Toilet Issue: New York City Named Nation's Cloggiest; Bathroom Obstructions Occur Most Frequently in Eastern Cities, SCOTT(R) Clog Clinic Survey Finds.

NEENAH, Wis. -- While nearly two-in-five Americans have faced a blocked toilet, residents of New York City experience clogs more frequently than other cities - earning it the title of the nation's cloggiest city. Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and Philadelphia follow, according to a national survey commissioned by SCOTT (R) Tissue and Clog Clinic. Residents of Seattle/Tacoma encounter the fewest toilet obstructions.

The SCOTT Clog Clinic, an authority on common-sense solutions for avoiding stopped-up toilets, sponsored the survey to help Americans understand just how much of a nuisance a toilet clog can be and to offer common-sense ways to avoid such toilet-paper dissolve-ability problems. The release of the survey also comes as National Plumber's Day is on April 25.

"Our Clog Clinic researchers have been studying toilet-plumbing problems since 1996 and they maintain that clogs can be avoided if proper steps are taken," says Stu Schneider, SCOTT (R) Brand associate marketing director. "And using fast-dissolving toilet paper can help prevent clogged toilets. Both SCOTT(R) 1000ct and our new SCOTT(R) Extra Soft breaks up four times faster than the leading brand and are septic safe."

Clog Clinic researchers say toilet clogs frequently occur during heavy flushing periods - like halftime of the Big Game and Black Friday, the day after the Thanksgiving feast. The Clog Clinic says others most at risk of clogs and plumbing issues include those with low flow toilets, a septic-tank system, homes with older plumbing, and RVs or a boat with a toilet. One-of-four survey respondents say weddings or other large parties held at someone's home come to mind for being the cloggiest occasions, followed by the day after Thanksgiving, 19 percent; the Super Bowl, 18 percent, and Christmas, 13 percent.

The Clog Clinic survey found that 30 percent of respondents have experienced a clogged toilet at a restaurant, 24 percent at work and 22 percent at someone else's home other than their in-laws. Fourteen percent experienced a stopped-up toilet while visiting in-laws and 11 percent when entertaining guests at home.

In addition, many stopped-up toilets occur when nontraditional items are flushed, including disposable diapers, facial tissue, paper towels or napkins, cat litter, feminine-protection products and even a cell phone or iPod. The survey found that 32 percent of respondents have disposed of facial tissue in the toilet and nine percent have flushed feminine products. Two percent flushed cat litter and one percent did the same with disposable diapers. Asked the oddest items they have flushed, 12 percent list a toy or ball and six percent say a fish. Two percent have flushed a cell phone, iPod or other device, while one percent admit flushing money or keys down the toilet.

Among other survey findings:

1. 37 percent of respondents say no one takes responsibility for
    clogging the toilet in their home, while 33 percent say they do.
2. 57 percent believe men are more likely to clog a toilet than women,
    while 80 percent believe children are more likely to stop up a
    toilet than adults.
3. 17 percent have called a plumber to deal with a clogged toilet,
    while 87 percent have used a plunger to unclog a blocked toilet
    and 32 percent have just left the clog to sit for awhile.
4. 41 percent say their sewage and drain system can't handle too much
    waste at a time, and 70 percent completely agree that toilet clogs
    "are a real headache."
5. 14 percent have faced embarrassing clogs while visiting their
    in-laws

Here are the top 10 cloggiest cities, based on a survey of 2,500
Americans in the top 25 markets:

1.  New York
2.  Miami/Fort Lauderdale
3.  Los Angeles
4.  Philadelphia
5.  Houston
6.  Atlanta
7.  Chicago
8.  Portland , OR
9.  Indianapolis
10. San Francisco Bay Area

The cities with the lowest clog rating are:

1.  Seattle/Tacoma
2.  Denver
3.  Minneapolis/St. Paul
4.  Orlando Area
5.  Baltimore

On behalf of the SCOTT(R) Brand, the Ketchum Global Research Network
commissioned a survey to determine the cloggiest markets in America.
Specifically, the survey sought to quantify:

--  Cloggiest & least cloggy among DMA cities and C&D counties
--  Americans' experience with clogged toilets
--  Feelings about clogged toilets
--  Type of items flushed down a toilet
--  Perceptions of clogged toilets
--  Knowledge about clogged toilets

Call on the Clinic

SCOTT Brand officials urge a "Call to Action" to address what its researchers consider a clogging crisis, by visiting www.SCOTTClogClinic.com, where consumers can find a wealth of information and helpful advice concerning clogged toilets.

"Why SCOTT Tissue? We've been bringing consumers common-sense solutions for more than a century," said Schneider. "None of us like it when true toilet terror strikes and, by providing practical solutions to avoid clogs, we help ourselves and our plumbing community."

About SCOTT(R) Products

SCOTT Products, including bath tissue, towels and napkins, is one of the largest manufacturers of tissue- based products in the world. It is part of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation family of global brands, which play an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as KLEENEX(R), SCOTT(R), HUGGIES(R), PULL-UPS(R), KOTEX(R) and DEPEND(R), Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 133-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

Survey methodology: The Ketchum Global Research Network worked with Braun Research to conduct the consumer survey. A total of 6,000 interviews were conducted using a telephone panel methodology. One thousand interviews were conducted among a nationally representative sample of adult Americans and 100 adult respondents were interviewed in 50 markets.

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