No. A wipe labeled flushable may clear your toilet, but wipes do not break up like toilet paper, and they collect in your drain, in sewer lines and at treatment plants. EPA and Arizona sewer districts say to flush only toilet paper and put every wipe in the trash.
What does "flushable" actually mean?
Not much. The Fountain Hills Sanitary District, an Arizona utility, explains it this way: "The term flushable means that a single wipe will pass through the plumbing of a toilet." Passing through the toilet is not the same as breaking down in the pipes afterward.
Toilet paper is the only item made to break down in water, and the Clark County district says as much: it's the only thing "specifically manufactured to break down." Toilet paper falls apart in seconds once it's wet. A wipe is built to stay strong in your hand, and most are made of fibers that hold together. The District says baby and flushable wipes are not biodegradable, so "they do not break down." The Clark County Water Reclamation District says the same thing: "Wipes do not break apart in the wastewater collection system and have to be removed."
The industry has its own test. The nonwovens trade group INDA and its European partner publish flushability guidelines, now in their fourth edition, with seven tests covering performance in pipes, pumps, and household septic and municipal treatment systems. INDA says a product must pass all seven tests to be labeled flushable. Those guidelines are voluntary industry standards. The same guidelines also call for a "Do Not Flush" symbol on wipes that aren't meant to be flushed, placed where a shopper can see it on the shelf and again each time a wipe is pulled from the package.
Utilities, for their part, have pushed for stricter labeling. NACWA, the national association of clean water agencies, backs the WIPPES Act, which would direct the Federal Trade Commission, with EPA guidance, to require clear "Do Not Flush" labels on wipes not designed to be flushed. The fact that lawmakers are debating labels tells you something: the utilities that maintain the pipes don't treat "flushable" as a safe bet.
### What does EPA say about flushing wipes?
EPA's message is short. In a March 2020 news release it said to only flush toilet paper. It named disinfecting wipes specifically and warned that wipes "can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems." The agency added that flushing non-flushable items causes preventable backups.
That release was written about disinfecting wipes, but the same reasoning applies to baby wipes, makeup wipes, cleaning wipes and the ones sold as flushable. Toilet paper is designed to break down. Wipes are designed to hold together.
Where do the problems show up?
Wipes cause trouble at three points. Which one you hit depends on where they get stuck.
In your own plumbing. A wipe that slides out of the toilet can catch on a rough joint or a low spot in the pipe, and then toilet paper and more wipes stack up behind it. This is one reason a toilet that "clogs every few days" may not be the toilet at all. See why your toilet keeps clogging for how to tell.
In the sewer. Wipes don't break apart in the collection system, so utilities have to remove them. The Fountain Hills District says property owners are responsible for clogs in their own private sewer lines caused by wipes, which is a good reason to keep them out.
At the treatment plant. INDA's flushability tests include pumps and treatment systems for a reason, since wipes that don't break down can cause trouble there too.
The pandemic made all of this visible. Clark County's page notes communities saw more problems in municipal sewer systems as disinfectant wipe use rose.
What about septic systems?
Wipes are a bad idea on septic too. EPA lists septic systems, along with your internal plumbing and local sewers, as places wipes can do damage, and wipes that don't break down have nowhere to go in a tank. If your home is on septic, our guide on what not to flush with a septic system has the full list. If you're not sure which you have, see whether you have septic or city sewer in Phoenix.
What should you flush?
How do you read the package? If a wipe carries the Do Not Flush symbol, it belongs in the trash, no questions asked. INDA's labeling code says that symbol should be visible on the shelf and again each time a wipe comes out of the dispenser. If a wipe says "flushable," the maker is saying it passed the industry tests. Sewer districts still ask you to skip it, and EPA says flushing non-flushable items "causes preventable backups" that waste utility resources. When the district and the label disagree, go with the district, since it's the one that has to clear the pipes.
The short list, as sewer districts put it, is the "three Ps": pee, poo and toilet paper. That is what plumbing and treatment plants are built to handle.
Everything else goes in the trash. The Fountain Hills Sanitary District's list of items to keep out of the sewer includes baby wipes, flushable wipes, paper towels, diapers and feminine pads. EPA adds disinfecting wipes to that list. The district's message is blunt: "PLEASE DON'T FLUSH WIPES! Use a trash can instead."
Keep a small lidded trash can next to the toilet. It's the easiest habit change, and it also covers guests. Habits do change. INDA reports that focused awareness campaigns in pilot programs reduced the improper flushing of baby wipes by about 50 percent, so a sign on the can or a word to the family is worth the effort.
What if you already flushed wipes?
A few wipes flushed once are unlikely to cause a problem on their own. The trouble comes from habit, when wipes go down week after week and add up.
Watch for warning signs: a toilet that drains slowly or clogs repeatedly, gurgling from other drains, or water backing up in the tub or shower when you flush. Those point to a partial blockage in the line. Our page on main line vs branch clogs explains how to tell where it sits.
If you already have a clog you think is wipes, a plunger or closet auger works on a toilet clog. When you use a closet auger, pull a hooked clog back toward you rather than forcing it deeper. Our guide to the toilet auger and drain snake shows which tool to use. If a line keeps backing up, a plumber can clear it and check the line for the spot where wipes keep catching.
If wipes have been going down the toilet for a while, tell your plumber. A camera look at the line can show buildup, and clearing it once only helps if the habit changes. HQ Plumbing and Air handles clogged drain lines, and we give you the price up front, before any work starts. But the cheapest fix is the one you never need: keep wipes out of the toilet.