Plumbing is what brings water to a house. It’s essential to maintain it, or else you’ll experience significant plumbing problems that will affect your home. You might think that pouring tiny things or other liquids down your drain won’t affect your plumbing, but the fact of the matter is that it definitely would. You’re better off disposing of them in the trash.

What exactly should you not pour down your drain? This article lists down several of them. Read on below to learn more.

#1 – Grease

It’s no secret that grease and water don’t mix. Some examples of grease include cooking oil, butter, and mayonnaise.

When you pour grease down your drain, it sticks on the inside of your pipes. If you continue to do this over time, there will be a buildup of grease, which can cause your pipes to have a clog. If it can’t be helped, then at least make sure that the grease cools down first before pouring it in your trash.

#2 – Flour

Flour becomes solid when mixed with water. If you pour flour down the drain, it coats the edges and catches other things disposed of using the drain, which causes a clog. Regardless if it’s mixed with water or not, always throw flour in the trash.

#3 – Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds, when poured down your drain, can build up in your pipes and cause blockages. Many plumbers have said that pouring coffee grounds down the drain is one of the most common causes of drainage problems. 

You should always dispose of coffee grounds through the trash. Alternatively, you can also use them for composting.

#4 – Medicine

If you have expired medicine in your home, you have to dispose of it. Crushing them up and pouring them down your drain is not something you should do. 

Medicine is made up of chemicals, and those chemicals can affect the environment badly. You can either throw them in the trash or go to a local pharmacy and let them do the disposal.

#5 – Paint

We know that you won’t pour paint down your sink or flush it in your toilet, but many people flush it down a drain outside their home.

Like medicine, paint can also pollute the environment apart from clogging your drain. Your best course of action would be to go to a hazardous waste facility and have it disposed of there.

#6 – Paper 

The only kind of paper that you should let down in your drain is toilet paper since it’s specifically made to disintegrate in water. Paper is highly absorbent and can easily clog your pipes. A paper should always be disposed of properly through the trash.

#7 – Condoms

Condoms are made of latex, which doesn’t disintegrate in water, which is why you should never flush them in your toilet. Throw them in the garbage or go to a waste treatment center to dispose of them properly. 

Apart from clogging your toilet, a flushed-down condom can harm sea creatures because they can mistake it for food, effectively choking and killing them.

Conclusion

Your drainage must always be kept in top condition, which is why it’s important not to pour down—other than the right forms of liquid—down it. Doing so can significantly affect your plumbing system, costing you a lot of money for repairs.

If your drain gets clogged due to pouring down any of the objects mentioned earlier, then you’ll need to have your drain cleaned. Candu Plumbing & Rooter provides top-quality services for drain cleaning in San Fernando Valley. We also offer other plumbing services to make sure that your drain is well-taken care of. Contact us today to learn more!