If you're having any sort of plumbing problems the first thing you need to look at is the kind of toilet paper you're buying. Switching toilet paper brands is the secret to resolving clogged pipes that most plumbers know about - *but don't tell you*.
In today's political climate it's easy to pinpoint the differences between all of us. Fundamentally though, we're all the same in the most important ways. We love our family, we strive to be good and we have all watched, frozen in place, as the toilet water starts rise instead of sink after flushing a big one.
Nothing can set you into fight or flight mode like a blob of poo slowly lifting higher and higher toward the rim of the toilet bowl.
How does a dignified person prevent this sort of thing from happening? By being aware of a couple of tips.
Table of Contents
2 things that can cause toilet backup.
- Using the wrong toilet paper
- Using an older model of a low flow toilet.
If it turns out that you need a new toilet you should still use the paper I'm recommending here to prevent further problems. ALSO you can install your own toilet. It's surprisingly easy.
Toilet Paper
So let's talk about the toilet paper. Because everyone likes to talk about toilet paper right? If you're an especially fancy speaker I'm talking about toilet tissue or bathroom tissue.
The most important quality for your toilet paper isn't if it has lotion, is thick, is soft, or is on sale. The MOST important thing is ...
Does your toilet paper dissolve?
Toilet paper that doesn’t dissolve just sits in a clump in your plumbing. And if it gets caught on something like a jagged edge or corner in your pipes it will stay there for a longggg time, allowing more and more paper to get stuck and caught on it, creating, eventually a big mass of undissolved toilet paper blocking your sewer line.
And then one day you’ll flush the toilet and instead of the water in the toilet bowl going down, it will start to move UP. Towards you. As you stare in horror, desperately trying to remember what to do (turn the water supply to the toilet off immediately) you’ll wonder why, WHYYYYYYYY is this happening to YOU?
It's happening because your toilet paper doesn't dissolve in the pipes. At least that's the likely culprit.
THIS IS ALSO WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER FLUSH PAPER TOWELS, TAMPONS OR FACIAL TISSUE.
They don't dissolve and will eventually cause a clog.
The Toilet Paper Test.
I tested 5 various brands of popular toilet papers like Charmin, Cottonelle, Kirkland brand (from Costco) as well as lesser known brands like cheap store brand toilet papers and Cascades.
To run the test I put 2 sheets of each toilet paper into its own clear glass vessel and then added 2 cups of water to each.
20 minutes later I stirred each one vigorously to see how well they had broken down.
The Toilet Paper Test Results.
After sitting in water for 20 minutes and then being stirred vigorously to replicate flying down plumbing pipes, only ONE type of paper dissolved.
The Cascades brand toilet paper for the win. ✔️
All of the other toilet papers including Charmin, Cottonelle and Kirkland brand failed the test. Some of them were particularly stubborn and didn't dissolve at all while others just didn't dissolve completely.
Why is this?
More than the brand, in this case Cascades, the reason for a toilet paper dissolving well is behind how the toilet paper is made and what it's made of. Cascades is made with recycled paper.
Any toilet paper made with 100% recycled paper will dissolve almost completely. It is the best toilet paper to use.
Instead of being made up of long, strong fibres, recycled paper has short fibres that easily break apart into short little pieces.
The tinier the pieces are, the less likely they are to get caught on the edges, rough spots or corners in your plumbing. No getting caught means no clogging means no running from the bathroom being chased by a lava-like flow of poo.
What exactly is recycled toilet paper made of?
Recycled toilet paper isn't made up of used toilet paper. It's made up of post consumer recycled content (PCR). The bad part of that is the fact that this includes papers that have BPA in them.
Things like credit card printouts and lottery tickets are made with paper that has BPA. Those things are then added to the other papers that consumers recycle (like cardboard) and end up getting BPA into the recycled paper.
