Every kitchen sink sees its fair share of unwanted food scraps, but did you know that what you send down your drain can lead to serious plumbing woes? Certain foods can cause blockages that can disrupt your daily routine and compromise your plumbing system, even if your sink is equipped with a garbage disposal.
Foods to Avoid Putting Down Your Drain
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the seven foods you should never put down the drain and how you can keep your plumbing in tip-top shape to avoid an emergency drain cleaning.
1. Cooking oils and grease
When poured down the drain, cooking oils and grease can solidify in your pipes as they cool, sticking to the inner walls and trapping other debris. Over time, this build-up narrows the pipe’s flow, restricting water and eventually leading to clogs. These blockages can be stubborn and may require professional drain cleaning services to remove.
How to dispose: Instead of washing them down the drain, let grease cool and solidify, then scrape it into a trash bin. Alternatively, strain the grease, store it in a sealed container and reuse it for frying or dispose of it in the garbage.
2. Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds are notorious for causing clogs because they don’t break down in water. Instead, they accumulate in pipes, easily trapping other particles and debris that wash down the drain. This creates a dense, thick paste that can block pipes and severely hinder plumbing efficiency.
How to dispose: Coffee grounds should be thrown in the trash or added to a compost pile. They are excellent for compost because they add nitrogen to the soil.
3. Eggshells
While a myth has gone around that eggshells sharpen garbage disposal blades, they can actually cause harm to your plumbing. The shell’s membrane layers can stick to the sides of the disposal and pipes, while the ground-up shell particles form a sandy grit that can gather and harden in the pipes, leading to blockages.
How to dispose: Rather than rinsing them down the drain, eggshells can be simply thrown in with other food waste or added to your compost bin as they provide valuable minerals.
4. Pasta, rice and other starchy foods
Starchy foods like pasta and rice expand when they absorb water, even after they’re cooked. When flushed down the drain, they can continue to swell and eventually form a thick paste that blocks water flow. This paste can also trap other debris, exacerbating the blockage.
How to dispose: Scrape leftovers into the garbage or a compost bin.
5. Fruit pits and seeds
Fruit pits and seeds are too hard for garbage disposals to grind up and can damage the blades. When these hard materials enter the plumbing system, they can get lodged in pipes, leading to partial or complete blockages that are difficult to clean without professional help.
How to dispose: Dispose of fruit pits and seeds in the trash, or consider saving some seeds for gardening purposes.
6. Bones
Like fruit pits, bones are too hard for garbage disposals. No matter their size, bones can spin around the disposal for a long time without being broken down. If they manage to pass into the pipes, they can still cause serious blockages that may require disassembly of the plumbing or professional intervention to resolve.
How to dispose: Bones should be thrown in the trash. Wrapping them in paper can help contain any odours before the trash is taken out.
7. Fibrous vegetables
Vegetables such as celery, corn husks and asparagus have fibrous strings that can wrap around the blades of your garbage disposal, causing it to jam or malfunction. These fibres can also bunch together in the pipes, creating significant blockages that prevent water from passing freely, often necessitating emergency drain cleaning services.
How to dispose: Fibrous vegetables are best disposed of in the compost bin or the garbage.
Keeping your drains clear and functional
Besides never disposing of the aforementioned food waste down your sinks, regular drain cleaning can save you from inconvenient and potentially costly emergency drain cleaning and repairs. You’ll want to clean your sink and check for any signs of buildup or odours at the end of every day, and clean it frequently with a commercial enzyme-based drain cleaner or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar.
However, should you find yourself facing a stubborn blockage or need urgent assistance, MPJ Plumbing Group is here to help. We offer comprehensive emergency plumbing services, including the following:
Rest assured, our team of experts is equipped with the knowledge and tools to handle any plumbing issue, ensuring your system runs smoothly.
Get in touch
If you’re experiencing issues with your plumbing or would like to schedule routine drain cleaning and maintenance, don’t hesitate to reach out. Visit MPJ Plumbing for more information about our services, or contact us directly to book an appointment. At MPJ Plumbing, we’re committed to providing fast, reliable service to keep your plumbing in excellent condition.