There are certain substances you can’t put down your drains without needing to call a plumber afterward, but some items seem to fall in a grey area. Coffee grounds are one of them, with some homeowners believing it’s useful to pour them down your drains and others saying that should never happen. Below is a guide to the actual effects of coffee grounds on your pipes.

What Are Myths About Coffee Grounds & Plumbing?

There are two prominent reasons people pour coffee grounds down their sink or toilet. The primary one is that they think having a garbage disposal will prevent the grounds from causing a clog or that grounds will actually clean a dirty disposal because they’re abrasive.

The second is the belief that coffee grounds will deodorize foul-smelling pipes since they’re absorbent and have acidic content that could neutralize odors. 

What Really Happens?

When you wash plates, pour food down the garbage disposal, or flush the toilet, fats, oils, and sludge collect on the inside of your pipes. Unless your pipes are brand new, coffee grounds will stick to these residues and cause a hard clog to develop that’s almost impossible to remove. You can try drain cleaning chemicals and snakes to break up the clog, but they often only clear a small hole or don’t make much difference.

When one of these clogs form, you’ll have to call a professional plumber for pipe and sewer cleaning; they will use more powerful tools and methods to clear the pipe. If their industrial auger or waterjets can’t break it loose, they may have to perform a complete drain and sewer pipe repair or replacement.

Do you need a reliable plumber to inspect or clear your drains because of coffee grounds? A All Valley Plumbing & Sewer Service in Reading, OH, serves the Tri-State area with comprehensive plumbing services, including sewer cleaning, garbage disposal repairs, and 24/7 emergency plumbing. They have over 30 years’ experience and are family-owned and -operated. You can view their services online, and call (513) 733-3311 to arrange your service today.