Your toilets and drains are only designed to handle water and toilet paper. That's it! Unfortunately, a lot of everyday items get flushed or rinsed away, leading to massive clogs and expensive pipe damage. Here is our definitive guide on what should absolutely never go down your drains.
'Flushable' Wipes
Don't believe the label! 'Flushable' wipes, baby wipes, and cleaning wipes do not break down in water like toilet paper does. They get snagged inside your pipes and build up into massive, rock-solid clogs. They are the number one cause of sewer backups. Please, always throw them in the trash.
Paper Towels and Tissues
Paper towels and facial tissues are designed to stay strong when wet. Because they don't dissolve quickly, they easily bunch up and block your pipes. Treat them just like wipes—always put them in the garbage, never the toilet.
Grease, Oils, and Fats (Drains)
Never pour cooking grease down your kitchen sink! While it’s liquid when it's hot, grease cools and hardens inside your pipes into a thick, sticky sludge that catches all other food scraps. Always let grease cool in a jar or can, and then throw it in the trash.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds might seem small enough to wash away, but they easily clump together inside your pipes. When combined with soap and grease, they create incredibly stubborn blockages. Dump your coffee grounds in the trash or add them to your garden compost.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Tampons and pads are designed to absorb liquid and expand. That is exactly what you do not want happening inside your plumbing! They will not break down and are a very common cause of major toilet and sewer line clogs. Always dispose of them in the trash.
Medication
Flushing old pills is terrible for the environment. Water treatment plants can't filter out all those chemicals, so they end up in our local waterways. Instead of flushing them, drop them off at a local pharmacy that has a safe medication take-back program.
Dental Floss, Hair, and Cotton
Dental floss and hair act like a net inside your pipes, tangling up and catching all sorts of nasty debris. Cotton balls and swabs just expand and cause blockages. If you've got a stubborn clog from flushing the wrong stuff, our residential plumbing experts can get things flowing again.