E-cigarettes, mobile phones and condoms: Experts reveal the bizarre items that Brits are flushing down the toilet - costing millions each year to clean up

Published: 10:39 EDT, 2 October 2026 | Updated: 10:48 EDT, 2 October 2026 Forget the bin – some Brits are getting rid of unwanted items in the toilet.Experts at Initial Washroom Hygiene have revealed the most unusual items they've recovered from toilets across the UK. Some of the most common culprits include sanitary towels, nappies, food waste, vapes, e-cigarettes and nicotine gum. However, some hygiene experts admitted they have found clothes, shoes, mobile phones, and even jewellery in toilet bowls. If left in the system, these items can wreak havoc on drainage, according to Jamie Woodhall, UK Technical and Innovations Manager at Initial Washroom Hygiene.He explained: 'Chucking things into the toilet may feel like a quick way to discard items like wet wipes, period products, nail clippings, dead pet goldfish or even those leftover baked beans not eaten at lunchtime, but these items do not break down easily or quickly and are likely to accumulate in your drainage systems.' Experts at Initial Washroom Hygiene have revealed the most unusual items they've recovered from toilets across the UK 'If you add in fats and oils that have been washed away down sinks and then have cooled and congealed, you quickly find the perfect conditions for the formation of a "fatberg",' Mr Woodhall explainedThe team at Initial Washroom Hygiene surveyed 2,074 UK adults to test their understanding of what can and can't go in the toilet. The results showed that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of people would flush a deceased pet fish down the toilet.Other potential toilet–cloggers include nail clippings (flushed by 35 per cent of people), paper towels (34 per cent), dental floss (19 per cent) and human hair (34 per cent). What's more, 19 per cent of respondents admitted to flushing tampons down the toilet, 16 per cent said they flush contact lenses, and 13 per cent even said they put condoms in the bog. The situation isn't much better over in the kitchen, according to Initial Washroom Hygiene. The survey found that 10 per cent of Brits think it's fine to tip cooking oil, fat or grease straight into their sink.'If you add in fats and oils that have been washed away down sinks and then have cooled and congealed, you quickly find the perfect conditions for the formation of a "fatberg",' Mr Woodhall added. Removing fatbergs comes at a hefty cost. Thames Water says that it removes 3.8 billion wet wipes that have been flushed every year, at a cost of around £18 million. As for what you can put down the toilet, the experts advise sticking to the 'three Ps'. Pictured: a clogged sewerAs for what you can put down the toilet, the experts advise sticking to the 'three Ps'.Mr Woodhall advised: 'People should exercise better "drain discipline" by only flushing the three Ps – pee, poo and paper down toilets. 'Everything else such as nappies, period products and wet wipes should always go in a waste bin. 'In the kitchen, scrape solid food waste and fats into a compost caddy or waste bin before washing up. 'Using a sink plug basket or sink strainer is also an excellent way to catch stray food scraps before they enter your pipework. 'If you spot the warning signs of a potential blockage, such as water backing up in the toilet, persistent foul smells or sinks draining slowly, then it is time to investigate the issue or seek professional advice from a drainage company or plumber to identify the cause and decide on the appropriate action.'WHAT ARE FATBERGS? Fatbergs are blockages made up of flushed fat, oil, grease and other flushed waste such as wet wipes and illegal drugs.They form into huge concrete-like slabs and can be found beneath almost every UK city, growing larger with every flush.They also include food wrappers and human waste, blocking tunnels - and raising the risk of sewage flooding into homes. The biggest ever discovered in the UK was a 750-metre (2,460ft) monster found under London's South Bank in 2017 (pictured) They can grow metres tall and hundreds of metres long, with water providers last year declaring an epidemic of fatberg emergencies in 23 UK cities, costing tens of millions of pounds to remove.The biggest ever discovered in the UK was a 750-metre (2,460ft) monster found under London's South Bank in 2017. Fatbergs take weeks to remove and form when people put things they shouldn't down sinks and toilets.