Biodegradable Toilet Paper For Septic Tanks

Although technically all toilet paper is biodegradable, yet not all toilet paper is “septic safe.” So it is not enough to use any toilet paper because it is biodegradable.

The rule of thumb is to use eco-friendly and septic-safe toilet papers; this way, you are sure you are not using any toilet paper that is harmful to your septic tank and the environment.

So, how do you know a good biodegradable toilet paper for septic tanks? For best results, use biodegradable toilet paper that is soft and dissolvable.

But that is not all! Read on to find biodegradable toilet paper suitable for your septic tank.

What You Must Know About Septic Tanks

A Septic tank is always perfect if you look forward to having the best wastewater solution. The task of the septic tank seems quite similar to that of the soakaway pit. However, septic tanks do more than bring wastewater solutions.

See Also: Will Toilet Paper Dissolve In Clogged Toilet?

But what is a septic tank? 

A septic tank is a self-contained underground tank that can take the form of concrete, plastic, or fiberglass. This tank collects the domestic waste and then separates the solids from the waste.

The septic tank allows the waste’s decomposition under the bacterial process-anaerobic condition.

For septic tanks to carry out the activities, you must be careful when choosing the materials that should be put in the tank; otherwise, it affects the anaerobic process. Most of the time, cleaning agents like bleach potentially threaten the activities.

No wonder it is advisable only to use biodegradable toilet paper. Now let’s learn a little about biodegradable toilet paper.

What You Need To Know About Biodegradable Toilet Paper

Biodegradable toilet paper is the upgraded version of traditional toilet paper. However, this does not mean that all toilet paper is not biodegradable. This is because this toilet paper is not made from natural materials. And they are biodegradable even when many of these toilet papers are recycled.

Biodegradable toilet paper ranges from soft to hard, depending on the material it is made of. Therefore, knowing which biodegradable toilet paper is the perfect pick for your septic tank is essential.

Why is biodegradable toilet paper ideal for your septic tank? Biodegradable toilet paper is an ideal choice for your septic systems. The toilet paper is short; most are soft, easily dissolvable, and easy to use.

Note: biodegradable toilet paper ranges from soft to complex, so always use the more delicate version of the biodegradable toilet paper.

So be careful not to use any or every biodegradable toilet paper for your septic tank. Many of these toilet papers are not 100% biodegradable.

So since all toilet papers are biodegradable, yet all of them are not good for septic tanks, what is the best biodegradable toilet paper for septic tanks? Find the qualities to have in mind when looking for the ideal biodegradable toilet paper for septic tanks.

Biodegradable Toilet Paper For Septic Tanks

Below are the qualities to look out for when choosing the ideal biodegradable toilet paper for your septic tank.

1. Dissolvability

Unlike the traditional toilet rolls that would take time to dissolve, the easiest way to know an excellent biodegradable toilet is its ability to dissolve quickly.

Biodegradable toilet paper uses less water, yet it can break down quickly compared to other toilet rolls or pieces. This would help the septic tank carry out the activities to separate solid materials from effluent.

For best results, use recycled toilet paper. They are septic safe and reward your efforts by not adding up to clogging or forming a blockage in the septic tank.

There is one feature that guarantees or makes biodegradable toilet paper easily dissolvable, leading us to our next point.

3. The Softness of the biodegradable toilet paper

Earlier in our guide, we revealed several times that soft biodegradable toilet paper rates for septic-safe toilet rolls.

And remember, biodegradable toilet paper ranges from hard to soft. Stiff biodegradable toilet paper cannot dissolve fast. And at worse, it would require more water to dissolve.

To attain a high dissolvability level and for your septic tank to perform at its best, always use soft biodegradable toilet paper for comfort.

See Also: How To Flush Poop That Is Too Big To Flush

3. Check for the strength of the biodegradable toilet paper

Although it is ideal to always go for soft biodegradable toilet paper, be careful not to use toilet paper that is too soft. The toilet paper must hold enough strength to finish its work before tearing.

