What Common Items Should Never Go Down Drains?
Putting stuff down the drain often feels like the easiest and fastest solution. Be it in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or garage, lots of things go down the drain. The short-term convenience could lead to major drain clogs, however. It is important to know which items can go down the drain and which ones should never.
1. Oils, Greases, and Fats
Washing oils, greases, and fats down the drain seems simple enough. Even if they’ve congealed a bit, a little soap and hot water will usually get them back to liquid form. The problem is that these items seldom stay that way. Once they cool off again, oils, fats, and greases solidify.
Making the problem worse, oils, greases, and fats interact with other things that go down the drain. Toilet paper can mix with these materials, producing so-called “fatbergs,” masses that slow down and eventually clog drains. As the mass accumulates, it causes more items to gather around until there’s a total blockage.
By some estimates, almost half of all drain clogs arise from some combination of oil, grease, and fat. On the upside, avoiding the problem is relatively easy. Possible options include:
- Wiping remaining oil from pans at the end of cooking
- Putting leftover grease, oil, or fat in old or leftover jars
- Using a product that congeals liquid oils for disposal in the garbage
2. Coffee Grounds
The issue with coffee grounds is that they tend to expand when they’re wet. Lots of water will go down your drains, so coffee grounds have lots of chances to pick up water. Once the grounds expand, they can slow or stop draining. The good news is that you can directly throw coffee grounds into the garbage.
3. Eggshells
Eggshells contain calcium carbonate. They are also prone to fragmenting. When those fragments go down the drain, they end up scoring the pipes. As more scoring forms, it acts as a better place for other items to attach to the pipes’ surfaces. Even if your drain has a garbage disposal, all it does is produce smaller fragments that cause finer scoring. Once more, the best solution is to pitch eggshells directly into the garbage.
4. Paper and Cotton Products
Except for toilet paper, no paper or cotton product should ever go down the drain. In recent years, this problem has gotten worse because of companies that sell what they call “flushable” wipes. Ask any plumber about flushable wipes, and you will hear horror stories about main sewer pipes being destroyed. Even if a paper product claims to be flushable, it is best to put it in the garbage.
Paper swells in water, producing an effect similar to coffee grounds. Worse, paper products often have adhesives on them that act as glue when mixed with paper, water, and other items in your drain. For example, people often think it’s okay to peel off produce stickers and wash them down the drain.
5. Starchy Foods
Pasta, rice, and other starchy foods have a tendency to end up in drains after people pour off water from cooking. A little bit is bound to sneak into the drain, but you don’t want to encourage the problem. There are stoppers with holes in them that catch debris while draining food. Use these and make sure to clean them out after every meal.
6. Feminine Hygiene Products
Products like pads and tampons are a pain to deal with. However, they contain a combination of many of the other materials that shouldn’t go down the drain, such as paper and cotton. Worse, it isn’t easy for a plumber to dislodge such products with common drain cleaning methods. Wrap them carefully for disposal in your bathroom’s garbage can.
7. Paints, Motor Oils, and Other Chemicals
The drain in a garage, basement, or workshop can be a tough one to contain. However, paints, motor oils, and other chemicals create lots of problems. They can mix with other items to encourage clogged drains. Likewise, caustic chemicals will damage pipes. Many communities have collection programs for these products, so contact your local waste authority. You can also mix latex paints with kitty litter and dispose of them in the garbage.
8. Harsh Drain Cleaners
Yes, some drain cleaners aren’t great for your home’s drains. Caustic chemicals in a drain cleaner can damage pipes, especially if your place has metal drains. They can also affect plastic fittings that prevent drains from leaking.
We strongly encourage customers to only use an enzyme-based drain cleaner if they’re going to use a product off the store shelf. Although enzyme cleaners take longer, usually a few hours, they do no damage to your home’s pipes.
Tips from Plumbers
Maintenance is your drain’s best friend. Rather than waiting for a clog to appear, the best solution is to schedule regular drain cleaning. Our company recommends annual cleaning, with more frequent cleanings in houses with high usage rates or recurring problems.
Be aware that drain clogs can happen even when you take all the appropriate steps. Our experienced plumbers can give you tips on how to keep your drains clean.
When they do occur, be sure to do the following:
- Plunge clogs first and see what happens
- Try baking soda and vinegar to deal with slow drains that aren’t fully clogged
- Use an enzyme solution if you use a drain cleaner
- Avoid chemical cleaners at all costs
- Stop before you risk damage
Remember, our plumbers are just a phone call away. We clean drains. Let a professional deal with drain clogs if you think there’s even a slight risk of overflow and water damage. If there’s any delay, it’s YOU we pay.
Final Thoughts
Watching what your household puts down the drain can reduce the risk of clogging. Combining this approach with a regular drain cleaning schedule, your household should be able to avoid major drain clogs.
If you have questions about preventing clogs, how to clean drains, or what to do with a clog, contact Gainesville Benjamin Franklin Plumbing right away.
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