Have you ever wondered if Kirkland toilet paper septic safe is? Well, look no more. We´ve got you covered.
Recently, Costco’s line of ever-plush, highly-affordable toilet paper was a hot topic. It gained so much attention for not only being plushy and comfortable but also for being, according to septic tank owners, bad for the health of septic tank systems.
So, is Costco’s Kirkland toilet paper septic safe? In my humble opinion, yes. Kirkland toilet paper is septic safe. It all comes down to how you care for your system, how you use your toilet paper, and whether luck is on your side or not. However, there are bound to be a few problems that come up at some point while you use septic systems, but we can ahrdly blame it on the toilet paper.
Sometimes these things just happen.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kirkland toilet paper and septic systems.
Table of Contents
The Effects of Toilet Paper on Septic Systems
👉 To really understand the Kirkland-Septic System issue, we need to talk about it in more general terms to start with. How bad is toilet paper – of any brand- for septic tanks?
Well, if you’re a homeowner with a septic system or know someone who is, you likely know what happens when too much toilet paper gets flushed down the toilet.
Or, if you don’t know firsthand, there’s surely been someone keen to tell you a horror story or two.
👉 The truth of the matter is that toilet paper was designed to be flushed and, this being said, a well-maintained septic system shouldn’t have any problems handling it.
Your favorite toilet paper won’t clog your septic system as long as you use it properly.
Read also: Can I Use RV Toilet Paper in My House? (Is It Safe?)
Types of Toilet Paper
Before we go any further, it’s important to note that there are several different types of toilet paper on today’s market.
Each one should have been designed to be easily flushed, however, some are easier on pipes than others.
Disintegrating
Disintegrating toilet paper, as its name suggests. disintegrates when it comes in contact with water When the toilet paper is tossed into the toilet bowl, it immediately begins to break down and, if left in the toilet, will be completely gone within seconds.
Disintegrating toilet paper tends to be relatively thin but is also quite soft.
Recycled
Some septic tank owners choose to use recycled paper believing that it’s better for their system. There is no evidence to support this, however, there are benefits to recycled toilet paper.
The main benefit, of course, is that using this kind of toilet paper helps to cut down on the amount of paper that finds its way into landfills.
This type of toilet paper is made of secondhand paper products like newspaper and paper from offices and print establishments. Recycled paper can be brown or white, thick or thin, and soft or rough.
1, 2, and 3-Ply
1-ply toilet paper is made of a single layer of paper. It tends to be on the thinner side and is less expensive than 2 or 3-ply toilet papers.
Most of the time, 1-ply is used in large establishments like restauraunts, where the toilet paper turnover is frequent.
2-ply toilet paper has two layers of paper and is considered to be thicker and “harder on septic systems” than 1-play. This isn’t neccessarily true, though, thanks to modern developemnts in the manufacturing process of toilet paper.
This double-ply toilet paper was created in the 1950’s, when an early toilet paper company came up with the idea of essentially gluing two peices of 1-ply together.
3-ply toilet papers have three layers of material and as such, can absorb more water than other types. Since they are so thick, less tends to be more when you’re using them.
Read also: Is Charmin Toilet Paper safe for RV? – What You Need To Know
Kirkland TP: The Criticism and The Conclusion
Now that we know that toilet paper probably won’t do any real damage to your septic tank, we can start to dive into the reasons why Costco’s toilet paper became such a trending topic.
👉 Sometime last year, a message about one family’s experience with Kirkland toilet paper and their septic system began floating around the internet.
Of course, this message wasn’t a good one, as most stories that can be found online are of the negative variety.
👉 As the story goes, one of the family’s pipes burst and, upon later inspection, it was found that they also had a number of septic tank problems.
They called a professional who came to the conclusion that the problem was the Costco toilet paper they were using.
👉 Since this brand of toilet paper isn’t a biodegradable kind, it doesn’t break down, which meant that the plumber found a ton of intact toilet paper in the system, which is likely what cemented their belief that the toilet paper was to blame.
The message that resulted from this experience claims that even homeowners without septic issues and who use city systems have had problems with paper clogging — Kirkland toilet paper obviously.
Is RV Safe Toilet Paper Important? >> Check out the video below:
What Kind of TP is Costco’s TP?
Kirkland toilet paper is 2-ply. It isn’t recycled and doesn’t disintegrate.
