10 Items to Keep Out of Your Drains

The feeling of dread that comes from knowing that you have a clogged drain is enough to put off any homeowner. The main cause of clogged drains is flushing items that should never be thrown in them. Although any item can get caught in your drain, here are a few things you should never throw down the drain:

1) Hair and Combings

We all shed hair. However, when too much hair accumulates down the drain, it can cause a blockage. Hair will wrap around the U-bend and obstruct the flow of water. Try to limit the amount of hair that goes down the sink or invest in a drain cover to help collect the hair before it travels down the drain.

2) Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG)

Grease is another culprit for causing clogs in your drains. This includes bacon grease, salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, or even kitchen candle wax. Upon cooling, grease hardens, creating a blockage in your pipes or might even break them entirely. All of these problems will cost you money to fix or result in major plumbing repairs.

3) Food Waste

Food waste is another item that should not go down your drain. Instead, throw it in the bin, or compost it. As food scrape goes through the pipes, it attracts other things that aren’t supposed to be there, like hair, soap scum, and even insects. This material then sticks together and forms clogs that require a professional to remove them.

4) Nuts

Nuts, bolts, and tacks will corrode once they have been submerged in water for some time. They might not block the sink, but they could cause a huge problem further down the line if they get caught in the pipe.

5) Flour

Baked goods often contain gluten which will solidify when mixed with water and build up inside pipes, leaving you with a clogged drain or, worse, a blocked pipe!

6) Coffee Grounds

A fairly common culprit for clogged pipes is coffee grounds! The oils from coffee will accumulate within pipes, solidifying with time to create a tough, sticky film that adds to the problem.

7) Paints and Solvents

These products are toxic when mixed with water and can eat away at the pipes which are typically made from metal or PVC plastic.

8) Condoms, Sanitary Pads, and TamponsTampons, sanitary pads, and condoms are common culprits of clogged drains, which often occur because they are not disposed of properly after use. These products are made from superabsorbent materials that don’t break down easily in landfills and block up drains.