Sending things down the drain seems like an easy solution when you are trying to get rid of them. Besides, who knows where they go anyway?
Even though things tend to disappear once they start going down the drain, it’s not always a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. For the sake of your pipes, and the environment, you should think twice before sending something down the drain. Being careful with what you send through the pipes, can also save you from expenses.
What Should You Not Send Down the Drain?
Although pouring something down the drain seems like a quick and easy answer to getting rid of it, there can be consequences. Sending the wrong things down the drain could lead to a clogged drain or contaminated waterways. To avoid potential problems, keep the following items out of your drain.
1. Cooking Fat or Oil
After you cook bacon or meat, you can see the fats settle at room temperature and create a thick grease. You can imagine that it does the same thing when it goes down your pipes, leading to a potentially clogged drain. Cooking oil can have a similar effect.
Instead of sending your cooking fat down the drain, you should pour it into an old container for disposal. Always let the grease or fat cool off before throwing it away. If you want to add extra flavor the next time you sauté vegetables, you can even repurpose your old cooking fat.
2. Flour
If you have ever made any sort of dough, you know just how sticky flour can get when you add just a bit of water. When flour goes down your pipes, it presents that same risk, creating a thick paste that makes unclogging difficult.
If there is residual flour on your dishes after baking, it’s best to wipe it off with a paper towel and toss it in the trash.
3. Coffee Grounds
The sink seems like a convenient place to toss your old coffee grounds, but they are far from convenient for your pipes. Coffee grounds clump up and can cause pretty hefty clogs in your pipes. Throw your coffee grounds in the trash instead of the sink to avoid any issues. You can also add them to your garden as extra fertilizer.
4. Hair
A few strands of hair can make it down your sink or shower drain, but over time, built-up hair can cause many problems. Many strands of hair can lead to large clumps in your drain and can lead to tedious, costly repairs.
You can avoid bad clogs and expensive repairs by using a hair catcher over the drain and putting any hair in the trash.
5. Unused Medications
It may seem reckless to toss your old or unused medication in the trash, but in reality, it is even more reckless to send them down the drain. Unfortunately, many public treatment systems cannot filter out the chemicals in medications, so they can end up cycling through the local water system. These chemicals can also run off into nearby lakes or oceans and harm wildlife.
Instead of sending medication down the drain, you should keep it in its container, block out the label, and hide it in the trash. You should also research to see if there are any local disposal sites around you, as some pharmacies and clinics allow you to drop off medication for disposal.
6. Household Cleaners
Just like medications, household cleaners contaminate waterways by releasing chemicals that affect wildlife. If you send both ammonia and bleach down your drain, you could have an even bigger problem on your hands as these two chemicals mix to create
You can avoid any problems by buying natural cleaning products and reading the label on how to dispose of various cleaners.
Keep Your Pipes Safe with Reliable Drain Unclogging
Ultimately, it isn’t a good idea to toss everything down the drain when you’re ready to get rid of it. However, if something has gone down your drain that shouldn’t have, there is no need to worry because the Clog Wizards have your back.
At Clog Wizards, we specialize in quick and efficient drain clearing. We have the proper tools and experience to get the job done right, even more effectively than plumbers. Contact us today to learn more or schedule a wizard to handle your drain cleaning.