Best dissolving toilet paper for septic systems
The Scott Rapid Dissolving Toilet Paper is one of the best RV toilet paper for septic systems out there.
I really like the Scott Rapid Dissolving toilet paper. It’s not terribly expensive but gets amazing reviews. Just follow the link to Amazon where you can see current pricing.
👉 Purchase: If you are interested in the Scott Rapid Dissolving toilet paper then just follow the link to Amazon where you can see current pricing.
Toilet Paper (and Other) Best Practices for Septic Systems
Be sparing.
Regardless of whether you use a septic system or a city system in your home, it’s always a good idea to be sparing on the toilet paper.
Try not to use more than you have to to get the jobe done efficiently and avoid folding the toilet paper three or four times before you use it — all that does is contribute to the amount of otilet paper going down the toilet.
Some people who are incredibly mindful of the amount they use opt to count the squares; two or three squares for number one and three or four for number two.
Opt for sngle ply.
If you’re looking for a way to be kind to your septic system, consider switching to singe ply toilet paper. Sure it’s thinner and your finger is more likely to go through it but it’s gentler on your pipes since it doesn’t clog as easily.
However, if you’re going to switch to singe ply and then use double the amount, we’d recommend not bothering to switch.
Using double the amount of single ply is just about as bad as using double ply (even though, as we’ve discussed, double-ply isn’t all that bad).
If in doubt, throw it out.
Is your septic system really sensitive? Does it get angry for no reason? If so, you’re probably afraid to flush anything down the toilet — even toilet paper. So, why not throw the toilet paper in thet rash isntead of flushing it?
Keep a garbage can with a lid in your bathroom. Put a trash bag inside of it and fill it with your toilet paper instead of flushing it down.
As long as your trash can stays closed and you change the bag frequently, there shouldn’t be too many foul smells coming for your bathroom.
Double flush.
Flushing a large wad of toilet paper down the drain isn’t ideal for any pipes, including septic systems. This being said, if you need to use a lot f toilet paper, then you’re free to do so.
Perhaps, though, you could incorporate double flushing into your routine.
When you’re using a lot of toilet paper, flush ahlf way through your bathroom excursion to reduce the amount of paper that goes down at one time.
Read also: Can I Use My RV Toilet in the Winter or In Cold Weather (Yes, Here Is How)
Don’t flush your dinner.
It can be tempeting to dump leftover cereal or oatmeal down the toilet — after all, it’s a really convenient way of disposing of that kind of stuff – but we urge you not to do that if you have a septic system.
Once your cereal has gone down the toilet, there’s no telling what kind of mischief it’s making inside your pipes.
For all you know it could be forming a clog a little bit at a time each morning you dump soggy cheerios down there.
This applies to everything else, too. Nothing that isn’t human waste or toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Period.
Hold the chemicals.
Quite often, cleaning the toilet bowl includes a host of chemicals. If you have a septic system, we hope that your routine doesn’t.
Why? Well, as nice and shiny as your favorite cleaner gets your toilet bowl, it’s probably reaking havoc in your septic system.
Septic systems contain beneficial bateria that cut down on smell and help get rid of waste. Chemicals kill these bacteria, so it’s best to avoid using them.
Scrubbing with baking soda and a toilet scrubber should do the job just fine so long as you keep up with cleaning, of course.
You can prevent exasterbating septic problems by throwing your toilet paper out, flushing more than once, using thinner toilet paper, using less toilet paper, and by cleaning your toilet the all-natural way — with water and elbow grease.
Kirkland Toilet Paper Review
Below you can find kirkland toilet paper review from our readers:
Jennifer P. “The best toilet paper“
“We always use this toilet paper at home. I feel it’s a great quality. We don’t use name brand. It’s also affordable. It’s easy to find at our Costco store. It’s basically there name brand for this. I do recommend it. It’s not rough at all.”
Carin W. “Great value“
“Its rare to find a product that has both great value and great quality. I love how wide the toilet paper is and how large each roll is. The rolls come wrapped in smaller groups inside the bag which allows my kids to easily refill the bathrooms. I highly recommend”
KittyLee “This is our go-to toilet tissue“
“I love this stuff. I love the big package size and that there are smaller wrapped packs inside to keep them clean and easily distribute them throughout the house.
The tissue itself is effective and doesn’t fall apart and the rolls are a large size so they don’t need to be changed often.”
References
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