Your sink is a direct line to your plumbing. Whatever you put down your drain will end up making its way through your plumbing system and into your city’s sewer. While many things can be washed away down the sink like dirt and some liquids, many household items can wreak havoc on your plumbing – leaving you with clogs, backups, and expensive bills from your plumber.
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These five items are the most common culprits for damage done to a home’s plumbing and water supply. Teach your family to avoid putting these down your drains!
Grease
Cooking grease can be a hard one to avoid when washing dishes after a big meal. But even the smallest bit of cooking grease can add to the build up within your home’s drain and pipes. This gooey substance will stick to the side of your pipes and build up over time, leaving less and less room for water to flow freely through it. Cooking grease accounts for over 50% of sink drainage issues every year.
Medication
While washing medication down your drain may not lead to clogs or plumbing issues, it has an extremely negative impact on public health. These medications don’t always get filtered out in water treatment facilities and can actually end up back in our drinking water. This can lead to antibiotic resistant strains of illnesses we have previously been able to treat. Dispose of medication properly at pharmacies or your local police department.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are another item that you might not think twice about washing down the drain, but in reality, they are the second biggest cause of clogs in kitchen drains. These small grounds cling to other materials stuck in your drain (like cooking grease) and slowly contribute to build up over time.
Paper Towels
Absorbent paper towels that are washed down the drain are a recipe for a clog forming quickly in your plumbing. Although they may be biodegradable, it doesn’t mean that they will dissolve right away. Avoid the hassle of a clogged drain and just toss them in the garbage!
Paint
Paint contains many harmful toxins and chemicals that are detrimental to our water supply if washed down your drain. Similar to medications, while paint might not hurt your plumbing system, it will definitely impact the quality of the water in your area. Do not pour paint down your drain and avoid washing paint brushes with excess paint on them in your sink as well.