With Independence Day right around the corner, if you are planning to host an event, you likely would like for it to go seamlessly. Well… If your kitchen drain backs up, it could cause a problem. While kitchen plumbing clogs are common, they can usually be avoided. We are going to review some of the top things you should never put down your kitchen sink to ensure you can enjoy the fireworks outside this season and not be stuck indoors with a backed up drain.
The Top Things You Should Never Put Down Your Kitchen Sink
If you have a garbage disposal in your home’s kitchen, you may think that this article does not apply to you; however, that couldn’t be more untrue. A garbage disposal, unlike its name, is not meant to be used to dispose of all your garbage, it is designed to get rid of food waste exclusively and not all food materials are safe.
If you are hosting an event, such as a Fourth of July party, with more food and people going in and out of your home and kitchen, you need to be extra aware of your plumbing and potential problems that can be created. If you want to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog, garbage disposal or not, you should never put the below things down your kitchen sink.
- Grease: Lots of homeowners believe that putting grease down the drain is okay if it’s washed down with hot water; however, this is not true, and grease is one of the top things you should never put down your kitchen sink. Grease will stick to the inside of your pipes and once it cools and solidifies it will build up and can create a clog and blockage in your Phoenix plumbing.
- Pasta and Rice: When you cook pasta and rice you can watch them grown and expand as they boil; well, they can do the same thing in your pipes. Starchy foods, such as pasta and rice can swell up and clog your plumbing. Pasta and rice are also sticky, so if in your plumbing, they will catch other debris particles, which could lead to a larger clog and issue.
- Eggshells: People seem to think that because eggshells are delicate and fragile that they can go down their drains without causing an issue; that is not the case. When wet, eggshells can become sticky and coat your pipes. The sharp, hard edges of eggshells then collect other things coming down your drain and eventually this will lead to a clog.
- Coffee Grounds: Just because we can drink coffee, doesn’t mean the grounds are safe to go down your kitchen sink. Coffee grounds, like most of the other items we have already reviewed, will build up and can cause blockages. Coffee ground induced drain issues are one of the most common plumbing issues in a home.
- Produce Stickers: Having fruit at your Fourth of July celebration is usually a must, but let’s be honest, most of us are guilty of washing our fruits and vegetables and watching the produce sticker make its way down the drain. Those stickers, as little as they may be, can cause issues for your plumbing. They don’t dissolve in water, can clog your pipes and block screens and filters, and are amongst the top things you should never put down your kitchen sink.
- Flour: Think about the consistency that flour turns to when combined with water. Flour coagulates when mixed with water and this can create a clog by coating the pipes and making a sticky substance to catch other bits of things going down the drain. When cooking with flour, dispose of it in the garbage and not down your sink.
- Starchy and Fibrous Fruits and Vegetables: Celery, corn husks, artichokes, edamame pods, asparagus, banana peels, potato skins, rhubarb, and other peels and skins from vegetables and fruits are all problematic for your kitchen plumbing. All fruits and vegetables that break apart in a stringy matter, should not be put down the drain. Even the best garbage disposal will get their gears tangled up in the fibers of fruits and vegetables.
We have reviewed some of the top things you should never put down your kitchen sink, some other common items people often put down the drain only to find out they cause issues later are: paint products, paper products, cleaning supplies, old medications, bleach, cooking oil, and motor oil.
When it comes to your Phoenix home’s kitchen plumbing no one wants to face an issue, let alone when they are trying to host or celebrate an event. By avoiding watching certain items disappear down the drain, you can prevent issues.
If you find yourself with a plumbing issue in the Phoenix area, Arizona Comfort Specialists can help. We are experts when it comes to your home’s plumbing. Contact us today.
