Many people push a lot of things down your sink drain that they shouldn’t. Hair, grease, food particles, and a whole lot of items. It can all add up and cause some serious problems for your plumbing. It is important to know what you can push down the drain and what should go inside the garbage can.
In this article, we will discuss 12 things that you should never put down your sink drain. Keep these tips in mind to help keep your plumbing running smoothly.
Let’s first look at why you shouldn’t push certain things down your sink drain.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Push Things Down Your Sink Drain
1. Your sink drain can become clogged.
This is one of the main reasons you shouldn’t push things down your sink drain. When things like hair, grease, and food particles build up in your drain, it can cause a clog. A clog can be difficult to remove and can cause water to back up into your sink, making a mess.
2. It can lead to odor problems.
Another problem that can occur when you push things down your sink drain is odor. When grease and food particles build up in your drain, it can cause an unpleasant odor. Have you ever had a sink drain that smells like rotten eggs? It’s that bad. This odor can be difficult to remove and can make your kitchen or bathroom smell bad.
3. Pests can be attracted to your sink drain.
Another problem that can occur when you push things down your sink drain is that it can attract pests. When grease and food particles build up in your drain, they can attract ants, cockroaches, and other pests. Trust me, you don’t want them in your sink!
4. It can cause damage to your plumbing system.
Pushing things down your sink drain can also cause damage to your plumbing system. When hair, grease, and food particles build up in your pipes, it can cause them to become blocked. This can lead to water damage and costly repairs.
In an attempt to rectify the problem, we sometimes poke inside the drain or use chemical cleaners. However, these can actually damage your pipes further and should be avoided.
5. It can be costly to repair the damage caused by pushing things down your sink drain.
Finally, pushing things down your sink drain can be costly to repair. If you damage your pipes, you may need to hire a professional plumber to fix the problem. This can be expensive, so it is best to avoid pushing things down your sink drain in the first place.
Now that we’ve looked at some of the reasons why you shouldn’t push things down your sink drain, let’s take a look at what those things are.
Things You Shouldn’t Push Down Your Sink Drain
1. Cooking oil
I know this doesn’t come as a surprise because most people when they want to dispose of cooking oil, think “Oh I’ll just pour it down the sink.” But you shouldn’t pour cooking oil down your sink. When it cools, it will solidify and can clog your drain.
Some people even think once they pour hot water down the drain after they pour the oil that it will be fine. While this may be true to some extent, there will still be some residue left behind that can solidify and cause a clog over time.
2. Butter and margarine
Butter and margarine don’t flow easily and they create a water resistance barrier when they are pushed down the drain. By their nature, they don’t allow water to pass through so when they are inside the drain, they are going to do just that. Create a clog and prevent water from draining easily.
3. Grease and fats
Just like butter and margarine, grease and fats will solidify when they cool down. They will adhere to the sides of your pipes and over time, will build up and cause a clog.
4. Eggshells
You may think that eggshells are harmless but they actually aren’t. They can actually cause some serious problems. Egg shells can stick together and when they do, they can create a blockage in your drain.
I know you might be thinking you can crash them to pieces to prevent this from happening but it’s actually not so. They can settle in the p-trap (that’s the U-shaped drain pipe beneath your sink) and over time, will build up and cause a blockage.
5. Flour
Flour is another one of those things that can cause some serious problems. When flour gets wet, it turns into a paste. In other words, they become sticky when mixed with water. You know where I’m going with this right?
Anything sticky in your sink drain is going to cause a clog. The flour will adhere to the sides of your pipes and over time, will build up and cause a blockage.
6. Product stickers
Well, these items definitely should go into the garbage can and not down your sink. Product stickers are made of a material that doesn’t break down easily. They can easily block your drains and prevent water from flowing through with ease.
7. Rice and pasta
At first glance, it may not seem like rice and pasta could have much of an impact on your drain. After all, they’re such small foods, right? Yet even a small amount of these types of starchy foods, when they go down the drain, can quickly form a thick, sticky substance that clogs up your pipes.
These dense grains absorb water much more quickly than other foods, and they can quickly expand as they sit in liquid. This makes them prone to causing blockages in pipes, as the water can no longer flow freely through the drain.
In addition, these grains tend to get caught on any debris or residue that may be lining the walls of your pipes.
So if you want to keep your drains clear and functioning properly, it’s best to avoid pouring cooked rice or pasta down the drain. Instead, dispose of these foods in the trash or compost bin where they can safely biodegrade instead.
8. Hair
Hair is one of the most common things that clog drains. This is because hair can be very fine and when it mixes with soap residue and other debris, it can quickly form a blockage.
Over time, this blockage will only grow larger as more hair and debris get caught up in it. So if you want to keep your drains flowing freely, be sure to keep hair out of them.
9. Cigarette buts
Putting cigarette butts down the drain can be bad for your plumbing in a number of different ways aside from the fact that they can cause minor burn marks in your sink.
For one thing, the wet, soppy material of cigarette butts can clog up your pipes over time, resulting in ugly brown streaks or even complete blockages.
Furthermore, this soggy waste adds extra moisture to your water system and can result in damage from leaks or faster corrosion.
In addition to these practical concerns, there is also the fact that cigarettes are toxic materials that are bad for both human health and the environment.
So if you want to protect your pipes and prevent potential damage to living beings near your home, it’s best to keep those cigarette butts out of your sink drain.
10. Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds tend to clump together when wet and can easily block your sink drains.
Coffee grounds can absorb water and swell up, which can make them even more difficult to remove once they’ve been flushed down the drain. They become fibrous which makes them difficult to dissolve. Over time, the clump will grow in size and will cause a blockage.
11. Pieces of bar soap
When you use a bar soap and there are small pieces left over, it may seem like a good idea to just wash them down the sink. However, these small pieces can add up to whatever materials are in your pipes.
Soap doesn’t break down as quickly as you think, so it will just sit there and slowly build up over time. The best way is to try and use the soap completely or throw the pieces in the trash.
12. Pieces of vegetables and fruits
When you’re cooking, there are always going to be small pieces of vegetables and fruits that you’re not going to use. They may be residues from washing the fruit and vegetables, peeling them, or slicing them.
It may seem like a good idea to just wash them down the sink, but they can get dislodged and caught in the pipes. Over time, they will rot and create a bad smell. They can also attract bugs and vermin.
It’s best to compost these pieces or throw them in the trash.
Final Thoughts
While it may be tempting to just wash everything down the sink, there are some materials that can cause serious problems for your plumbing. It wouldn’t take you so much time to properly dispose of these items, and it would save you a lot of money in the long run. So keep these things out of your sink drain to avoid costly repairs
