What You Should NOT Put Down Your Kitchen Sink

After sitting down and enjoying a nice meal at home, you’re left to clean the dishes. If you’re like everyone else, washing dishes is probably not your favorite chore. To save time, you contemplate putting all sorts of items down the kitchen sink. But, some items should never go down the kitchen drain.

Rice and Pasta

Uncooked rice and pasta should never go down your kitchen sink. Once inside your pipes, both of these items can absorb water, swell, and clog your kitchen pipes. If this happens, the only way to get these items out of your kitchen drain is to have an experienced plumber come unclog them. 

Eggshells 

Eggshells may seem too delicate to cause plumbing problems, but in reality, they can wreak havoc on your plumbing system. When eggshells get wet, they get sticky and can coat your pipes or garbage disposal blades. If this coating hardens, it can cause problems for your pipes and septic tank. 

Coffee Grounds 

While some garbage disposals can handle coffee grounds, as a general rule, you shouldn’t put them down the kitchen sink. Coffee grounds can clog your pipes and eventually cause issues for your septic tank. Instead of throwing your coffee grounds down the drain, place them in the trash or scatter them throughout your garden. 

Cooking Oils and Fats

Cooking oils and fats may enter your kitchen sink as a liquid, but as they travel down the pipes, they turn into a solid. Once they turn into a solid inside your pipes, cooking oils and fats can cause drain blockages. If you need to dispose of hot grease, pour it into a disposable container or wipe it up with a paper towel. 

Unfinished or Expired Medications

Although your unused pills may not cause a clog in your kitchen drains, recent research has revealed that pharmaceuticals are a common contaminant in drinking water. In many places, public wastewater treatment systems aren’t equipped to filter medications, so the chemicals in the drugs may wind up in drinking water. 

A Dependable Maryland Plumber 

Think it’s too late to have your kitchen sink unclogged? Look no further than Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating. With emergency plumbing services and transparent pricing, Michael Runk has become a go-to plumber for residents throughout Maryland. Give us a call now at (866) 531-1456 to schedule an appointment.