question about types of toilet paper

Hi. We use recycled toilet paper at our house. Whatever brand that is available, we buy. We have been doing this for the whole time we have lived in our house, about 2 1/2 years. A couple of weeks ago our entire bathroom got stopped up. The sink wouldn't drain, the tub would not drain and the toilet was stopped up. At first the tub wasn't draining then the toilet stopped up. We have had slow draining in the tub before and used a snake with success. This time though, nothing worked. It was obviously a deeper clog.
We called a plumber who went outside to where the waste leaves the house (sorry, I don't know the terms). He pulled a bunch of toilet paper and waste out of there and said that it was because we use recycled toilet paper. He said that it doesn't break down as well as regular toilet paper and was convinced that was our problem. I have trouble believing that recycled toilet paper is that much different than any other brand you would get at the grocery store. He actually cited 2 brands that he swears are the best for breaking down in the septic system.
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this topic? Any chance it could have had anything to do with my using those flushable wet wipes for about a month before this happened? We don't put anything else in the toilet and this is the first time it has happened to the point where we had to call a plumber.
Any help or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Very likely that the wet wipes you refered to are causing the problem. Regardless if the packaging says you can DO NOT FLUSH THEM! I've augered out many a toilet that I've brought back these "FLUSHABLE" wipes or cleaning towels that when unfolded are still full size. They do not break down.

I always tell my customers to only flush these 3 P's
#1 - PEE
#2 - POOH(Not Winnie)
#3 - Paper (Toilet)

And never these P's (Found these & then some - That's another tread!)
#1 - Pads
#2 - Pons (Tam)
#3 - Plastic Applicators (See #2!)
#4 - Prophalactics
#5 - Perfume bottles
#6 - Phones(Cell)
#7 - Pens/Pencils
#8 - Pot (Drug enforcement usually gets this)
#9 - Pig (Actually Ham Hock - Bean soup POT dumped into toilet "DISPOSAL" - This did not auger out - She was happy with the new toilet I had to install)

And if they insist on flushing items not in the first set of 3 items I get something...

PAID

no-nos

Regarding #4 and a septic tank. My septic cleaning serviceman told me that he had to pump a tank that had dozens of them floating on the surface. He showed the husband and told him that they should not be flushed down the toilet. The husband said he had had a vasectomy many years before and therefore did not have to use them. The serviceman said it was a nasty divorce. Therefore, do not flush anything into a septic tank that you do not want anyone else to know about.

not_a_plumber said:

We called a plumber ... He actually cited 2 brands that he swears are the best for breaking down in the septic system.
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this topic? Any chance it could have had anything to do with my using those flushable wet wipes for about a month before this happened?

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My wife is not here at the moment, but I bet she could tell you those two brands. And, we also usually only use single-ply tissue.

A "flushable" wipe is flushable, meaning it at least *should* go down the pipe and on out to some municipal system where there are filters, grinders and so on to process such extras. However, "flushable" and "dissolvable" are not synonymous, and backyard septic systems can only tolerate "the three Ps" 41Fever has mentioned.

question about toilet paper

Thank you for your responses. I'll not use the wipes from now on but I'm a little bothered by not using recycled paper. It is just something I've done for so long and I would rather not stop now.
Does anyone happen to know any recycled toilet paper that is safe for plumbing?
I am finding conflicting information on the countless internet sites about tp.
Thanks again!

You can use the TP with recycled paper in it just don't place it in the toilet and flush it.

If you think about it they are trying to use a recycled paper that wasn't meant to be flushed and flushing it. You really can't recycle TP.

Most recycled paper is used for or in it's previous or similar use.

hj said:

Regarding #4 and a septic tank. My septic cleaning serviceman told me that he had to pump a tank that had dozens of them floating on the surface. He showed the husband and told him that they should not be flushed down the toilet. The husband said he had had a vasectomy many years before and therefore did not have to use them. The serviceman said it was a nasty divorce. Therefore, do not flush anything into a septic tank that you do not want anyone else to know about.

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That is the oldest story in the book. I have heard it in many forms and from many plumbers over the years. Don't know if it was true, not sure if they float. I guess it might be true and have happened in many places.

Cass said:

... not sure if they float. I guess it might be true and have happened in many places.

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I did my own septic inspection when my wife and I got this place a little over two years ago after it had been vacant for about a year, and yes, even the ones that had not dissolved were still floating!

They float...