HOWEVER the amount of BPA is minimal (we're talking parts per billion) and if you're going to weigh pros and cons, the pros of using recycled toilet paper far outweigh the cons. The BPA in recycled paper is insignificant compared to what we come into contact with on a daily basis.
Take a look at some of the results of the toilet paper test.
From left to right:
Charmin Ultra Soft looked like a standard premium toilet paper. Its packaging claimed that it’s a “no plunger” toilet paper. Meaning it won’t clog your pipes. Presumably that means it will dissolve easily. It did dissolve better than other premium brands, but it still didn't dissolve entirely.
Cheap Store brands can break down but sometimes it's just because they're very thin, 1 or 2 ply papers. People are in love with their bums, so nobody wants to sacrifice bum chaffing for healthy plumbinb pipes. Even worse, 1 ply can tear apart WHILE you're using it.
Cottonelle with Aloe and Ripples was the thickest, most premium brand and it did NOT dissolve at all. This paper would clog your pipe in days if you already have trouble with old, rusty pipes. It's no wonder; the Cottonelle looked more like a blanket than toilet paper.
Kirkland Brand toilet paper (above) remained completely intact after sitting in water for 20 minutes but it dissolved fairly well after whirring it around with a spoon.
Cascades (the 100% recycled fibre) toilet paper had started to dissolve just from sitting in water (as shown in the photo below) with no agitation. After agitating there were no pieces larger than a dime left.
Conclusion?
Buy toilet paper that says it's made from 100% recycled material. No matter the brand, it should dissolve completely in your pipes.
If you have real trouble with your plumbing backing up or clogging, do a test yourself with any new toilet paper.
Testing Toilet Paper.
- Rip 2 sheets off and place them in a jar.
- Add 2 cups of water and wait 20 minutes.
- Stir the jar. If the paper has dissolved with no large pieces it won't clog your pipes.
Extra Tips
- Obviously if you have a septic system, THIS is the kind of paper you should be buying as well.
- The amount of toilet paper you use isn't the issue. Even if you limit yourself to 3 squares a day, if you're using a paper like Cottonelle that doesn't dissolve at all, it's going to build up over time and clog.
- If your toilet is a low flow toilet from when they were first introduced, pay attention to it. If it doesn't seem to be flushing well it probably isn't. Replace it with a newer model that has a higher MaP (Maximum performance rating). You can click here to read about MaPs.
- If you notice your toilet bubbling when you're having a shower YOU ARE IN EMERGENCY MODE. You are only a couple of flushes away from your toilet, bathtub or sink filling with backed up crap. Get your pipes snaked by a plumber IMMEDIATELY if you notice this happens.
Do NOT be afraid to install a new toilet. I've done it a few times. Granted, I'm a handy kind of person but almost anyone can install a toilet.
If you have the strength to lift it, everything else is a breeze. I've done a whole easy to follow step-by-step tutorial with video on how to remove and install a new toilet.
The toilet I installed is an American Standard Studio with a MaP of over 1,000 and it has enough suctioning power that if you flush it while sitting down, it could turn your belly button from an outie into an innie.
I hope this information helps you at some point in your life. Speaking as someone who has lived through the horrors of a plugged toilet and thousands of dollars in sewer line repairs I would like to save you from what I went through.
This kind of information can save lives.
Or at least wallets and bathroom floors.
And maybe lives, actually. I'm sure there's a person out there who has had a heart attack after seeing the $10,000 estimate for replacing their sewer lines. When really ... all they needed to do was buy better, dissolvable toilet paper.
Several years ago I paid thousands of dollars to replace my sewer lines. A year later my toilet backed up AGAIN.
No one told me this by the way. Not one of the several contractors, plumbers or sewer line repair people that came to my house during a year long fiasco with my plumbing EVER mentioned that it could just be my toilet or my toilet paper.
Until one guy. After visiting my house for the third time he told me to switch toilet paper. He could see it hadn't dissolved and had hooked onto the rough surface of the old sewer pipes. He also told me to get a better toilet with more flushing power.
