18 Things You Should Never Put...

Drain Cleaning in San Antonio, TX

Plumbing pipes are durable, but they’re not invincible. You can seriously damage them when you put the wrong items down the drains. Issues like cracks and clogs may occur, leading to needing repairs or complete replacements. If you avoid putting the following items down the drain, you can help protect your plumbing and save yourself a lot of time, stress, and money.

1. Grease, Fat, and Oil

Grease, fat, and oil can cause multiple types of problems for your drains, including solidifying and leading to a clog. They can also line the walls of your pipes and attract unwanted critters. Unfortunately, many insects might continue their journey and enter your home through the drains, which is one of the many reasons it’s crucial to avoid tempting them.

A better option is to have a designated container, such as a metal coffee can, where you can store the grease, fat, and oil after it cools. Keep a lid on it to avoid attracting bugs, and then, dispose of the entire can in the trash.

2. Plant Matter

Many homeowners prepare bouquets over a kitchen sink to contain the material and prevent it from accidentally flying everywhere. Make sure a drain strainer is in place to catch the stem ends, leaves, and flower petals rather than allowing them to go down the drain. Throw them right outside or into the garbage.

3. Pasta and Rice

Whether you’re washing rice over the sink or straining pasta, a drain strainer can prevent the food particles from entering your pipes. They can easily build up, creating a thick consistency that could cause a clog.

4. Vegetable and Fruit Chunks

Drain strainers are also useful for catching vegetable and fruit chunks. Similar to pasta and rice, they can form into clogs. They could also be a major draw for insects, so put them right into the garbage.

5. Pet Kibble

It’s not uncommon for pet owners to wash dog and cat food bowls and let leftover kibble go down the drain, assuming it’s small enough to go right through. Unfortunately, this likely won’t be the case, especially if there’s a clog in the works. Scrape out the remnants into the trash before you wash out the bowls.

6. Household or Beauty Chemicals

Various beauty and household items can cause significant damage to pipes, potentially leading to problems such as cracks and corrosion. Chemicals to avoid putting down sinks and toilets include nail polish remover, paint thinner, paint, and bleach.

7. Cat Litter

Some cat owners assume that cat waste is flushable since human waste is. The cat litter that encases it can cause huge blockages. Forgo putting it in the toilet and opt for placing it in a pet waste bag that you can tie and dispose of in the garbage can.

8. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds typically clump together in pods and filters, and they can do the same in your plumbing pipes. Don’t put them down the drain; instead, put them in the trash or add them to your compost pile.

9. Paper Towels

Even small sheets of paper towels can clog your system. Wet a paper towel and ball it up, and you’ll have a good idea of what can happen if you flush it. Throw them in the garbage can instead of flushing them down the toilet.

10. Multi-Ply Toilet Paper

Multi-ply toilet paper is often a preferred option compared to one-ply. The problem lies in what happens once it goes into your drains. It typically takes a while to break down, which means its thickness and consistency can clog your system, especially if other debris gets caught up in it.

There are two options you can try to prevent toilet paper clogs. One option is to switch to one-ply toilet paper, which breaks down more quickly than multi-ply toilet paper. Another is throwing the toilet paper into the garbage can instead of flushing it.

11. Feminine Hygiene Products

Feminine hygiene products should go straight into the garbage can and not get flushed down the toilet. They can easily lead to clogs, especially if you continue to flush them over an extended period of time.

12. Flushable Wipes

It might seem safe to put these items down the toilet, considering they say “flushable” right on the packaging, but they should go into the garbage can. They’re too thick to navigate through plumbing pipes and, similar to feminine hygiene products and paper towels, can lead to a clog.

13. Flushable Diaper Liners

Flushable diaper liners are another problematic item for your pipes, even though the packaging may suggest they can go right into the toilet. They belong in the trash and not in your plumbing system.

14. Produce Stickers

When washing your produce, peel off the stickers and discard them instead of letting them go into your kitchen sink. They may seem too small to cause an issue, but they can get caught up in other debris.

15. Human Hair and Pet Fur

Your shower is likely the primary place where human hair and pet fur will make their way into pipes as people wash their hair or bathe their cats or dogs. Clumps can cause clogs. A drain strainer can prevent much of the human hair and fur from going down the drain, although some pieces could still make their way through.

If you have to wash your pet in the shower, brush them first to remove as much fur as possible. Another option is to bathe them outside instead of indoors. This prevents the fur from clogging your plumbing system and could make for an easier cleanup.

16. Fruit Pits

Fruit pits, such as peach pits, can get caught up in debris already accumulated in your plumbing pipes and contribute to larger clogs. Use a drain strainer in your kitchen sink to catch the pits before they end up in your pipes. Dispose of them in the trash to prevent unwanted issues.

17. Cigarette Butts

They’re small enough to flush because they’ll easily go down the drain, right? Wrong. Cigarettes don’t break down as well as you might think, especially if they contain some type of plastic. They can get snagged in your plumbing pipes, especially if they get lodged in clogs composed of hair and other debris.

18. Eggshells

Eggshells, even small pieces, shouldn’t go down the drain. One of the biggest problems is that they can have sharp and pointy edges, which can easily snag on existing debris like human hair. Put them into the garbage, or you could add them to your compost, as they’re a good way to add extra nutrients.

Avoid significant plumbing problems by throwing the majority of items in the garbage instead of putting them down your drains. Rosenberg Plumbing & Air in San Antonio offers full plumbing services, including drain cleaning to help clear out your pipes and restore them to excellent condition. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

Tags: drain cleaning, Drain repair, Plumbing tips