Every year, one out of five Americans deal with a blocked toilet. 70% of those surveyed agreed that this problem caused some nasty headaches. Almost all of them used a plunger to unclog the pipes. The usual cause of blocked toilets are toys and plastic objects dropped down the tubes. Some even admitted occasionally flushing down a fish. Most of the respondents, however, admitted that no one takes responsibility for blocking up the toilets in their homes.

People with older houses, septic tank systems, and those living in boats, trailer parks and recreational vehicles run the highest risk of having plumbing and clog issues. Most clogs can be avoided though and the front line of defense to prevent stopped-up toilets is to use septic-safe tissue.