5 Things to Never Put Down Your Kitchen Drain — EVER

If you assume that your kitchen sink is a catch-all for all of your kitchen waste, think again. Many of the items that you might put down your kitchen sink daily can actually lead to major clogs — which can require costly and time-consuming repairs.

To avoid this headache and this expense, you need to be careful with what you put down your kitchen sink. And if you’re not sure just what you should and should not put down there, read on. We’ll tell you about some of the worst and, unfortunately, most commonplace drain-clogging items in your kitchen — and why you should avoid putting them down your drain at all costs!

Grease

We’re willing to bet you already knew this, but since many people operate under the assumption that they can drain their greasy dishes straight into the sink as long as they chase it with enough hot water, we’ll go ahead and reinforce it: NEVER put grease down your kitchen sink. It’s thick, it clings to pipes, and it can catch other kinds of debris, leading to massive clogs.

Coffee Grounds

After polishing off your morning pot of coffee, you might not think twice at all about dumbing the grounds straight down the sink. But you should certainly think twice about that. Coffee grounds don’t break down in water, instead clumping together and creating a rat king of a clog. Before putting your old coffee grounds down the drain, consider putting them to much better use as compost.

Eggshells

We’ve all heard the old DIY disposal-cleaning trick: “Put eggshells through it to clean it up and remove odors.” But you need to forget what you’ve heard. Eggshells don’t easily wash away fully, and they can catch other debris that come near them, and over time, this can create a serious clog. Instead of practicing that old, harmful trick, keep your disposal clean with a product that’s made specifically to do that.

Fats & Oils

In a typical week of cooking, you’ll probably use fats and oils multiple times as you deal with meat trimmings and cooking oils and the like. This includes salad dressings and condiments. And while it might seem tempting to wash all of these products right down the drain, they can cling to pipe walls and cause blockages in time. Rather than simply rinse them down the drain, take the extra time to dispose of them in the garbage.

Produce Stickers

Maybe this is something you won’t put down your drain on a typical week, but you still need to remain aware of just how damaging it can be to do so. Produce stickers don’t break down very quickly at all, and they can easily get caught on your pipes, and they can catch other things and lead to clogs. Instead of ever putting those stickers down your sink, put them in the garbage where they belong.