Can You Flush Paper Towels? [Here’s the Truth]

Can you flush paper towels? No. You can’t flush paper towels. They stay intact in water, clog pipes, and can cost you big repairs. Throw them out instead.

Paper towels are made from dense wood-pulp fibers that are pressed tightly into a thick sheet. In the water, they swell instead of dissolving. The wedge in the pipe bends, collects grease and hair, and soon blocks the drain. Then, you face foul water, a useless toilet, or a visit from a plumber.

Today, we’ll share why flushing paper towels down the toilet is a bad idea and how it clogs pipes and drains. You’ll also learn about an alternative cleaning tool you can use instead. 

What Are Paper Towels Made Of?

Paper towel is made from wood pulp that contains long cellulose fibers. These fibers twist with one another to create a tiny Velcro-like loop. The loop helps each fiber grip its neighbors and resists being pulled apart.

Factories then coat the fibers with a clear wet-strength resin. When water touches the towel, the resin creates tiny bridges that lock the fibers together in place. Each sheet packs far more fibers per square inch compared to toilet or facial tissue. It gives the bridges a dense frame to hold.

Together with the long fibers, resin bridges, and a thick fiber network, a paper towel absorbs water without falling apart.

Can You Flush Paper Towels? 

No. You can’t flush paper towels. Paper towels don’t belong in the toilet. They are made from tightly bonded wood fibers. These fibers keep the towel together in water. Toilet paper can dissolve in water within seconds, but paper towels stay whole. They swell up and can lodge in pipes.

If a paper towel lodges in the pipes, it can cost up to $1,000 USD. A basic service call for the toilet usually costs around $140 - $300 USD. If the towel goes deeper into the main drain, the plumber may need to hydro-jet. It can push the bill to $400 - $800 USD. In worst case scenarios, they might need to dig up the pipe, and it can increase the cost up to $1,000 USD.

Instead of flushing paper towels in the toilet, it’s best to compost in a bin. If the towels are unbleached and free of chemicals, you can add them to a home compost pile.

What Happens if You Flush Paper Towels?

After flashing your paper towels, they soak up the water and swell several times their size. As the fiber is locked together, it doesn’t fall apart and can create a solid lump into an S-shaped trap just behind the bowl. 

The lump catches lint, hair, soap scum, and grease and turns into a solid plug that blocks the pipe. With each flush, it presses tighter until sewage begins to back up in your bathroom. 

If it pushes past your home’s trap, it reaches the sewer pumps, where its tough fibers jam the blades. Downstream, the towel joins grease and “flushable” wipes to form a rock-hard mass called fatbergs. London once spent over half a million dollars cutting a bus-sized fatberg from one pipe.

When the clog reaches the treatment plant, large pumps grind and shred the fibers so water can keep flowing. Workers still have to pull out tangled towels, grease, and wipes by hand. This cleanup costs millions of dollars each year in labor and equipment.

A Smarter Alternative to Paper Towels: Swedish Dishcloth

Instead of using paper towels and worrying whether they’ll flush, switch to Swedish dishcloth because it's reusable. You can use one to wipe up spills, dry dishes, scrub pots, and clean countertops. See how they compare against single-use paper towels:

After each use, just rinse your Swedish dishcloth under running water and hang it to dry. It dries fast and is ready the next time you need it. Here are 10 awesome ways you can use a Swedish dishcloth to tackle everyday chores.

Swedish dishcloths last for a long period of time. With a paper towel, you can use it only once, and you have to throw it away. It wastes time and creates more landfill waste. One Swedish dishcloth can handle up to 100 uses. So it’s basically using a single dishcloth or using 100 paper towels. 

Once your Swedish dishcloth wears out, just toss it into your home compost bin or your yard-waste cart. It breaks down naturally with your kitchen scraps and garden clippings.

Buy a Swedish dishcloth today to replace single-use paper towels and enjoy a quick, easy, eco-friendly cleaning solution.

What to Do if You Actually Flush a Paper Towel? 

If you’ve accidentally flushed a paper towel, don’t panic. It often passes on its own, but take these steps so a small mistake doesn’t turn into a big plumbing bill.

Check the toilet by flushing once. If the water goes down fast and the bowl fills like normal, the towel may be gone. Keep an eye on the toilet for the next few days.

If the water slows, then grab a plunger and press it over the hole. Push and pull the plunger ten times. This motion can move the paper towel down the pipe or pull it back so you can throw it away.

You can also use a safe drain cleaner to loosen any buildup in the pipe. Pour an enzyme drain cleaner into the bowl and let it sit overnight. The enzymes break down the gunk that makes towels stick. But don’t use any harsh chemicals as they can harm the pipes.

Watch for warning signs over the next few days. There might be gurgling sounds or slow-draining water. If the bowl empties slowly or water backs up, a clog may be forming.

If nothing works, then call a plumber. A plumber has special tools to remove the towel without breaking the toilet or pipes. Taking steps early can cost less than fixing big water damage later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paper towels can absorb liquid well, but flushing them can clog the pipes and cause a bathroom flood. Here are some common questions and answers to stay clear of trouble.

What happens if you accidentally flush a paper towel down the toilet?

When you flush a paper towel, it doesn’t break down like toilet paper. It can snag in pipe bends, build a clog with grease and debris, and slow the flow of water. Eventually, it will cost expensive backups or septic repairs.

Can you flush paper towels in small amounts?

No, you can’t flush paper towels in small amounts. Even a single sheet can swell, snag on pipe walls, and start a clog. Repeated small flushes pile up, blocking drains and septic lines. Always toss paper towels in the trash instead.

Is there a safer, reusable alternative to paper towels?

Yes, A Swedish dishcloth is the safest alternative to paper towels. It’s made of cellulose and cotton and soaks up 15 times its weight. It rinses clean fast, dries quickly, and lasts for hundreds of uses.

Will dish soap unclog a toilet?

Dish soap can help loosen a mild clog by coating the pipe. It allows the debris to slide through, especially when followed by a bucket of hot water. For stubborn blockages, use a plunger or toilet auger.

Can I flush tissues? 

It’s best not to flush facial tissues. They’re stronger and denser than toilet paper, so they break down slowly. You can toss used tissues in the trash instead.

Final Thoughts

Flushing paper towels is a bad practice that should be avoided. The paper towels stay intact, swell, and block plumbing lines. It slows the drain, causes unpleasant odors, and can be expensive to repair. Simply dispose of them in the trash to avoid plumbing headaches.

Instead, you can swap to Swedish dishcloths for your regular cleaning tasks. It’s made from cellulose and cotton, which absorbs more liquid and can dry in minutes. Each cloth can be used for nearly 100 washes.

Get a bundle of 4, 8, or 16 Swedish dishcloths for a quick, easy, and mess-free cleaning experience.