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If you own a septic tank, you know how important it is to monitor what goes down your drain. Most septic tank owners are aware of the obvious standbys, like facial tissues, which might result in septic backup, but there are some items that are not so obvious. At Hemley’s Septic Tank Cleaning in Gig Harbor, WA, they have been providing septic troubleshooting and repair for over 50 years.

To save you worries down the road, these plumbing experts have compiled a list of items you might not have realized can harm your septic system:

  • Coffee Grounds: When flushed into a septic system, coffee grounds stick together and to other waste, developing clogs. 
  • Eggshells: Like coffee grounds, eggshells have a devious ability to cling to other items and form blockages. Whether or not you have a garbage disposal, these should never make their way into the drain.
  • Gig Harbor-Septic TanksMedications: The addition of medication to your septic ecosystem can reduce its ability to process waste. Antibiotics especially will destroy the bacteria that breaks down solid waste, resulting in a septic backup.
  • Cooking Oils: Olive oil, salad dressing, and other oil-based condiments look innocuous enough, but when flushed down the drain with other liquids, they solidify and cause clogs.
  • Flushable Wipes: Even though they claim to be flushable, don’t put these wipes down the drain. They are stronger than toilet paper, and when combined with other waste materials, they can solidify and clog drains.
  • Conventional Cleaning Products: While you might think flushing the dirty mop water won’t harm your system, the harsh chemicals found in most cleaning products will upset the water ecosystem in your septic tank. Use natural or homemade cleaners as a gentle alternative for drain cleaning.

If you have any doubts about your septic tank or are worried that someone has put one of the above items down the drain, call Hemley’s Septic Tank Cleaning at (800) 699-7854 to schedule a septic inspection. Visit them online to see their full range of services from septic tank pumping to drain cleaning.

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