Plumbing-safe liquid wipe available at Copy & Supply in Building 5

PROTECT OUR PIPES

With GRF Service Maintenance reporting a growing incidence of blocked sewer pipes largely due to flushable wipes, Mutual and GRF officials have been seeking a remedy.

They found one in a product called Refresh Liquid Wipes that is now on sale for $6.81, including tax, at the Copy & Supply Center in Building 5. The 50 milliliter package provides approximately 100 applications, roughly the equivalent of 50 disposables, which compares favorably to the cost of wipes. Amazon.com currently charges $7.31 for the same product, so savings are available through the Copy & Supply Center.

The toilet paper foam is eco-friendly, good for sensitive skin, and cleanses and soothes using witch hazel and aloe. It is alcohol- and paraben-free and plumbing safe. Refresh can be sprayed on toilet tissue, turning it into a truly flushable wipe. Most wipes labeled “flushable” are not biodegradable and cause major stoppages. GRF Service Maintenance reports that even though crews routinely pull wipes out of pipes, there are so many that they are clogging lines, which can require expensive repairs.

In addition to using Refresh, residents are asked to help keep sewer lines clear of non-flushable or grindable items (in garbage disposals) to ensure a stoppage-free sewer system.

Toilets

• Residents must not dispose of non-flushable items in toilets. These materials do not disintegrate in water and stop up sewer lines.

• Do not flush (even when marked flushable) cleaning or baby wipes, paper towels, cloth towels, any type of rags, feminine hygiene products, facial tissues and diapers. Do not flush anything other than toilet paper.

Garbage Disposal

Do not grind any of the following items as they also create sewer stoppages: bones, carrot and potato peelings, celery and rhubarb stalks, coffee grounds, eggshells, corn cob husks, onion skins, pea pods, grease, pills, rice, or any other fibrous materials.