If we are still flushing condoms, then there is no doubt how uneducated we are on this matter. Many men tend to flush condoms to dispose of them. This might seem like a quick way to get rid of it. However, it’s not going to do you any good if you continue flushing it, and you should know if can you flush condoms.
Condoms are mostly made of rubber. This means they do not break down or disintegrate quickly. And over time, they keep blocking your pipes and causing massive damage. This leads you to spend hundreds of dollars to get professionally cleaned.
And let’s not mention the embarrassment when the plumbers find out what caused the blockage.
So, can you flush condoms? Well, it is an obvious no. But keep reading to find out how you can safely dispose of them and how flushing condoms can harm the environment.
What is the Use of Condoms?
People who are engaged in sexual activity are advised to wear condoms. It is a safe practice to avoid pregnancy and also to beware of STDs or STIs. Although, the best way to prevent both pregnancy and STDs is abstinence.
So condoms are crucial devices for both males and females.
Can you Flush Condoms?
The simplest way to answer this is NO. You should not. It is normal to dispose of the condom once it has been used. But flushing it down the toilet is no way to do it.
It does not matter whether it is a hotel or house toilet; you should still not do it because it will have equally embarrassing consequences. So, we should be responsible for this.
Sooner or later, you have to call a plumber to plunge the used condoms from the toilet, and it will be difficult to flush other things after this.
If you flush your condoms down the toilet, they will end up in a wastewater treatment facility. This means someone else has to dispose of it for you. Imagine how repulsive that would be.
Not to offend anyone, but if you have to wear it, you should also have time to dispose of it. There are several different ways to get rid of a used condom but flushing them is not one.
Used condoms should also not be stored. Make sure you dispose of it effectively after you are done using it. Both men and women condoms can be discarded in the same way as they are produced from the same non-biodegradable materials.
Flushed condoms end up in the sewer and from there in the sea. This is some severe water pollution caused by humans.
To prevent this, do not flush your condoms down the toilet.
What Happens When Condoms Are Flushed?
Endangerment of aquatic animals
Millions of condoms are purchased in a year in the USA. And it’s not the use of a condom that creates any problems; it’s how we dispose of them.
All the condoms that are flushed end up in seas. So even if half of the million condoms are flushed, it is causing a great deal of damage. Most aquatic animals eat these condoms as food, which is endangering their lives.
You may not know this, but the fish we eat from the sea come packed with microplastics and heavy metals. So, not only the aquatic animals are endangered, but so are we. Not everyone ever really checks if their fish contains microplastics and heavy metals.
You can’t imagine how disgusting and cringe a used condom looks. Imagine you are at the beach with your family and a condom washes up on the shore near you. You would feel nothing but repulsive.
Clogging Your Plumbing
You won’t realize the damage of flushing condoms until one day. Your whole bathroom gets flooded with all sorts of antiseptic dirt coming out of the toilet. And you also won’t be happy to pay a hefty amount of money to someone to clean your blockage of used condoms.
The materials needed to manufacture condoms are rubber and latex. Both of which do not biodegrade quickly. Therefore, flushing these condoms will keep piling in your plumbing.
Imagine how would if you had to clean and dispose of someone else’s used condom? Not a good feeling, right? Now think that someone else is doing it for you every time you flush it.
Your kids might find it and play with it
As funny as it is, condoms are a lot like balloons, and once the air is blown into, it functions like a balloon.
A used condom can be unsafe for a kid. So as a parent, you should make sure to put your used condoms away from your child’s sight.
So, proper disposal of condoms is essential. Indeed, nobody wants to be explaining to their toddlers what a condom is.
What can be done by you to dispose of a condom?
- Wrap your used condom in an old newspaper or tissue and toss it in the garbage bin. This process will literally take you less than ten seconds.
- You can also apply incineration. There are two types of incineration- the high temperature one is 1100-1400 degrees and the medium range is 700-900 degrees. This will burn your used condom and remove small toxic waste and smaller particles as well.
What can be done by you to unclog your toilet if it is clogged with condoms?
- Drain cleaner technique: boil water, vinegar and apple soda and pour it down your toilet. Leave it overnight and flush it all the following day and start using.
- Plunging your toilet: if you don’t have a plunger, buy a new one. Make sure to get an excellent quality plunger with a thicker cap on the end side. Keep plunging at least ten to fifteen times and then flush and start using.
- Use a plumbing snake: move your plumbing snake around for a few minutes, and when you finally poke into something, push it in the sewer. Then you can flush your toilet and use it.
Conclusion
Can you flush condoms? Not. Authority Lifestyle have mentioned several reasons why flushing a condom is harmful and how it puts the environment in danger.
We hope you have learned how to dispose of condoms properly. You can check related articles like Can You Flush Tampons down the Toilet? and How To Dispose Of Paint Safely.
