When you flush the toilet or drain the sink, you assume that the pipes should be able to carry all that wastewater far away where you no longer have to think about it. Unfortunately, if you have a clog in your pipes, it may come back to haunt you. There are some things that do not belong in your pipes and that your plumber does not want to find if they come for repair or maintenance services. Save yourself potentially expensive bills from your plumber by keeping these five things out of your household pipes.
1. Pasta – Even if you have a garbage disposal, it is better to dispose of pasta and noodles in the trash. If pasta gets trapped in your pipes, since it absorbs water, it will continue to expand every time you run the faucet. This will lead to a clog.
2. Produce labels – Remove those stickers before you rinse your produce! They can easily fall off in the sink and wash down the drain, but the plastic and adhesive are not water soluble.
3. Hair and dental floss – Stringy materials are one of the most common culprits for clogs. Dental floss is not biodegradable and should not be flushed; use a trash can to dispose of it safely. Hair can gradually clump in your pipes and cause havoc, so use a drain guard to prevent this from happening.
4. Wipes – Even wipes that are marketed as flushable do not break down easily and can get stuck in drains. Avoid flushing wipes in your toilet and throw them in the trash can instead.
5. Grease – You might know it’s best to avoid putting grease down your kitchen sink, but you shouldn’t flush it down the toilet either. It may look like a liquid initially, but when grease cools down it solidifies and coats your pipes. Over time, it will build up and clog the pipe. Collect grease in a container and dispose of it in the trash.
You can avoid a call to your local plumber by getting rid of household waste properly. Try not to rely on your household pipes as a garbage disposal and you won’t end up putting money down the drain with plumbing repairs.
