Can You Flush Hair Down The Toilet – What Should I Do with It Instead?
Did you know we lose about 50 to 100 strands of hair a day? That seems a lot, but it actually makes no difference to our appearance (luckily!). But our bathrooms and drains bear the agony of being tangled with our hair. And even pet fur!
If you’re here, you’re probably wondering about the risks of hair in your toilet and what to do with your extra hair (or fur) instead!
It’s quite common to flush our extra hair in the toilet, but this is not advisable. Your hair can clog drain pipes and cause various problems. And not all of us are plumbing experts!
So, the short answer is NO – it is not exactly safe to flush hair down the toilet!
What Happens if Hair Gets Flushed Down the Toilet?
It’s definitely a convenient way to get rid of a ball of hair, but it’s not safe to flush hair down the toilet. Whether you are cleaning your brush or getting hair off your clothes, no amount should be intentionally flushed into the toilet!
While your toilet might not get damaged, the pipes way down can clog over time. This is especially common in older pipes or pipes that have just been repaired
Your hair grabs any dirt, grime, and other yucky things in your pipes, which can clog the pipe further down your toilet tank. Longer hair can ball up pretty quickly, causing some kind of net in your pipes. This causes a build-up of debris which clogs your pipes. This is hard to sort out and can be pricey too!
Hair takes a long while to break down, compared to the number 1s and 2s that you flush!
So, if you’re waiting for it to break down over time, it’s gonna take a long while. Your hair will just cause more ‘bad hair days,’ but in the pipes!
If you have a septic tank system, then you may have more problems if you keep flushing hair down the toilet. Although it’s more eco-friendly, the components of a septic tank are super hard to get to and repair.
For this, it can cost a pretty penny, so it’s best to avoid flushing hair down your septic tank at all costs. It’s cheaper to walk to the bin!
How to Deal with Excess Hair While Being Good to the Environment!
Surprisingly enough, your loose hair can actually do some good for the environment. It can be used in your little vegetable garden for compost, fertilizer, or even pest control.
Fertilizer
Hair is a great addition to your fertilizer because it has high levels of magnesium, which plants love. When you clean out your brush or even your pet hair, you can mix it into your soil. This gives your soil beneficial nitrogen as it breaks down, giving your soil natural gas like ammonia would. Hair can also loosen clumpy soil.
Compost
Your hair can take two years to break down. Imagine two years’ worth of hair in your drain (it’s pure luck if you haven’t experienced a problem!).
However, composting your hair can make it break down in just a month. Hair salons with large amounts of hair usually donate their hair waste to gardeners as it is nutritious for plants. Mix it thoroughly with your compost pile for the best results. Talk about hair food!
Pest Control
Your hair can also deter pests from eating your favorite crops. If the scent of humans is around the garden, critters won’t come near! It’s like a sort of a scarecrow, but a scare-critter!
Make sure the hair is matted before using it.
Your hair can also make a great nesting material for birds if it’s short. You can leave out your trimmings on your windowsill or in the garden. Long strands won’t work as birds can get tangled in them, causing a problem!
Bonus Section! My Toilet Is Clogged with Hair- What Should I Do?
If you find your toilet not working because of all that hair, don’t worry! Before calling in the professionals, you can try these two methods yourself.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
These are two products you probably have at home and can do literal magic for a clogged toilet. Mix one cup of vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda (watch, it’s gonna foam up!) and pour it down the toilet bowl. This chemical reaction can loosen the hair and unclog the toilet.
Augers (Basically a Long Cable)
If you have an auger, or a long wire or cable, you can use it to pull out the clogged hair. Just put it into the toilet hole and move it around until you hook the clogged hair. This won’t work if the clogged hair is way down the pipes.
That’s where you have to call in the plumbing experts!
Bring out the Chemicals (Drano)
It gets to a point that enough is enough! That’s when I resort to chemicals such as Drano or Drain Clean to unclog my drains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to flush pubic hair down the toilet?
Although pubic hair is shorter than head hair, it’s less likely to clog the toilet. However, over time it can collect in your pipes and drain holes which causes major blockages. So, it’s best to dispose of them in the trash. Of course, it is expected that a strand or two may fall down there. Don’t worry too much about them!