However, it should be nothing more substantial than traditional toilet paper. The biodegradable toilet paper should be firm enough and safe to use, so it doesn’t tear through when you are using it.

Try to use two-ply toilet paper because it is more potent compared to other toilet paper, especially one-ply toilet paper.

If the toilet paper is too soft, it will affect the roll size. And this leads us to our next point.

4. Note the biodegradable toilet paper roll size

When it is time to wipe, the quality of your toilet roll will affect the roll size. If the toilet roll is hard, you must use a small amount of toilet paper. However, this does not affect the fact that it would require more water and time to dissolve.

If the biodegradable toilet paper is too soft, it would require a large amount of roll size to measure up the amount you need for the wipes. And if this is so, it would still affect the dissolvability process.

And at worst, it would cause clogging. So, for maximum results, it is best that you use the perfect roll size.

The ideal roll size for toilets with small toilet paper roll holders is smaller toilet paper. The choice can change if you have enough space for a large toilet paper. More so, always consider your available space before choosing the roll size.

Always choose the roll size that is more convenient for you.

5. Absorbency

Refuse to settle for toilet rolls that are more like paper towels, and these toilet rolls will also have problems dissolving. Ultra-push toilet papers are mostly toilet paper that resembles paper-towel-like tissue rolls.

This toilet paper is comfortable to use. However, it doesn’t break down quickly; most tips clump up and can affect the anaerobic process.

Good biodegradable toilet paper cannot blanch together or form clumps and clog your system. So, go for thick toilet paper, but be mindful of its strength. Otherwise, it affects your septic tank.

6. Zero chlorine content

Another quality to look out for when choosing biodegradable toilet paper for septic tanks is choosing toilet paper with no chlorine content. Avoid using chemicals like bleach, solvents, and other cleaning agents. They have a big way of interrupting the anaerobic process.

So do not get overly chemical-treated toilet rolls. Sometimes it is hard to detect chlorine-free toilet rolls because many manufacturers use too much bleach to get the toilet paper white color. Always look for chlorine-free toilet paper.

Recycled toilet paper is one of the best when discussing toilet rolls with fewer chemicals. So it will not be harmful to your septic tank.

These are the qualities to look for when settling for biodegradable toilet paper. Non-tree toilet paper and quilted northern toilet paper are great options if you need a specific toilet paper to pay for.

If you doubt the quality of the toilet paper, then you would have to take a quick test to check if the toilet paper is worth your time and money. Let’s learn how you can test if any biodegradable toilet paper is okay for septic tanks.

How To Know If Biodegradable Toilet Paper Is A Good Match For Your Septic Tank

many people refer to this as a biodegradation test. To take the test, you would need a few materials; get some pieces of toilet paper and some water.

Using a bowl will take longer to prove the test result, so you would need to get a water bottle that would fit the pieces of toilet roll.

So, now is the time to carry out the test. Fold the toilet roll square, and then gently put the toilet roll in the water bottle. You don’t want it to tear or break down at this point because it should only break down into pieces when it is in the bottle.

Leave it for some minutes, 30 minutes preferably, after which you can now shake the bottle 4 to 6 times. Drop the bottle to watch how the toilet roll breaks down. If it takes time, then it will affect your septic.

Note: Biodegradable toilet papers differ, and many will take time to show effect while others will break down quickly compared to others. So you might want to be patient when carrying out this test.

See Also: Will A Toilet Eventually Unclog Itself?

Conclusion

This guide proves you can know the best biodegradable toilet paper for your septic tank without hassle. So it would be best if you looked out for all the qualities mentioned earlier when it is time to buy toilet paper.

Getting the best toilet paper for your septic tank would contribute to the system’s functionality, as it would be impossible to trace signs of clogging and malfunctions. However, you can always look forward to tackling problems when the system seems faulty.

Now that you know which toilet paper to settle for, we hope you try not to settle for anything less.