Your home’s plumbing system is something you probably don’t give very much thought to since it’s hidden behind walls, ceilings and floors. That being said, you still need to know what steps are required on your part to take the absolute best care of your drain. Besides drain cleaning services, you should also know what you should never go down your drain and into your plumbing system.
Medications
If you have leftover or expired medicine in your cabinet and you also have young kids in your house, you might be hesitant to simply throw the medication away for fear that one of your kids could get to it. While dumping the leftover prescription down the drain might seem like the better option, know that that medication can find its way into drinking water. In fact, there’s evidence that antidepressants, antibiotics and more have been in our drinking water. Depending on where you live, there might be a local medicine take-back program in your area that will accept your remaining medicine.
Pasta
Pouring unwanted pasta down the drain might not seem like a criminal act, but the main issue is that pasta can continue to expand once it’s in your plumbing system. That swelling can lead to a clog, so you’re better off dumping unwanted pasta into the trash. Also, there are substances in pasta that can lead to coagulation, so buying organic alternatives is the way to go to avoid such substances in case you accidentally put pasta down the drain.
Toxic Chemicals
Think twice before putting paint, solvents, oils, cleaning products or anything similar down the drains in your home. Much like medication, such substances can trickle into local water where they can cause unnecessary harm to anyone who drinks it. Even if the chemicals don’t drain into drinking water, they can still harm local ecosystems. Hop online to see if there’s a special drop-off center for toxic chemicals. There’s a chance that you might even be able to recycle items like oil and paint.
Coffee Grounds
You might love a good cup of coffee first thing in the morning, but be sure you dump the leftover coffee grounds in the trash rather than down the drain. Ask any plumbing expert and you’ll quickly find out that coffee grounds are notorious for blocking up drains. One great thing about coffee grounds is that they make for a great addition to your composting if you’d rather not toss them in the trash. Quite a way to repurpose your trash.
Fats, Grease and Oils
Oils, grease and fats certainly don’t smell that great after you’re finished using them and they’ve been sitting out a while, but it’s essential that you don’t put them down the kitchen sink, even if they have yet to cool. This is because once the substances do cool in your drain, they thicken over time and can trigger clogs and other plumbing issues. See if there’s a program in your neighborhood that can recycle kitchen waste like oils, fats and grease.
Get into the habit of taking a moment to consider what you’re putting down your drain. A bit of reflection can go a long way in preventing unnecessary plumbing issues.
