13 Things That Should Never Go Down Your Drain

by Sarkinen Plumbing | Aug 13, 2018

13 Surprising Items That Should Never Go Down The Drain

As it will come to protecting your plumbing system, it is easy to believe that as long as you kept things maintained and clean-ish you are covered; however, it often is daily use that causes issues. If you are putting things down the drains that you really shouldn’t, you might discover that your plumbing system only can take so much. If you’ve made it a habit of tossing any of the following 13 things down the drain, it is time to call a plumbing contractor and think about how to properly dispose of everyday items.

1. Food Waste

Hard food waste, egg shells, bones, and coffee grounds all are items that are commonly tossed in dish disposals. While those items might be broken down by an effective garbage disposal system, they still can lead to clogs. Coffee grounds, especially, are a threat to both your drains and the disposal.

2. Fruit pits and citrus rinds

The blades of a garbage disposal aren’t sharp enough to grind the majority of fruit pits. They’re able to tackle citrus rinds, yet lemon and orange rinds seem to clog pipes. Fruit rinds, skins, and pits are compostable, and citrus make excellent air fresheners.

3. Paper Products

A few products, like toilet paper, have been specifically developed to be flushed; however, additional paper products, such as paper towels, tissues, as well as cotton balls, aren’t and never should be placed down the drains or flushed. Products not made to be flushed might cause severe damage or blockages.

4. Flour and expandable foods

Pasta that is made with semolina flour continuously swells in size as it is flushed down your kitchen sink. In addition, rice grains continuously expand and contribute to plumbing issues. Baking flour that hardens and coagulates inside drain pipes also should be kept away from your kitchen sink.

5. Oil, Fat, and Grease

Consider how oil, fat, and grease solidify as exposed to cold temperatures and time, now think about what happens as you add it to your pipes. All messes that are made with such items ought to be disposed of inside the trash can instead of the sink. If these things are poured down the drains, they may cling to the sides, and congeal and create a trap for additional debris. Not only is it going to damage the plumbing, but it may also affect drinking water and public systems.

6. Coconut oil

It has emerged as a miracle item for an array of cooking, beauty, and health needs. However, something coconut oil isn’t good for is the drains inside your apartment. Similar to olive oil and additional cooking oils, it sticks to pipes and will harden as the pipes cool. Never flush salad dressing, oils, mayonnaise, oily condiments, cooking grease, or high-fat foods down the sink. They all are common culprits in sewer overflows and drain blockages.

7. Dairy products

Butter, milk, yogurt, ice cream, and cheese are additional fatty food sources you do not want in the pipes. Besides causing clogs, dairy items smell rancid as soon as they encounter warm water.

8. Dental floss and hair

While there isn’t any way to prevent all hair from heading down your drain, you ought to ensure that you permit as little as possible to be washed or flushed down. Dental floss and hair both tend to stick to the sides of drains and cause clogs and build-up over a period of time.

9. Diapers

It may seem like common sense that larger items like feminine hygiene products and diapers shouldn’t be placed down the drain; however, these are the core of most plumbing issues. As those items become stuck, there isn’t any choice but to call a plumbing contractor as they can’t be removed with a plunger. Depending upon where in the system they get lodged your plumbing might have to be gutted to extract the clog.

10. Used motor oil

Never pour oil down the storm drain. They directly drain to local waterways, and only one gallon of motor oil may contaminate one million gallons of water. It’s is another thing you will have to drop off at a recycling center. Plus, if you go someplace to get the oil changed, be certain that you support those companies that recycle used oil.

11. Pesticides and fertilizers

Excessive nutrients are one other major contamination source. As we use too much fertilizer on the yard, the excess fertilizer is picked up by stormwater runoff, as well as dumped directly into the waterways. The nutrient overload will cause algae to bloom, removing oxygen from the water. It literally chokes the life from critical water creatures which assist in improving the quality of the water. To avoid that, only use the quantity of lawn chemicals you really need and only where and when it is needed.

12. Unwanted or old medicine

If you have medicine you are no longer using or is past its date of expiration, do not flush it unless it states to do so on the bottle. Toss the medication in the trash instead inside a sealed bag with coffee grounds or locate a responsible medication disposal business. Most pharmacies partner up with businesses which will be happy to properly care for your old prescriptions, and some of these companies permit you to return your medicines directly to them.

13. Pet waste

And lastly, do not forget your part and make sure you scoop the poop. Waste from pets is considered raw sewage because it’ll contain parasites and dangerous micro-organisms which may be transmitted to human beings. As it rains, the bacteria and parasites may be washed into storm drains nearby. It is better to clean up after your dog and dispose of it inside the trash can.

Never place these items down the drains and you will be on your way to clear and clean pipes in your house. If a clog comes into play despite all your best efforts, contact the professionals at Sarkinen Plumbing and we will quickly take care of things.

For more information on things that should never go down your drain contract a plumbing contractor at Sarkinen Plumbing today!