Are Dude Wipes Biodegradable? (And Compostable?)

Dude Wipes are popular in many households that love comfort. Along with other wet wipes, they improve your experience after wiping your butt. 

But even our favorite products will not escape the scrutiny we must dole out to save the environment. If a product is not biodegradable, then it should be recycled. Otherwise, we have a waste item that sticks around the ecosystem for a long time. 

What are Dude Wipes made of? Are Dude wipes biodegradable? Do they decompose, or are they compostable? Find out below! 

Are Dude Wipes Really Biodegradable? 

Yes, Dude Wipes are really biodegradable. They break down naturally with the help of organisms like yeast, fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes. The reason is that they are made from cotton; pure cotton. Furthermore, if you go through the company’s list of ingredients on its website, you will see that everything is organic. 

It is easier for organic products to be broken down by microbes because they lack synthetic additives. After perusing the ingredients in Dude Wipes, it is safe to say it is a biodegradable brand. 

The Federal Trade Commission has some requirements for a product to qualify as flushable or biodegradable. But most importantly, the materials that make it determine how receptive nature will be of its post-use. 

Cotton is a biodegradable material because it is a bioproduct. Therefore, it will break down fast, even when you flush it down the drain. 

You would naturally expect wipes to biodegrade because they are marketed as an advanced type of toilet paper. However, wipes are made differently because of their non-stop exposure to moisture; they wouldn’t be wet wipes without it. 

Toilet paper and wipes are made from wood pulp, but the difference is in the length of the fibers. Shorter fiber will be easily broken down, which explains why toilet paper will break down before wipes. 

In contrast, wipes need stronger fibers so they will not break down fast before they are used. But even then, the material an item is made from is what determines its biodegradability. 

Cotton breaks down fast. Depending on the environmental conditions, it will break down in five to six months. 

A hundred percent cotton can also break down in a week. You can accelerate the process by tearing the wipe into smaller pieces. 

But since Dude Wipes go down the septic pipe, all the pressure from the water will weaken the fibers. They may not break down as fast as conventional toilet paper, but they will decompose within a year. 

Are Dude Wipes Flushable? 

Yes, Dude Wipes are flushable. They don’t contain any synthetic additives like polyethylene or polypropylene. The difference between a flushable product and one that isn’t is the length of the fiber. Flushable wipes have shorter fiber even though it is longer than what is used for toilet paper. 

In other words, toilet paper has the shortest fibers; next is flushable wipes, then the non-flushable ones. 

Non-flushable wipes have the longest fibers because they need reinforcement. Non-flushable wipes are often antibacterial, and biocides are required to eliminate these harmful pathogens. 

Therefore, the ingredients in the wipes may be too strong for a shorter fiber. And combined with the need to retain as much water as required, synthetic polymers may be required. 

However, Dude Wipes are not antibacterial. Even their strongest product, Dude Shower Body, is biodegradable. 

This is because the brand uses bioproducts – cotton, more specifically. Cotton will break down in the right environment because it is organic. The right environment can also be a septic tank; you don’t need to compost it. 

To determine wipes that are flushable, they must pass through some tests. Without this test, brands cannot claim to be biodegradable; even some of them still game the system. 

Some tests to determine biodegradability include the slosh test; here, the wipes are put in a tank and sloshed around for three hours. The Industry Associations developed this test for Non-Woven Fabrics in collaboration with another Non-Profit. 

Another test aims to see whether the used wipes will pass through the conventional pipework. Non-flushable wipes will fail this test because they are strong enough to hold on to dirt from different parts of the sewer. This causes them to gather debris, becoming larger and larger the longer it spends in the sewer. 

This unfortunate phenomenon has a name – fatbergs. A fatberg is the result of a non-flushable wipe marketed as flushable. 

The final important test the product must pass is its ability to disintegrate after water treatment

Do Dude Wipes Decompose? 

Yes, Dude Wipes decompose because they are made from 100 percent cotton. They don’t contain synthetic products that may discourage bacteria and fungi from breaking them down. Furthermore, there are no harsh chemicals in the ingredients, so decomposing in nature will not be a problem or hazardous event. 

For a material to qualify as biodegradable, according to the Federal Trade Commission, it must break down within five years. For this to happen, the most natural form of the material should be used. 

No adulteration by synthetic polymers or chemicals will affect the ecosystem. Biodegradation is nature’s way of recycling waste, but the ecosystem cannot decompose something that didn’t use to be a part of it.

Companies must produce environmentally-friendly items to stay relevant to the growing sustainability concerns.

Dude Wipes adheres to this simple rule. It supplies luxury tissues for the behind, so it does not include biocides. It is designed to replace water, and it does just that. 

