Admit it, we’re all guilty of pouring leftover food or cooking oil down the kitchen drain instead of cleaning up our mess at one point or another. It’s convenient and doesn’t cause any harm...right? Well, you may want to think twice before pouring just anything down your kitchen drain again, as you can easily clog the sink when you pour the wrong items down your drain. What you may think is harmless to your pipes could actually cause a severe clog that will leave you with a big expensive mess!
Here are five things you should NEVER pour down your kitchen drain:
1. Cooking Oils
Grease is tempting to pour down the sink and, more often than not, seems like the most convenient way to get rid of leftover cooking oils. However, grease is extremely harmful to your pipes! Water and oil mixed together solidifies the grease causing blockages in your drain pipe leading to clogged drains and even backed-up sewers. Too much grease down your sink could result in costly repairs beyond just snaking the drain, in some cases, you may be facing a full pipe replacement. Next time you’re cooking, think about it before pouring oil down your kitchen sink - you could be saving yourself an expensive mess to clean up!
2. Coffee Grinds
Coffee grinds are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to common causes of kitchen sink drain clogs. It seems harmless to pour down your sink; after all, you can easily wash away the coffee grinds. However, no matter how small a quantity you’re pouring down your sink, coffee grinds have the potential to cause big clogs in your drain. Over time the coffee grinds will fill up the trap in your drain, leaving you with a clogged slow draining kitchen sink! The great news is coffee grinds are compostable - an excellent alternative to your kitchen sink or even the trash.
3. Eggshells
Eggshells are a big no for your kitchen sink! Even if you have a garbage disposal, eggshells should never be put down your kitchen drain. Eggshell membranes can cause massive clogs in your pipes. Instead, throw the shells in your compost or your trash bin!
4. Flour
Flour should never go down your kitchen sink if you want to avoid a drain pipe blockage! Flour thickens when mixed with water which can clog your drain by coating the pipes and blocking other disposables from making their way down. Always scrape excess flour into the trash before washing any used utensils - otherwise, you risk clogging your drain!
5. Produce Stickers
While the stickers on your fruit and vegetables may not look harmful, they can cause huge blockages in your drain pipe over time. Make sure to peel the stickers off before washing your fruit, to avoid them going down the kitchen sink. The stickers don’t dissolve in water which can clog your pipes and cause even more damage to the environment.
Follow our tips to steer clear of drain clogs and keep your kitchen sink clean and clear! If you have questions about your drains call AtlasCare! We specialize in drain repair services, sewer backups and more.
We don’t flirt with dirt! AtlasCare experts leave your home as clean as they found it. Our field staff follow strict COVID-19 protocols based on the direction of the CDC, so you can rest assured that your family and our team remain safe at all times!
