It’s important that we express some caution regarding what we put down our kitchen sink. Some materials can spell serious trouble for your plumbing.
Out of all the plumbing in your home, the kitchen sink can cause some of the biggest issues when it comes to slow drains and clogged pipes. This is often because of the food waste we generate in our kitchens. While cooking, many people are not mindful of all the things that go down their sinks, and this can wind up causing stubborn drain issues and larger issues with your plumbing system. To avoid slow drains and annoying sink clogs, be mindful of what goes down your kitchen sink, and avoid throwing some of the most common offenders down your drain. Here are 5 things you should never put down your kitchen sink.
1. Cooking Grease
When you’re cooking with meat or gravy, it can be tempting to dump the leftover grease down the drain and follow with hot water. But even with hot water, grease coats the inside of your plumbing, building up over time and causing some nasty clogs. Since the grease stays fairly solid, even when stuck to the inside of your pipes, it catches other material that rinses down the drain until it creates an especially stubborn clog. Instead, collect cooking grease in a jar or can before throwing the receptacle into the garbage.
2. Eggshells
Many people assume that eggshells are totally fine to rinse down the drain with a garbage disposal. However, even when ground by the disposal, eggshell shards catch very easily on other types of materials, causing large clogs over time.
3. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds may seem like a powder, and smell better than most other kitchen waste, but they should still never go down your drain. Coffee grounds stick together when wet–just take a look at how the coffee grounds stick to your coffee filter next time you empty your coffee maker. Clumps of coffee grounds can cause stubborn clogs in your kitchen sink.
4. Medications
Many people make the mistake of dumping their medications down their toilet or sink drains. This can cause many problems with our natural waterways, regardless of the grade of medication. Try dropping off leftover medications with a dedicated facility, or at your local doctor or pharmacy for proper disposal instead.
5. Oils
Like meat grease and gravy, other oils, such as vegetable or olive oil, can cause sticking, buildup, and difficult clogs in your kitchen drain. Always dispose of oils in the garbage can to avoid solid, sticky buildup in your plumbing.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you’re ready to see how an upgrade can help your home, the experts at Mahon plumbing are here to help. Mahon Plumbing has been serving the Baltimore region’s plumbing needs since 1994. We’re ready to offer quality plumbing services and gas installation for both commercial and residential uses. Our tracks and employees are ready to handle the toughest of jobs.
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