Clear, clean drains are essential to healthy water flow, sanitary kitchens and bathrooms, and an overall efficient plumbing system. Given these crucial functions, homeowners should always be mindful of what they’re pouring down a drain. Below are three common substances that should never be put down a sink or toilet.

What Not to Pour Down a Drain

1. Grease

It can be easy to inadvertently pour a panful of kitchen grease down the sink when cleaning up after a meal. Instead, wait until the grease has totally cooled and started to solidify and use a spatula to scrape it into the trash. The same goes for vegetable fats, like olive and canola oils, and condiments, like mayonnaise and salad dressings. Grease coats the insides of pipes, causing them to clog.

2. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are so tiny that they can build up in the crevices inside pipes and create clogs. Always dispose of coffee grounds in the trash or, if you have a compost bin, add them to the pile. Coffee grounds are an ideal source of nitrogen, making them perfect for speeding up the composting process. They may even repel slugs and snails when added to your garden soil.

3. Paper

The only paper product that should ever go near your plumbing is toilet paper. Anything else needs to be thrown into the trash, including paper towels, personal hygiene products, and cotton balls. All of these products are designed to be absorbent, so they will continue to expand in the drain as water flows through, leading to clogs.

When you need quality drain cleaning, trust the plumbing professionals at Snyder Mechanical. For more than three decades, they have been providing Elko County, NV, with plumbing, heating, and HVAC services. They offer repairs as well as installations, and they work with both residential and commercial clients. Call (775) 738-5616 or visit them online to request an estimate.