You Could Be Killing Your Drains With These Food Items
If you’ve ever experienced a clogged drain, you know how frustrating and inconvenient it can be. It’s important to take preventive measures to avoid clogs in the future, such as avoiding certain items from being put down the drain. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the most common items that should never be put down your drain in order to prevent clogs or further damage from occurring. Read on to learn what items you should avoid to keep your drains running smoothly.
Fats, oils, and grease
The best way to prevent clogs caused by fats, oils, and grease is to never put them down your sink or toilet. Instead, dispose of them in a sealed container and put it in the trash. You can also use a grease disposal container or grease catcher which can be purchased at most home improvement stores. FOG (fat or grease) can accumulate in your pipes and form clogs, which can lead to costly plumbing repairs. Even if you think FOG is going down your drain, it is important to remember that they are not water soluble and will eventually build up and cause problems. If you want to avoid costly plumbing problems, always make sure you are disposing of FOG properly.
Coffee grounds
Most of us love a good cup of joe in the morning. Unfortunately, that same cup of joe can be detrimental to your pipes if you aren’t careful about how you dispose of the grounds. Since coffee grounds are not completely water-soluble, when grounds mix with butter, oil or grease already coating the pipes, there’s an increased risk for clogs. It’s best to avoid putting coffee grounds down your drain altogether by throwing them out with your regular trash or using them in your compost pile or garden. Used coffee grounds are actually a great source of nutrients and can be used to help plants grow and thrive. So if you’re looking for a way to repurpose your old grounds, think twice before pouring them down the sink!
Eggshells
It is important to remember to never put eggshells down your drain. This is because they are incredibly difficult to break down and can easily get stuck in your pipes and cause a clog. The hard outer shells of the eggs can also damage the blades of your garbage disposal, making them less efficient at breaking down food waste. Furthermore, once ground, the small pieces of eggshells can easily combine with other debris and cause a more serious clog. To prevent this from happening, make sure to throw out any eggshells in the trash rather than putting them down your drain.
Butter Or Margarine
When it comes to cooking and baking, butter or margarine can make a delicious dish even more scrumptious. However, butter and margarine should never be poured down the drain! Even when melted, butter and margarine can congeal and build up over time creating water-resistant barriers that cause clogs in drains. To avoid this, place all used butter and margarine in the trash or dispose of it in another way. Taking the extra time to properly dispose of these products will save you a headache later on when your kitchen sink is clogged with hardened butter or margarine!
Pasta
One of the items that can lead to a clog in your drains is pasta. Although it may be tempting to rinse pasta or other grains like rice down the sink, it’s important to know that they can expand with exposure to water and clog up your pipes or fill up your disposal trap. When pasta is cooked, it absorbs water and continues to expand, which can lead to a clog in your plumbing. Therefore, you should avoid rinsing any types of pasta down the sink, as well as other items such as rice and flour.
Potato peels
When it comes to potato peels, prevention is key. To keep your drains clear, avoid putting potato skins down your sink altogether. The skins contain starch that can create a sticky, starchy paste when mixed with water in the disposal. This paste can easily catch and clog the drain or cause the blades to stick. Even just a few potato peels here and there can build up over time and create a clog, so it’s best to never put them down your sink.
Our One Hour Rooter team hopes that by walking you through some of the main food items to avoid putting down your kitchen drain, you can keep your kitchen drains CLOG-FREE! However, sometimes even after preventative methods, clogs happen. That’s why our team of SPECIALISTS is always just a phone call away with drain solutions that work!
