Toilet paper and body waste is the only safest thing approved to be flushed down the toilet. However, the question is, how long does it take for toilet paper to dissolve?
It takes between 10 to 20 minutes for toilet paper to completely dissolve. As soon as the toilet paper touches the water, it will begin to break down and completely dissolves within 10 to 20 minutes it is flushed down the septic tank.
However, flushing the toilet can help make the toilet paper break down and dissolve faster. The pressure from the flushed water can make the toilet paper dissolves faster while it travels down the drainpipe to the septic tank. If the toilet paper doesn’t dissolve quickly, it could be that the toilet paper is thicker than it should be.
One thing with toilet paper is that it is made in a way it will be user-friendly not just to the humans using it, but to the drain pipes and septic tanks as well.
Toilet paper is made of paper. In real life, they are soft and user-friendly. When you as a person use toilet paper to clean your anus, you will feel how soft it is unlike when you use a paper towel as an alternative to toilet paper. Both textures are not the same.
Toilet paper is also user-friendly to the drain pipes and septic tank. This is because they are made in a way that they can easily dissolve while traveling down the drain pipes. This will help preserve the drain pipes against clogging and pressure. However, when the toilet paper finally enters into the septic, there, it will decompose.
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How Do You Break Down Toilet Paper?
The best way to break down toilet paper is by adding water to it or immersing it in water. Get a bowl, add a good amount of water in a bowl, place the toilet paper inside the bowl with water, within 10 to 15 seconds, the toilet paper will start to break down, and within 10 to 20 minutes, the toilet paper will dissolve.
The reason for this is not far-fetched. The toilet paper is made to easily break down as soon as it touches anything liquid. It doesn’t have to be water. Anything liquid can break down the toilet paper and that’s because of how soft it is.
How Long Does it Take for Toilet Paper to Break Down
Toilet paper will generally start to break down within 10 to 15 seconds it is touch with water or liquid material and completely dissolves within 10 to 20 minutes. If the toilet paper fails to break down or dissolve within the time frame, then know that the toilet paper is thicker than it should be, thereby slowing the breaking down process.
As long as it is soft toilet paper, the normal breaking downtime as soon as it touches the water.
It is important to note that some toilet paper can take time to dissolve depending on the texture of the toilet paper. If it is soft toilet paper, it will be fast, if it is not, it may slow down the dissolving process.
Having learned this today, it is important to always check out the type of toilet paper you buy. We are no longer in the toilet paper shortage era anymore. There are lots of toilet paper that can be purchase from the market. Ensure the one you are buying is soft enough to easily dissolves when it touches the water.
Once you finish cleaning your butt and drop the toilet paper in the toilet, it will start breaking down. When you press the flush button or valve, the pressure from the water as it comes from the toilet water storage tank will dissolve it as it travels down the drainpipe into the septic tank.
This is one of the major reasons why you are warned never to flush paper towel down the toilet because instead of it start breaking down as it travels down the pipe, it will not, rather, it will get stuck in the drainpipe, grabbing other flushed particles until it finally clogs your toilet.
But since toilet paper starts to dissolve within 10 to 15 seconds, it won’t pose any risk to the drain pipes.
How to Test if Your Toilet Paper Dissolves
The best way to test if your toilet paper dissolves is by placing sheets of your toilet paper in a container or bowl that has a cover, fill the container with a good amount of water depending on the quantity of toilet paper you wish to use for the testing, now, add the toilet paper into the bowl and give it a quick shake. Open the cover and see if the toilet paper is broken down. If it did dissolve, fine but if it did not, then it may need more seconds to finally dissolve.
Don’t underestimate this test. It is better to do this test because this is the only way to find out how fast the toilet paper you use dissolves.
However, if after testing it and it seems to delay too much before dissolve, then I’ll suggest you get another brand of toilet paper that dissolves faster for the sake of your drain pipes.
Will a Toilet Paper Clog Eventually Dissolve?
Toilet paper clogs will eventually dissolve as long as it is still exposed to water. But if you like, you can speed up the process by following these measures explained below:
You need to make sure that the toilet paper sit is open thus is supported to the toilet tank for an easier working experience.
Ensure that anything close to the toilet is taken far away such as rugs, etc to avoid toilet water splashing on it while trying to unclog the toilet paper clogged toilet.
Now, get your toilet plunger, use it, and plunge the toilet. The pressure from the plunger will help fasten the dissolving process of the toilet paper. It will also help make it unclog and go down the drain pipes without clogging it again.
After the toilet is unclogged, you can go ahead and flush the toilet and it will take away the remaining toilet paper particles so your drain pipes can be completely free again.
However, if the plunger did not work or give you a satisfactory job, you can make use of a toilet auger. With that, it will definitely unclog.
Conclusion
Toilet paper starts to break down within 10 to 15 seconds it touches the water and completely dissolves within 10 to 20 minutes it lands into the septic tank where it will decompose. You are advised to use toilet papers that dissolve quickly for the sake of your drain pipes.
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