Guide · checked Nov 12, 2026

Septic care: what not to flush, and what wears a system out

Most expensive septic jobs start with solids or too much water reaching the drain field. These are the EPA's rules for avoiding that, in one place.

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The toilet: only waste and toilet paper

The EPA's rule of thumb: flush nothing but human waste and toilet paper. Its never-flush list:

• Cooking grease or oil
• Non-flushable wipes, such as baby wipes or other wet wipes
• Photographic solutions
• Feminine hygiene products
• Condoms
• Dental floss
• Diapers
• Cigarette butts
• Coffee grounds
• Cat litter
• Paper towels
• Pharmaceuticals
• Household chemicals like gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint or paint thinners

The sink: "think at the sink"

• No grease. Fats, butter, wax, cheese and heavy cream don't break down easily. Neither do oils or coffee grounds.
• No chemical drain openers. The EPA suggests boiling water or a drain snake instead.
• No paint, solvents or big doses of strong cleaners. They can kill the bacteria that treat the waste, and what goes down the drain can reach groundwater.
• Go easy on the garbage disposal. Food waste adds solids that build up as scum and sludge, so a home that uses a disposal needs pumping more often.

Water: spread it out

• Indoor use in a typical home can reach about 70 gallons per person per day, and one leaky or running toilet can add as much as 200 gallons a day. Fix leaks first.
• Spread laundry over the week. Doing it all in one day doesn't give the tank time to treat the waste and can flood the drain field. Run full loads, or pick the right load size.
• Toilets are 25 to 30 percent of household water use. High-efficiency models use 1.6 gallons or less per flush, versus 3.5 to 5 gallons in many older toilets.

Additives: skip them

The EPA says septic additives aren't recommended for household systems: the tank already has bacteria, enzymes, yeasts and fungi, and additives can be ineffective or even harm the system and the environment. If something seems wrong, have a professional look at it.

The drain field: keep it open and planted with grass

• Don't drive or park on it. Vehicle weight compacts the soil and can damage pipes.
• Don't pave over it or build on it without checking with the permitting office. In Hamilton County, additions must stay at least 10 feet from field lines, and pools 25 feet (see permits and rules).
• Plant grass or ground cover, not trees, shrubs or a vegetable garden. Roots damage pipes, and vegetables can be exposed to effluent.
• Send roof drains and other runoff away from the field.

Pumping and how long parts last

Keep the service reports: the EPA suggests writing down the sludge and scum levels at each pumping so you can tell when the next one is due. Warning signs are on our repair page; prices are in the cost guide.