The kitchen sink sees a lot of action. The odds are good you’re putting seemingly harmless food
waste down the drain that doesn’t belong there and can cause eventual damage to your
garbage disposal and home plumbing. Many of us have a habit of throwing everything but the
kitchen sink (get it?), down the drain. That said, it’s essential to stay informed on how you and
your family can ensure your kitchen sink will be able to do its important job for years to come.
Eggshells:
You should avoid tossing egg shells down the kitchen sink. The membrane of the
shell can stick to the blades of your disposal and cause damage. Once grounded down, egg
shells also disintegrate into a sandy material that could cause a clog.
Instead: Try composting your eggshells!
Coffee Grounds: Much like how the gritty particles left over by ground up eggshells can cause
a clog; coffee grounds are the same! Coffee grounds don’t completely dissolve in water, which can cause the grounds to cling to sticky residual substances already in your drain and result in a potential clog.
Instead: Compost these, too! You can also add them to some coconut oil to make a DIY face
and body scrub!
Fruit pits:
While the garbage disposal is a handy tool in grinding up food waste, the blades
aren’t equipped for everything. This includes dense fruit pits. Tossing things like peach or
avocado pits down the kitchen sink and attempting to grind them up with the garbage disposal
can do some serious damage and potentially result in costly repairs.
Instead: You guessed it… You can compost these!
Pasta:
Pasta may seem harmless to toss down the kitchen sink due to their often small size,
but, pasta expands when you add water. As you run the kitchen sink over time, the noodles will
likely expand in size and become sticky, resulting in a blockage.
Instead: Save excess noodles for leftovers or send them to the trusty ol’ garbage bin.
Grease, oils:
These are often in liquid form when you go to dump them down the kitchen sink,
but these materials solidify with time. This spells danger for not only your home’s plumbing and
will very likely lead to the complete blockage of the pipe. Save yourself the drama and the costly
repairs. Dispose of these properly.
Instead: Certain types of cooking oils can be reused if proper measures are taken. If that’s not your thing, dispose of these cooking materials properly by putting it in a separate container once it’s cooled and throw it in the garbage.
Big B’s Plumbing your licensed plumbing contractor.