Sometimes, it’s tempting to see your kitchen sink drain as the quickest and most effective way to make kitchen and household waste disappear. After all, all you have to do is stuff something down the drain, run a little bit of water, click on the garbage disposal, and watch the waste be taken care of forever, right? Unfortunately, there are times when that decision can come back to haunt you.
If you’re wondering which items should never be put down the drain, Curtis Total Service, a professional provider of drain cleaning services, can help answer that question. Here are some suggestions on what to avoid flushing down your sink and garbage disposal:
#1 – Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds do not dissolve in water. Instead, they can clump up when in water and clog your pipes. If you don’t want to throw coffee grounds into the trash, they can be used as garden fertilizer, providing plants with nitrogen, phosphorus, and micronutrients.
#2 – Kitty Litter
The concept behind kitty litter that makes it beneficial for cats is that it clumps when it gets wet. This clumping action makes cleaning a lump of kitty litter out of a pan easier, but it’s also precisely what can cause kitty litter to block your drain. So, instead of dumping kitty litter down a drain, dispose of it in a trash can or put it in a composting bin.
#3 – Rice
You may not think of rice as one of the items you should never put down the drain. But small grains of rice are not going to be cut up by your garbage disposal, and rice expands in water, so large amounts of rice can clog your drain. For this reason, leftover rice should be thrown into a trash can or composted.
#4 – Cotton Balls
Cotton balls are not designed to break down quickly like paper products intended for bathroom use. Wads of cotton balls can create blockages that get stuck in your pipes. Instead of tossing them down the drain, throw used cotton balls into the trash.
#5 – Grease, Fats, & Oils
Cooking grease, fats, and oils may be liquid in your frying pan, but once that grease cools down in your sewer system, it will become solid and can block your sewer lines. For this reason, cooking grease and oils are some of the top items you should never put down the drain. When disposing of grease, it’s best to let it cool and become solid before throwing it in a trash can.
Alternatively, there are many creative solutions for repurposing cooking grease and oil. Many people save bacon grease and use it to flavor other recipes. Cooking grease can be used to make suet for birds by adding bird seed, oats, nuts, and berries and then letting it dry. Leftover cooking oil can be filtered and used to make oil-burning lanterns.
#6 – Paint
Your sink should never be used for the disposal of paint. Pouring paint down a drain can cause blockages that are expensive to fix. Unused paint can be donated to local charities. If latex paint has dried out, throwing it in a trash can is the safest option. You can also add cat litter to leftover paint and throw it out after the clump dries. Oil paints are considered hazardous waste and should be disposed of properly with your municipality or local hazardous waste facility.
#7 – Produce Stickers
Produce stickers don’t break down quickly, and their adhesive backing can stick to the inside of your plumbing or other waste traveling through the system, causing blockages. So after removing produce stickers, always throw them into your trash.
#8 – Paper Towels
Many brands of paper towels are designed to be absorbent and avoid breaking down when exposed to water; this makes them ideal for cleaning spills off your counter but unfriendly to your plumbing. Used paper towels should be thrown into the trash.
#9 – Candle Wax
Like cooking grease, candle wax is liquid when hot but quickly solidifies once it cools down. If candle wax cools before it can make it through your plumbing system, it can cause clogs. Wait for candle wax to cool and solidify, then throw it into the trash.
#10 – Medications
Medications are one of the top items you should never put down the drain or toilet. When disposed of this way, pharmaceuticals can contaminate water supplies and harm aquatic life. Even trace amounts of medications in water systems can have negative effects on the environment and potentially on human health.
Instead of putting medications down the drain, take them to a designated medication drop-off location or participate in a local drug take-back program. If these options aren’t available, mix unused medications with an undesirable substance like used coffee grounds or kitty litter, seal them in a plastic bag, and dispose of them in the household trash. This method helps prevent accidental ingestion by children or pets and reduces the risk of drug misuse.
What to Do if You Accidentally Clogged a Drain
Knowing what not to put down your drains is important, but what if you already have a clogged drain? If you’re dealing with a drain clog, you can try a few simple things before calling a plumber. One way to clear the clog is to use baking soda and vinegar for drains. You start by pouring one cup of baking powder into the drain and then adding a cup of vinegar, followed by boiling water. The fizzing action may be enough to unclog your drain.
If that trick doesn’t work, avoid attempting to clear the clog using toxic drain cleaning products that can damage your plumbing and expose you to health risks. Instead, contact Curtis Total Service. We offer 24/7 emergency drain cleaning service and can get your drains flowing again no matter what is causing the clog. So contact us today to get your sinks unclogged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put paint down the drain?
No, you should never put paint down the drain. Paint, especially oil-based paint, can clog pipes and contaminate water systems. Dispose of paint properly at a hazardous waste facility or let it dry out and throw it in the trash.
Can egg shells go in your kitchen sink drain?
While small amounts of food waste might pass through the drain, eggshells can accumulate and contribute to drain clogs over time. This is why it’s best to avoid putting egg shells down your kitchen drain or garbage disposal. Instead, compost them or dispose of them in the trash.
Can you put coffee grounds down the drain?
No, coffee grounds should not go down your home’s drains. They don’t break down easily and can accumulate in pipes, leading to clogs. It’s better to compost coffee grounds or use them as garden fertilizer.
What happens if you put grease down the drain?
Putting grease down the drain can cause serious plumbing issues. When grease cools, it solidifies and can stick to pipe walls. This can lead to backups and expensive repairs. Instead of pouring grease down the drain, let it cool and dispose of it in the trash.
Is it safe to put large food scraps down the garbage disposal?
While garbage disposals can handle some food waste, it’s best to avoid putting large amounts of food scraps down the drain. You should also be particularly wary of certain items like potato peels, fruit pits, and fibrous vegetables, as these scraps can clog drains and even damage the disposal. Use a sink strainer to catch food and dispose of the waste in a compost bin or the trash.
Can I pour cooking oil down the kitchen drain?
No, cooking oils and other oily foods should never go down the kitchen drain. Like grease, they can solidify in pipes and cause clogs. Let oils cool, then pour them into a container and dispose of them in the trash.
Is it okay to flush feminine hygiene products down the toilet?
Feminine hygiene products should never be flushed down the toilet or put down any drain. They don’t break down like toilet paper and can cause severe clogs in your plumbing system. Always dispose of these items in the trash.
What should I do if I accidentally put something down the drain that I shouldn’t have?
If you accidentally put something down the drain that could cause a clog, act quickly. Turn off the water and avoid running the garbage disposal. If possible, use a plunger to try to dislodge the item. If the item is still accessible, you may be able to retrieve it with a plumber’s snake or a similar tool. For more stubborn blockages, contact a professional plumber to avoid further damage to your plumbing or septic system.
Can I use liquid drain cleaners to clear clogs caused by items that shouldn’t have been flushed?
It’s generally not recommended to use liquid drain cleaners to clear clogs of any sort. These cleaners contain harmful chemicals that can corrode your pipes. Additionally, they may not effectively break down items like grease, coffee grounds, or paint. Instead of risking damage to your plumbing, consider using a natural alternative like a baking soda and vinegar mixture or call a plumber to safely remove the clog.