It’s tempting to consider your kitchen sink an easy spot to simply rinse down messes, but the reality is — not everything deserves to go there. Over time, dumping the wrong things down your drain can result in clogs that are major issues, expensive plumbing fixes, and even harm to the environment.
To assist you in safeguarding your pipes and preventing headaches, here’s a glance at 12 items you never put down your drain.
1. Cooking Oil
After cooking a tasty meal, you may be tempted to drain remaining oil directly down the drain. However, as oil cools, it solidifies and sticks to the inside of your pipes, ultimately producing significant clogs. Instead, allow oil to cool and dispose of it in a sealed container in the trash.
2. Coffee Grounds
Although coffee grounds appear harmless, they will not easily disintegrate in water. They clump and may create solid, sludgy clogs in your pipes instead. Send them to the compost pile or toss them out instead of sending them down the drain.
3. Grease and Fat
Similar to oil, grease and fat can flow down the drain in liquid form but harden when cooled. They accumulate over time with other debris to form hard clogs that are difficult to remove. Always trap grease in a jar or can, cool it, and then throw it away in the trash.
4. Eggshells
Most people incorrectly believe that garbage disposals can process eggshells. But the membrane within the shell is thin and can get lodged in your pipes, and the gritty particles can get stuck on grease and other items and create a tenacious clog. Compost eggshells if you can — your garden will love you!
5. Pasta and Rice
Pasta and rice still draw water in after they’ve been cooked, so they have the potential to expand within your pipes and form sticky, starchy clogs. Scrape leftover messes into the trash can or compost pile before washing your plates.
6. Flour
If flour is mixed with water, it creates a glue-like paste. This adhesive substance can line the walls of your pipes and ensnare other debris, promptly causing clogs. Dispose of any leftover flour in the rubbish, not the sink.
7. Produce Stickers
It’s simple to wash fruits and vegetables and inadvertently send a few stickers down the drain. But those small stickers consist of plastic and adhesive that won’t degrade. They can block filters, pumps, and even municipal water treatment machinery. Always remove stickers before washing produce.
8. Household Chemicals
Although it may be tempting to wash down cleaning products or leftover paint, flushing chemicals down the drain can damage your pipes and water systems. Most chemicals are extremely corrosive or toxic to the environment. Contact your local council for the proper disposal of household chemicals.
9. Medication
Flooding out old drugs down the toilet or sink may seem like an acceptable method for disposal, but in fact it adds toxic substances into the water supply. Instead, take unused medication back to a pharmacy to have it properly disposed of.
10. Fibrous Vegetables
Vegetables such as celery, asparagus, and corn husks contain long, stringy fibers that may tangle up your garbage disposal or wrap around pipes, creating serious plumbing problems. It’s safer to dispose of fibrous vegetable scraps in the compost or trash.
11. Paint
Whether water-based or oil-based, paint never goes down the sink. Paint is full of chemicals that are bad for waterways and will even stick to the inside of your pipes. Allow paint cans to dry out and get rid of them as per your local hazardous waste regulations.
12. Personal Care Products
Products such as dental floss, cotton balls, hair, and even paper towels must never be sent down your sink or toilet. They don’t easily break down and can cause gross clogs. Always put them in the trash.
Why Being Careful Matters
Your sink connects to your home plumbing system. Anything you wash down there must flow through pipes, into big city systems, or septic systems. Abusing your sink can result in:
- Clogged pipes
- Stinky smells
- High plumbing bills
- Harm to local waterways
It is easy to prevent issues if you remain conscious of what you rinse down your sink on a daily basis.
What To Do If You Have a Clog
If you find your sink to be slow draining, detect gurgling sounds, or have foul odors, you may already have a clog in the making. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing them. An expert plumber, such as those at Speed Drain, can easily diagnose the problem and suggest remedies, including drain cleaning or hydro jetting.
The earlier you fix a clog, the less harm you will do to your home’s plumbing infrastructure.
Final Thoughts
Your kitchen sink may appear to be a convenient spot to dispose of messes, but a little attention is worth a lot. By steering clear of these 12 frequent errors, you can prevent clogged pipes, spare the environment, and avoid spending money on repairs.
If ever you’re unsure or have tough drain issues, rely on Speed Drain to keep your plumbing working smoothly.