If he had told me that during his first visit I would have saved thousands and thousands of dollars.
I guess the turd time's a charm.
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MTKitty
We are in the septic business and regularly have this conversation with our customers. I would also like to mention that there is no such thing as a "flushable wipe", they are hands down the biggest culprit form back ups that we run into. Thank you for all of your great work! You are the bomb!!
Karen
Yes! Flushable wipes! I know someone who was using those and flushing them and it led to disaster! ~ karen
Colleen
Only recycled TP in our house and at the cottage. PC is my favorite.
Love reading your blog.
M
Aside from the flushability and blockage issues, if the paper is not recycled then the company is felling virgin forest to create their loo roll that you are simply flushing away... thousands of hectares of arboreal forest in Canada and Nordic countries being lost. Not able to replace that system with a few dollars.
Try 'who gives a crap' Australian paper company for your tissues. kitchen roll and loo roll needs - they also donate 50% to Water Aid, a charity that builds toilets and sanitation where its desperately needed.
Martina
I use Scott’s or MD. Haven’t seen Cascades bath tissue in the states. Plumber told me years ago to not buy Cottonelle or Charmin for reasons you stated.
lisa
Hello! I am late to the game reading this post so hoping I can get an answer. When I look up Cascades (in the States) found it on Amazon but there are a bunch of different kinds -- Pro, Select, Fluff a couple with numbers --- which one is the one you're using? Thanks!
JH
As with most types of toilet paper, there are many different versions of the brand. Do you know which version of Cascades this was in your test? Is it a 1-ply or 2-ply? I'd like to try it!
Earl Balentine
Sam's CLub Member's Mark TP desolves better than Cascade TP
Karen
I'm sure it's great, but I can't confirm this because I'm in Canada. Cascades dissolves completely so I'm not sure how much more a toilet paper could dissolve, lol. ~ karen!
Amy
YES! Cascades is my favourite and so awesome for old plumbing pipes. So awesome, too, that it is great for the environment, your pipes/sewer, AND is sturdy when using it! So glad I met someone else who is also passionate about this brand! haha
Karen
Oh yes, I'm definitely passionate about Cascades! ~ karen
Shellbell
Great post!!...and I was happy to see you respond to a very recent comment/question..
I’ve always bought the best price available TP...and would often opt for the more plush types when coupon/savings clubs brought it down to within a few cents of cheapest regardless of brand. Unfortunately Scott didn’t agree with hubby’s backside.
Therefore the brand/type I use has been ever changing.
UNTIL this past month. For convenience sake..I signed on for the Amazon “subscribe andsave” for staples and paper goods...
I had to commit to automatic schedule delivery.
Ended up with Cottonelle Clean Ripple-Clean. I’m on my 6 th week. I’ve had flooding in every bathroom on 2 of the past two Saturdays!! The second time the camera showed low spot in pipe with a huge gathering of TP.
This lead me to this article...and saved me thousands no doubt as it was assumed roots were pushing...lowering that section of pipe...causing the accumulation of TP. We had scheduled the excavation and replacement..UNTIL I saw this post..and performed above experiment on subscription TP along with 3 random left over rolls.
The new TP is STILL SOLID after 6 hours!
Cancelled next scheduled delivery..and ordered 48 case Cascade!
Bless you and
THANK YOU!
Karen
Oh I'm so glad! I get really angry when these pipe replacement companies don't mention the fact that your entire problem could be due to toilet paper! Congratulations on saving thousands. :) ~ karen!
Kristin
Thank you for this blog post! Just to clarify, is this toilet paper from the company Cascades Pro? In my search, I discovered another Canadian company called Cascades (based in Quebec) that also makes recycled toilet paper. Thanks!
Karen
Hi Kristin! This is for Cascades based in Quebec, but really you can do this disintegration test on any recycled toilet paper. Just make sure it dissolves completely and you're set. :) ~ karen!
