Walmart, the feminine flushable wipes, and etc.
The testing apparatus was disassembled many months ago. I'm wondering if you glossed over what I said at the end of the video. Please watch the ending of the video where I tell you exactly WHAT you should put into a toilet.
You deserve a million views and a CZcams Plaque! Great setup and demonstration.
TNX, Cristian! It would be nice to have that many subs. Perhaps you can help?!! Spread the word far and wide about Ask the Builder. You might want to subscribe to my FREE newsletter on the home page of www.AsktheBuilder.com. Today's newsletter was a keeper... BIG announcement coming in the next 14 days!
I did a little salute when the army men went in.
It's an inconvenient truth. I am a long time user of flushable wipes, and (sorry if it's a bit TMI) I have somewhat messy bowel movements. The ability to get clean after a movement was absolutely life-changing for me, and that is not hyperbole. I am going to begin the transition to disposing of them in something other than the toilet.
They all survived. Strong lungs! To get unlimited free tips each week like this, be sure to sign up for 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?
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.
I sure learned a lot. Thank you for all of your hard work to teach us.
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
I tried using flushable wipes since last October. Except, I found out the hard way last January, flushable wipes aren't flushable like it says on the package. In fact, it clogged my waste pipe and caused a plumbing nightmare. Wastewater backing up into my tub when I used my plunger. I just didn't realize what problems it was causing. Even other videos show what can happen using those products. Now I know what not to do.
You're wrong. They ARE flushable. So are Army men and gravel. Watch again the ending of the video about WHAT I SAY. For unlimited free tips each week subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
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. CZcams 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.
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.
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/
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
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.
Did anyone notice the fly get flushe down the toilet at 5:30 or am I trippy
You need to put that pipe away... To get unlimited tips each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
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 have dude wipes, but I use them like baby wipes and never flush them. I noticed they feel almost like fabric or even like they have plastic in them? I read the back and one stipulation for flushing them was if no "fat" is ever put down "any" drain. I was confused bc stool can very often have fat?? Like food has grease, so if you eat any fat (which you do bc it's a necessary nutrient) then you can't flush these wipes according to their own packaging
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
Flushable wipes can trick you and cause clogging and caused days of cleaning operation
Yes. Get unlimited tips each week when you subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
You must have calf muscles of a 20yr old climbing to that pooper so many times......
Fecal material PLUS the requisite paperwork should have been tested also. While wet wipes (of some sort) are a great way to finish the task, I refuse to flush them into my home's septic system. Just had the tank pumped after 5 years and all was good.
In my opinion, a good paper towel is one that does not fall apart when wet. Because that’s mainly how I use them, to absorb and clean. But they go in the trash, not down the drain.
Correct. It's BEST to save the clean used ones. Let them dry and use them to soak up liquid grease. NEVER put grease down a drainline.
thank you for taking the time to educate people mr!
Lift stations around the world thank you sir!!!
Love the video. Great experiment! However I would add a time-lapse of how long it takes for the different materials to break down. Since that stuff should be sitting in your septic tank for a while. I bet after about a week most of the products would break down almost fully. But I would love to see that added.
I think you need to re-watch the first minute of the video. That's NOT what the video was about. And you're WRONG about some wipes breaking down. They don't.
The problem is this test doesn't account for how long the flushable wipes would be in the sewer or waste water system before reaching a sewage treatment plant. Plus, as he said, most pipes do have some sort of debris or deposits that would further help break down the flushable wipes. How about a test where you test how long it would take the wipes to break down in clean water as well as contaminated water. I think that would be more accurate.
I'm pretty certain you *failed to LISTEN or comprehend* to what I said in the first 30 seconds. This test was to show what happens in the PIPING you're responsible to MAINTAIN, not the city sewage system pipes. Try to be more observant next time before you make yourself look foolish to the world.
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.
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!
My terlet is clogged because of non flushable wipes being flushed, but that’s not why I’m commenting. I’m just wondering what your neighbors think of you building a toilet on scaffolding in your front yard.
My neighbors cheered me. They just asked that I use it at night because they said they've always wanted to see two moons.
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.
My city water department has stated that the flushable wipes are clogging their system.
That's true. Lots of videos here on CZcams about sewer plant clogs from wipes.
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????
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.
can't believe i'm here watching this with no hesitation after eating lmao.
🤣🤣🤣🤣while I’m eating fruit loops at 4:30am
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
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.
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”
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Thanks for making this video!! Shared with friends and family.
“This will be sized similar to a real one.” Gets me everytime
It grossed me out making the fake log.
This deserves 10 million views, if not 100 million. People need to know this shit!.
I'm sure the pun was intended, right? :-)
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.
Loved this test❤. I never did like Charmin. I buy Scotts tissue, but during the pandemic it was sold out. Therefore had to convert to a different thicker brand at Sam's Club similar to Charmin😬. After seeing this vid, going back to Scotts brand even if generic. The bowel movement was very informative despite the graphics🤣. Thanks again❤. Love your sense of humor. Glad the army men survived🤣
Army men are tough.
Okay Why?... rewatch the beginning of the video, ITS THE CHARMIN THAT STARTED TO BREAK DOWN IMMEDIATELY, THE Scott's DID NOT!
@@glenng7085 she's talking about the toilet paper, not the wipes. however, i believe charmin tp would be fine to use in a toilet. it may not break down as fast as scott, but if it was torn to shreds after that one flush, im sure it would be fine even for a septic system
2-ply toilet paper has been effective for those that need them to be strong and soft. But flushable wipes may be just as effective as the 2-ply paper.
“this is why plumbers get paid so much money” 1 like 1 prayer for every retail worker who has had to scrub crap off a wall for minimum wage
This is why some retail jobs are entry level. You quickly see there are better ways to earn more than minimum wage. Become a plumber for goodness sake. I've been a master plumber since 1981.
Not having smooth pipes creates more turbulence flow therefore helping break down the wipes/paper. Granted I understand it can lead to the wipes/paper getting stuck.
I don't think so. Seems it would lead to more laminar flow. You need to ask a Fluids Engineer.
@@askthebuilder I rephrased my question
Knew this before but loved the test. Really excellent.
Glad you liked it! Please pass it around and be sure to start watching my LIVE streams each M-F 4 PM ET starting back up Jan 3, 2022. I have a HUGE announcement that day for all CZcams viewers.
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.
10:37
"I just cannot believe how big this"
*nervous sweating*
That fake turd was HUGE! It was zero fun forming it with my hands let me tell you.
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.
Thanks
No problem. Be sure to subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
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.
Cottonelle's are branded to fall apart so I'm not surprised. I would suggest to break apart the flushable Cottonelle if you want to flush them.
Can you explain at what point you *break them apart* before you flush them?
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.
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.
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
*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: czcams.com/video/kahfe0kXvo0/video.html
Cottenelle flushable wipes are legit. You’ll never see a plumber pull a pile out of a clog. The rest? Never flush them.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Thank you