Don’t throw money down the drain! If you put THESE things down the drain, you’ll be spending a lot of money unclogging it …
What to NEVER put down your drain (sink or toilet)
There are lots of things you shouldn’t put down your drain. And first of all, here’s a quick disclaimer: We DIDN’T write this article to try and treat you like a child, or anything like that. We know you’re probably already aware of most of the things you shouldn’t be putting down your drain. But we’ve found that most people are unaware of at least one or two of these things, out of all of them! So if you think you could possibly benefit from this article … or, you’ll be cursing yourself when something you put down your drain leads to a major plumbing problem … then you may as well take a couple minutes, and read on:
1. “Flushable” products
These are the kinds of products that cause most people’s plumbing woes! Flushable kitty litter, for example. Despite the claims of being flushable, there are so many documented cases of “flushable” kitty litter clogging the drain. Plus (and, sorry for the “TMI”) cat doo-doo and litter, when combined, really trap bacteria and allow it to thrive. This kind of bacteria isn’t killed by water treatment chemicals, which means that kitty litter in the sewer system is actually bad for the water supply! We know that has nothing to do with a clogs, but it’s just a “fun fact” about why you shouldn’t flush flushable kitty litter!
This same exact thing is true with flushable wipes. You guessed it, they aren’t really flushable. Check out this article by Today News. Even if wet wipes claim to be flushable, oftentimes they will hit a turn or elbow in your pipes, and get stuck. Soon you’ve got a major clog, despite the false marketing claim of being flushable.
2. Grease
We can already hear you saying, “I know better than to dump grease down my kitchen sink!” But we wanted to reserve a spot for this item, because there are a couple common MYTHS about pouring grease down the drain.
For example, some people have heard that it’s okay to do, as long as you pour hot water with it: not true! We don’t know where that myth came from, along with the myth that if you use enough dish soap mixed in with the grease, it’s okay. Perhaps these myths about hot water and dish soap breaking down grease completely came from commercials … but, the hottest water or the best soap won’t stop grease from clogging the inside of your pipes. After the water cools, the grease will congeal. (Again, we know this blog is a bit gross, but important plumbing facts aren’t always pleasant!) Similarly, dish soap is meant to clean grease off a dish, not off of pipes. The effects of dish soap wear off once the grease has been sitting in your pipes long enough. Similarly to hot water, dish soap breaks down fats for a short period of time, but not forever! So please, no matter what “exceptions” you’ve been told, keep grease far away from your sink.
3. Many foods!
Most people don’t know EVERY one of these foods that aren’t supposed to go down the kitchen sink! Here’s our laundry list (oh, and speaking of laundry, don’t put household fluids like detergent down the sink either):
- Coffee grounds (because they stick and clump together, just like they do in your coffee filter)
- Eggshells (because they are sticky and don’t degrade easily)
- Rice/pasta (because they expand, even after being cooked)
- Flour (because it gets a gluey consistency when mixed with water)
- Raw meat (because of the fat)
- Fibrous foods (like asparagus and celery. These are stringy and hard to chew – so you can imagine how they refuse to break down and form clogs in the sink.)
Plumbing problems? Call Weather Master
We know, it’s probably starting to sound like everything but the kitchen sink is, well, dangerous to put down your kitchen sink!
We also know it can be a little embarrassing to ask questions about your plumbing. We don’t want you to feel embarrassed to ask these necessary and important questions, and so if you have plumbing questions or problems in the Raleigh area, Weather Master is here to help! Just contact us online or call us: (919) 853-7910
And again, don’t worry about the “TMI” … We’ve heard it all before!