It can happen to any woman, accidents do happen. But if you flushed a tampon down your toilet (by accident of course) don’t panic right away.

What you need to do now is be alert for any signs that it caused a blockage.

  • Gurgling sounds from your drains or toilets
  • Water backing up out of drains or toilets
  • Water pooling around drains or toilets
  • Smell of raw sewage coming from your drains

If you do notice any of these signs then you probably means that the tampon has caused a clog somewhere in your sewer pipes.

We recommend you call in your plumber to fix the issue but you can attempt to unclog your toilet by using your plunger or if you don’t have a plunger you can follow these 7 steps to unclog your toilet:

  1. Place a towel around the base of your toilet.
  2. Squeeze about 2 cup of dish liquid soap or liquid soap or shampoo into the toilet bowl. (Epsom salt also works).
  3. Wait for the soap to sink to the bottom of the toilet bowl.
  4. Turn on the faucet in the sink or bathtub and let it run until the water is as hot as it can be.
  5. Start collecting and pouring that hot water into the toilet bowl until it’s full.
  6. Wait about 20 minutes. You should see the water level in the toilet bowl go down to a very low level.
  7. Pour another bucket of hot water into the toilet bowl and flush – you should get a clean flush.

If the tampon has not made it further down your plumbing system then you may be able to unclog your toilet yourself, otherwise, call your plumber to get it professionally unclogged.

Why Do Tampons Clog Toilets

You may be wondering why something so small as a tampon could clog a toilet? Well, the reason is that tampons and most feminine hygiene products grow about 10 times their size once they are exposed to fluid.

So, the more water they are exposed to, the bigger they get. The second reason is that they never break down. They don’t disintegrate, unlike toilet paper.

Discarding a tampon down the toilet is very much like flushing a small toy. Both can produce the same type of blockage in your plumbing system.

Other Items That Can Cause A Clogged Toilet

You may be surprised at some of the items in the list below. Any of these can cause a clogged toilet.

  • Small Toys
  • Facial Tissues
  • Napkins
  • Paper Towels
  • Hair
  • Dental Floss
  • Baby Wipes
  • Medications
  • Diapers
  • Coffee Grounds
  • Adhesive Bandages
  • Kitty Litter
  • Condoms
  • Cotton Balls and Swabs
  • Cigarette Butts
  • Fat Oil and Grease (should never be poured into any toilet or drain)

If you are having problems with a clogged toilet,, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-443-8229. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.