Watching what you rinse down the drain is crucial to preventing blockages and protecting your household plumbing. While a drain cleaning service can resolve the problem for you, it’s best to take preventative measures. You can stop stubborn clogs from causing backups and harsh odors simply by rinsing only safe items down the drain. Here are five that could cause trouble.

What You Should Never Rinse Down the Drain

1. Oil

The problem with oil, grease, and fat is that they are all very easy to rinse down the drain. If you’re cooking, for example, you may accidentally pour down some melted butter, greasy meat fat, or salad dressing. Many people aren’t even aware that these common items can be detrimental to the health of the drain. The truth is that they can cause damaging clogs that build up slowly. Once the blockage is too large, it will render the drain virtually useless until a cleaning service can dislodge the buildup.

2. Bleach

While bleach makes an excellent cleaning solution, and might seem like an effective way to clear a blockage, it’s actually not great for the system at all. Bleach can’t tackle powerful blockages created by oil and grease, for example, and won’t do anything to create any free space and improve the flow of water. Bleach is also reactive and may cause damage to the pipes or lead to potent fumes that affect your plumbing system.

3. Chemicals

Pouring solvents of all kinds down the drain is a poor idea. This includes everything from paint removers to car fluids to drain cleaning products. All of these have the potential to corrode the plumbing — even the over-the-counter items that promise to rival a professional drain service! In truth, these items will simply pollute your plumbing system and make it more challenging to remove an existing clog.

By only rinsing safe liquids down the drain, you can do your part to protect your household plumbing system from damage. The professionals at All Star Rooter, Sewer and Drain Cleaning provide dependable drain cleaning and video sewer inspections in and around Fairfield County, CT, and in the cities of Darien, Greenwich, and Stamford. If you’re dealing with a stubbornly slow drain, you can trust the team to resolve it efficiently. They can also provide you with guidance to prevent the problem from occurring again. Visit them online to find out more about their drain cleaning services, or call them at (203) 286-4498 to schedule an appointment.