Kristin
Thank you, Karen! As I did more digging, I realized the two websites that I was looking at were both part of the same parent company, just looked totally different.
Muriel
I have the perfect solution!!! A spray bidet gadget. We just bought one and LOVE it. I did a lot of research beforehand and chose the RinseWorks - Aquaus 360 Hand Held Bidet Sprayer. I like it because it has a dial so you can spray harder or less.
Its really easy to add to your toilet's plumbing. Took me 5 minutes or less to install.
Combine it with a "family towel" and you will use next to no toilet paper!!
PJ Pintor
I’m afraid to ask, but what is a “family towel”?
Muriel
Actually I am not sure of other people's definition. I am a bit surprised I used that phrase. I remember our tenant using it (we put the spray bidet in our rental house too and she LOVES it, as do we).
We have a small towel or facecloth for each person. You only need it to dry yourself.
Drawn Dog
We have a bidet installed on every toilet in our home (except for in the master suite where we have a free-standing bidet).
TBH, the thought that millions of Americans walk around every day earning skid-marks in their drawers makes me vomit in my mouth just a little bit.
There is nothing better than a fresh, clean butt-hole to start ones day!
We use Cottonelle to dry with, and throw the paper in a waste basket.
Marla Sanderson
Hi,
I'm about to purchase Cascades, thanks to this great blog, and wasn't sure if I should buy the single ply or if the 2 ply Cascades is good at breaking down. Thanks for the help!
Karen
Hi Marla. I just checked and my Cascades is 2 ply. :) ~ karen!
Ilo
We are about to begin building our new home which will be on a septic system. Our current 70 year old house has the old style, lots of water type of toilet. Can you recommend a toilet brand or type that will work well with our new septic?
Mark
Check out Corona toilets. Made in Australia where they can’t afford to waste water. We own 4 and couldn’t be happier (all on septic)
Suz
YES! Thank you so much for posting this. We are moving into a home that has a septic system. I've never had one before and was concerned. Thanks again for this informative post. Now I get to research all of the other features that will affect the septic, low flow toilets, washers etc.
Karen
Ha! Well good luck with that. :) I've actually found (in Canada) the VERY best brand to be Cascades and in the States have heard only good things about Scotts. ~ karen!
Larry
Is this Cascades at Costco rated as single or 2 ply?
Kurt
I understand this article is about TP issues in clog prone plumbing, but septic system advice was erroneous. I recently attended a septic system workshop by Snohomish County, Washington. We were shown the dissolving test but were given opposite results.
No toilet paper fiber disappears or digests in the tank. The bacteria won't work on wood fiber fast enough. It must be pumped out of a septic tank every 3 to 5 years. Bigger fibers are better so they form sludge that won't get out of the tank and clog the drain tiles. All solids accumulate from both the bottom and the top of the tank. Both floating and sinking sludge must be pumped out before they reach the drain which is located between the layers or they will clog the drain field. All septic owners should get literature/web info from a government source, not a web maven, as there are potential fines for breaking rules. This was a shock to me.
Karen
Um. A web maven? First of all my post is not about septic tanks. It's about toilet paper and the resulting effects of different types on sewer lines. So if you want to hurl mini-sized insults, at least insult my actual post, not your perception of my post. ~ karen!
tina
When you did your test did you use cascades standards or the cascade ultra?
Karen
Ahh ..what a shame this 'Cascades' isn't available to buy in the UK, where I live. Unless.... I wonder if it's available under a different brand name....or does anyone know of a good / as near as alternative out there?? Any?
Cherry Bee
Did the 20-minute glass test on Trader Joe's tp and it passed nicely. What a relief: hadn't heard of Cascades & no Costco membership. Thanks for the methodology, Karen.
Keryn Denroche
I buy bamboo toilet paper - brand Caboo. Breaks down faster than Cascades. And is a sustainable product!