Can You Flush Baby Wipes?
Can you flush baby wipes: Does every new parent have that question in their mind. Can we flush baby wipes? Baby wipes are the kind of wet cloth that parents use to wipe the body fluids of the baby. We use baby wipes when we don’t want to wash the baby’s butt due to lack of water, winter, or any other reason. Parents use baby wipes to wipe the baby’s pee or poop. The biggest confusion is where to throw baby wipes. Some of the parents prefer to flush the baby wipes. But here is the fact that we can not flush baby wipes.
When we buy wipes, most of the wipes packets have written on them ‘flushable’. But the reality is that not a single wipe is flushable. Wipes are resistant to dissolving in water. They are made up of durable material for longer use. That’s why they are unable to dissolve in water. Unlike baby wipes, Tissue paper tends to dissolve in the water so it can be flushed. When we use wipes we should be throwing them into the wastebasket instead of the toilets. These child-related items should be disposed of in a wastebasket such as Diapers, cotton swabs, all kinds of wipes, Band-Aids, and paper towels.
Flushing Baby Wipes on Toilet
Do not try to flush baby wipes in the toilet. Baby wipes are not made up of dissolvable material. It takes a longer time to get dissolve in water. It is made up of material so that it cannot get broken while wiping the baby’s fluid. Manufacturers of baby wipes make sure to compose wipes in a way that they are soft for baby’s sensitive skin yet durable enough not to break while wiping.
On the other hand toilet paper can be flushed. Toilet paper is made up of such material that can be dissolved while flushing.
Side Effects of Flushing Baby Wipe
Flushing baby wipes can lead to various problems with the sewer system of your home and community. When we flush baby wipes, it goes and blocks the water flow in the pipes. It clogs the sewer pipes and causes major plumbing problems in the area’s sewer or your home’s tank system.
If you accidentally toss one or two wipes in the toilet, flush it. It may get through a sewer system. But if you keep on throwing wipes for a longer period, you may face severe problems with the drainage system and other water problems. This can cause a huge problem for the people who are living around you or with you in your home. So take your part in the betterment of the society you are living in and avoid flushing wipes in toilets.
The Vast Impact of Flushing Wipes
The research at the end of 2017 provides astonishing results about the impact of wipes on the sewer system of the UK. Most of the material discovered was made up of non-flushable wipes. Baby wipes, mostly with the title of flushable, block 78% of the system.
The previous study by the Marine Conservation Society reveals that the number of wet wipes littering our beaches increases too much. The latest study reveals that the percentage increases up to 400% over the last decade and so. This indicated that it is becoming a huge problem for us and our society. It can cause huge problems for our health and other elements as well.
For instance, if a wipe is swallowed by any of the marine life, then it will result in microplastic in our seafood chain. That can have the worst effects on our bodies. It is estimated that a huge amount of sewer blockages are occurring every year. Flushing wipes are the prime reason for it. It is costing a huge amount of money to maintain sewerage systems, while this money can be used in other elements of the country. A huge amount of I is being wasted due to the negligence of people, if we contribute this money to education or reduce bills, we can prosper more speedily.
Solving the problem
In the last few years, awareness has been increased regarding placing waste in proper places. People are now getting aware of the damages that are occurring due to flushing wipes. All the credits go to Lane’s Group Fatberg Fighters. Responding to all the research and pressure from water companies, now all industries get agreed to the point to special place label on wipes packages, a special label of ‘Do Not Flush’.
In that way, we can avoid this problem to some extent. The British Government has issued a pledge to terminate all the plastic waste by the end of 2042. This pledge involves a ban on wet wipes as well.
It may be not easy to get banned wipes completely as it is an essential element for new parents. But companies and industries are now aware of the damage these flushable wipes are doing to the environment. So it’s our prime duty to spread the word among our friends and family to avoid the maximum usage of these wipes.
Substitute of Wipes
After reading about all the problems caused by the baby wipes, new parents questions what is the substitute for baby wipes? We know you cannot completely ban the use of wipes but we can minimize their use. So here are a few tips to avoid the use of wipes.
If you are living anywhere, where you don’t face the problem of water, then you can wash your baby whenever he/she poops or pees. Water is the best source to wash away all the germs and clean your baby properly. Your baby can avoid skin rash and skin allergies. Wash your baby instead of cleaning with a wipe, in that way you have saved yourself from using a wipe.
Another tip is to use a damped soft cloth. If you live somewhere where you have a problem with water or your baby’s health does not allow repeated contact with water, then a soft cotton piece of cloth can help you. You can wipe your baby’s poop with a damp cotton piece of cloth.
Concluding this article, we suggest that you cannot flush baby wipes, so it’s best not to use or flush the wipes.
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