How to Keep Your Kitchen Drain Working Correctly
No one likes a stuffed and stinky trash can. It’s so tempting to just send all of your food scraps straight down the drain, especially if you have a garbage disposal.
However, your disposal isn’t invincible. Just because you watch something slip right through, doesn’t mean it will make it all the way through your pipes.
It may seem like a pain to take out your trash but clearing out clogged drains is much worse. No matter how badly you need your sink, don’t stick your hand in the garbage disposal or start dumping drain cleaners. You could injure yourself or make the problem even worse.
The best way to keep your drain clean is to avoid flushing away any common cloggers. Over the years, Mike Wilson Plumbing has seen many items ruin drains and garbage disposals.
5 Things to Avoid Washing Down Your Drain
Regardless of whether you have a garbage disposal or not, there are plenty of liquids or fine substances that can clog your drains.
Here are all of your equal-opportunity drain cloggers to look out for:
Grease
Grease-clogged drains is a tale as old as time. Even if you watch the grease wash away, it’s not necessarily gone for good. The fats from the grease join with other chemicals and can form blockages in your pipes. In the sewers it gets even worse and can form huge globs.
Butter or Margarine
Similar to grease, the fats found in butter and margarine are also known to build up in your pipes. Be careful to dispose of large quantities in your trash and not straight down the sink.
Cooking Oils
Oils can stick along the inside of your pipes similar to butter and grease. Despite being a liquid, the oils do not combine with water. This makes it easy for them to latch onto your pipes.
Medicines
This has less to do with your plumbing and more to do with the environment. Liquid medicine and pills can pollute the waterways and expose others to chemicals.
Flour
It’s lightweight and easy to sweep right into the sink. But, flour will expand in water and can build up and jam your pipes. Imagine a raw biscuit trying to travel through your pipes.
Top Foods to Avoid Putting in Your Garbage Disposal
Having a garbage disposal makes it tempting to throw everything in there. But, there are so many reasons to avoid chopping things up in your disposal.
Many items are too solid to be chopped up. When you throw these items in, they can scratch up and ruin your blades. Avoid trying to grind up:
- Fruit Pits
- Bones
- Nuts
Other substances end up clogging your impeller or blocking your drain. These include sticky items, foods that expand in water or things that grind into a paste. Avoid putting these in your disposal:
- Coffee Grounds
- Pasta
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter
- Potatoes
A sure-fire way to break your garbage disposal is to wash away foods that wrap around the blades. Stringy foods can wrap up your blades and make it impossible to keep grinding foods. Use the trash can instead for the following items:
- Egg Shells (the membrane is stretchy and stringy)
- Celery
- Banana Peels
- Corn Husks
Last, but certainly not least, do not ever put non-food items through your disposal. Just because garbage is in the name, does not mean you should use it for paper products or other trash.
Plumbing Services for Clogged Drains
If your drain or garbage disposal is clogged or broken, it’s best to call a plumber for help.
Mike Wilson Plumbing serves homes and businesses in Richmond, Midlothian, Chesterfield and Woodlake. Call us today to get your drain working again.