Judging by the way Dude Wipes came to be, it is not hard-pressed and is therefore unbothered with making sales at the detriment of the environment. 

It started when Sean Riley used wet wipes to clean up after using the toilet in his friend’s house. He claims it was a comfortable feeling and became a sucker for pampering his butt. 

Sean influenced a couple of friends from high school into cultivating and enjoying the pleasures of moist tissue as opposed to dry ones, and an idea was born. 

Unlike skincare wet wipes, Dude Wipes is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The reason is that these two products fall under different categories. They may look the same but certainly do not feel the same. Their fibers are different – one is longer for better moisture-retaining capabilities. 

Dude Wipes will decompose because they are just like wet tissues. It is the same way that toilet paper breaks down in the sewage that Dude Wipes also does. 

Do Dude Wipes Clog Pipes? 

Dude Wipes has the heart of the people for many reasons. First, the company’s obvious humor is a marketing strategy that’s fresh, different, and engaging. Each wet wipe is marketed as a hundred percent biodegradable, but how true is that? 

According to this article, Dude Wipes clogs pipes. Two plaintiffs in the State of North California are suing Dude Wipes for misinformation and misrepresentation. 

Robert Lawson and Christina Hall are the plaintiffs in question. They claim that if they had known the price of using Dude Wipes would cost more than the ten bucks you fork out for a pack, they would have stuck with conventional toilet paper. 

So, is Dude Wipes pushing a false agenda? 

Let’s judge based on the complaints and praises. So far so good, those that have complained about clogged pipes are not as many as those who haven’t. But that isn’t to say the claim is invalid. 

If anything, clogged pipes are caused by how the toilet is used. If you frequently flush Dude Wipes, a blockage may be inevitable. In a case where many household members use this product, the decomposition rate will undoubtedly slow down because there is additional pressure. 

In that case, you can still enjoy the comfort of Dude Wipes without destroying your pipes. To “eat your cake and have it,” gather used Dude Wipes and compost them. Or, you may dispose of them in your community’s compost bin if you don’t have one in your yard. 

Alternatively, you can gather Dude Wipes and throw them in the garbage can. They are biodegradable, so if they end up in landfills with other products that have been in contact with human waste, biodegradation is sure to occur. 

Dude Wipes or any other type of wipes will clog a pipe when you overuse it. If you have no choice but to use an excessive amount, consider not flushing them. 

DUDE-Wipes-Flushable

Are Dude Wipes Safe for the Septic System?

Yes, Dude Wipes have been designed with consideration for the septic system. The product is a luxurious step up from conventional toilet paper, but they also bare similar characteristics. The difference between both items is that one naturally retains water while the other is dry. But they are made from similar materials; however, wipes have longer and stronger fibers. 

Wipes are unsafe for the septic system when you flush them when they shouldn’t be flushed. If a product does not specify flushability, it is best to avoid disposing it through your septic tank. 

Dude Wipes are marketed as biodegradable and friendly to the septic tank. 

Are Dude Wipes Compostable? 

Yes, Dude Wipes are compostable because they are a hundred percent biodegradable. They are made from cotton and other natural ingredients, making it safe for you to put them in the compost pile. 

Wet wipes are made from synthetic or natural fibers. Depending on the brand and the use, you can use an eco-friendly option that can also be composted for easy disposal. 

However, that would mean you must abstain from synthetic fibers made from plastic. Look for brands that are made from natural materials, like Dude Wipes. 

Unlike antiseptic and antibacterial wipes, Dude Wipes is purely natural. It lacks biocides or extra strong fibers, so bacteria and fungi will break it down quickly and fast. 

Do Dude Wipes Go Bad? 

Not exactly; Dude Wipes that have been opened can last up to two years before they go bad or start losing moisture. This is one of the reasons Dude Wipes is a consumer favorite – its ability to pack and retain moisture. Since it is unscented and does not contain unnecessary chemicals, it will remain usable for the next two years. 

Wipes don’t go bad the way food and other cosmetics do. However, certain situations will prevent it from being as effective as it was on day one. 

The first is that wipes dry out. They hold a high quantity of water – 90 percent. This water supply starts dwindling after two years, in the case of Dude Wipes. 

Another reason you shouldn’t allow wipes to stay unused for so long is that they attract bacteria and mold because of their moist environment. You will know wipes have gone bad when you notice unusual specks on them. 

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About Rinkesh

A true environmentalist by heart ❤️. Founded Conserve Energy Future with the sole motto of providing helpful information related to our rapidly depleting environment. Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable planet, do remember that there really is no 'Planet B' in this whole universe.