There are a couple of things you should never put down the drain!
Many people have a dishwasher, but there are still plenty of folk who have to do their dishes by hand. Plus, even if you do use a dishwasher, you’ll scrape off the worst of the food rests before putting the dishes in the machine. But did you know you can’t just put everything down the drain? It can clog the pipes and then you really have a problem. So, beware when it comes to the following things!
- Oil to fry in: This is a big culprit when it comes to clogged pipes. If oil mixes with other waste a kind of goo develops. This also goes for mayonnaise, butter, margarine and salad dressings!
- Egg shells: The shells damage the drain and once you’ve flushed them down, they can get stuck in other blockages further down the pipes.
- Old coffee grounds: These aren’t soluble in water, so it can get real messy if you put them down the drain, especially if the grounds attach themselves to oil. It’s best to compost coffee grounds or throw them in the bin.
- Rice: A single grain of rice easily escapes through the drain, but once it’s down there it’ll expand when it comes into contact with water.
- Flour: Flour and water isn’t a combination you want to have down your drain: it’ll change into a kind of glue. Not good.
- Pasta: Pasta will expand even more when it comes into contact with water. The sticky semolina will stick to the pipes or cause a clogged drain.
- Medication: Although this is not a danger to your drain or your pipes, flushing medication away is bad for animals and nature. It’s best to throw medication in the bin in a closed container or bag.
- Fruit stickers: The sticker will detach easily when you rinse your fruit in the sink, but these stickers are rarely soluble in water. They can block sieves and filters within the pipes, so it’s best to take them off and throw them in the bin.
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Source: Libelle | Image as illustration