Why You Should Never Flush Chewing Gum Down Your Toilet

According to a review by the American Association of Oral Biologists, we consume around 374 billion pieces of chewing gum annually, reflecting just how popular the product really is. While many of us throw our gum in the garbage when we finish with it, many people may unknowingly be incorrectly disposing of the handy snack. For example, perhaps you have accidentally swallowed it or thrown it on the sidewalk. 

However, you should never dispose of your chewing gum using your toilet. Doing so is a huge mistake. Although it may seem harmless, it could cause serious, long-term damage and create a lot of hassle along the way too. If you're wondering what is it that makes gum so problematic for your toilet, as it turns out, the sticky substance could end up preventing it from functioning correctly and even be one of the reasons your toilet is breaking. Although you may not notice the immediate effects, this is something that you want to avoid. 

Gum can be very satisfying to chew due to its texture but it's this that actually could land you in hot water with your toilet. The adhesive nature of gum means that it can easily create a build-up of rubbish as its polymers help it to stick to surfaces and other materials, as the Museum of Science & Industry Chicago details. It's also insoluble, meaning water won't break it down. This could trigger leaks — an issue you don't want to deal with. 

Likewise, removing it will be equally as complicated. The piece of gum is small and will likely be firmly stuck somewhere down your toilet. As a result, the problem may even be accentuated if you continue disposing of several pieces of gum this way. Thankfully, there are a few useful ways that you can unclog your toilet.  

Of course, fixing all of this will cost you both money and time. For this reason alone, it's best to avoid getting rid of your gum incorrectly. Instead, simply wrap up your chewing gum in a piece of tissue, or ideally the wrapper it came in, before safely disposing of it in a trash can. It's just not worth the hassle otherwise.