10 Items to Keep Out of Your Drains

Whether you’re taking a shower, rinsing the dishes, or disposing of items you no longer need, it’s common for things to end up going down the drain when they don’t belong there. If you hope to avoid clogs, make an effort to keep these 10 items out of your drains.

1. Hair: Every time you wash your hair, dozens of strands flow down your shower drain. Use a mesh strainer to prevent a clog from slowly forming. Remember to empty the strainer every few weeks to keep things flowing smoothly.
2. Cooking grease: Used cooking fat and oil may be liquid when they’re hot, but they don’t stay that way when you pour them down the drain. These substances harden into a gelatinous glob and stick to your pipes, causing clogs to form.
3. Fibrous foods: The stringy nature of celery, corn husks, asparagus, and other fibrous foods are problematic for your garbage disposal, so it’s better to dispose of them in the trash.
4. Eggshells: The notion that eggshells sharpen your garbage disposal blades is a myth. Keep them out of your kitchen sink to avoid coating your pipes in sticky eggshell film.
5. Chicken bones and fruit pits: Be careful when scraping off your plate into the sink. The garbage disposal blades could be damaged if you run the disposal after a hard bone or pit falls down the drain.
6. Starchy foods: Rice, pasta, and other water-absorbing starches can swell after sitting in your pipes for a while. To prevent a blockage from forming, always dispose of large amounts of these foods in the trash.
7. Flour: Mixing flour and water forms a glue-like paste, something you don’t want in your drains. So if you make a mess while baking cookies, dump the spilled flour into the trash rather than rinsing it down the sink.
8. Coffee grounds: Used coffee grounds don’t belong down the sink. Instead, add them to your compost heap if you have one. Otherwise, throw them in the trash.
9. Motor oil or paint: Sure, these substances may drain away without issue, but they contain chemicals that contaminate water and soil. Contact your local recycling or waste center for information about disposing of used motor oil or half-empty cans of paint.
10. Medications: The chemical compounds, hormones, and other substances found in pharmaceuticals can damage marine life. If you have expired pills, the approved disposal method begins by mixing them with undesirable substances, such as kitty litter or vinegar. Then, place the old medicine in a sealable container and throw it in the trash.

If you’re having issues with your garbage disposal or need help unclogging a drain, Parley’s PPM Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling can help. Thanks to our decades of experience and 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, you can trust us to get your drains flowing smoothly again. Give us a call at 801-877-2184 for Utah County customers and 801-877-2536 if you live in Draper to schedule drain cleaning today.