Why would someone want to know the best toilet paper for septic tanks? Isn’t toilet paper well toilet paper? Well if you own a home that has a septic tank, or you have a RV that you travel in, you know there is a big difference. Let’s take a few minutes and look at the difference and why you should choose toilet paper carefully.
Why Does Toilet Paper For Septic Tanks Matter?
Actually what you flush down the toilet should matter for all of us. After all eventually the sewage or gray water, needs to be broken down so that the water can safely enter the ground and be naturally filtered back in to clean drinking water. When you have a septic tank on your property, your system is responsible for this entire process. Fortunately for you, it doesn’t really require any work from you. A properly installed septic system will filter, treat and recycle water for years with little thought. If you have your septic tank regularly serviced and cleaned out, chances are it could be years before you give it much thought.
Then again what you put in your septic tank could be the difference between years of maintenance free service and repairs. Toilet paper for septic tanks must breakdown quickly. If it doesn’t, it could cause clogs and expensive repairs. You might think that all toilet paper is the same, well its not. Here are a few that seem to work the best.
What Toilet Paper Is Good for Septic Tanks
People are partial to a good toilet paper. Maybe there is a favorite brand. Then again maybe you are a bidet user. Let’s just say if you haven’t tried a bidet lately, you might want to consider. A couple months back we wrote a great article on bidets and how they can help extend the life of your septic system. First the best way to use toilet paper, is the less if more idea. The more bulk added to your tank the greater the chance of a clog either in your drain pipes or in the septic tank.
Look for toilet paper that is labeled as septic-safe toilet paper. Generally this type will dissolved quickly when it enters the septic tank. We understand that the texture and feel is a personal preference. If you really want to see for yourself which brand seems to dissolve the fastest and most complete, run a little test. Take a few sheets of toilet paper and add to a large cup of cold water. Give is a little stir to simulate the flushing action. Testing a few different brands you will be able to find ones that you like, and that dissolve completely.
Look Out For These…
Chemicals added to your septic tank may slow down or even kill the beneficial bacteria used to break down waste and waste paper in your septic system. For this reason you may notice some toilet papers may be labeled as chlorine-free toilet paper. If there are ones listed as bio-degradable or without all kinds of inks, these may be better choices. The ideal toilet paper for septic tanks is one that has a high enough wet strength to finish the job without tearing. At the same time it has to have a lower wet strength than regular toilet paper to break down quickly once it’s flushed into the septic system.
Of course there is a number of items that you should never flush into your septic tank.
