If you have faced a clogged toilet, you are not alone. Each year, more than one in five Americans cope with a blocked toilet and 70 percent surveyed recently agreed that clogs trigger a real headache.
The survey commissioned by the Scott® Clog Clinic, an authority on common-sense solutions for avoiding stopped-up toilets, found that if a few proper steps are taken, consumers can avoid most clogs.
As part of its survey of toilet blockages, the Clog Clinic found that:
• Going down the drain. Twelve percent of people have dropped a toy ball down the pipes, while 6 percent have flushed a fish.
• Who did it? Thirty-seven percent of respondents maintain that no one takes responsibility for clogging the toilet in their home.
• Away from home. As for public restrooms, 30 percent say they have experienced a clog in a restaurant, 24 percent at work, 22 percent while at someone else's home other than in-laws, 14 percent while visiting in-laws, 12 percent during holidays at their home, 11 percent while entertaining guests at home and 2 percent on a date.
• Take the plunge. To unclog a blocked toilet, 87 percent of consumers use a plunger to free the pipes (and 92 percent own one).
• Only you can prevent clogs. Forty-five percent "completely agree" that they can prevent toilet clogs by using a septic-safe toilet paper.
Those with older homes, septic-tank systems, low-flow toilets, and people who own a boat or RV are most at risk of clogs and plumbing issues. The first line of attack to prevent toilet clogs is to use a septic-safe tissue such as Scott 1000ct or Scott Extra Soft.