Ever heard of the iceberg’s seriously unsexy cousin, the fatberg?
Turns out the stuff we throw down our drains can cause clogs of epic proportions. In 2018, they found a fatberg in Michigan that measured 110 feet in length! All from things that folks really shouldn’t have put down their drains.
But the fact is, mini-fatbergs can happen in our homes too. Clogged kitchen drains are gross and can become a major headache and expense. Let’s find out how we can keep those pipes running freely.
Kitchen Sink 101: Things You Shouldn’t Put Down Them
Pop quiz. Which of the following should you never put down your kitchen drains?
- Coffee grounds
- Pasta
- Eggshells
The answer is all of them! Even if you have a garbage disposal unit, there are certain things that should never cross the plughole and into the murky world of kitchen drains.
Garbage disposal units are great at breaking down and letting you say goodbye to:
- Vegetable scraps
- Cooked meat
- Fishbones
- Corn cobs
But they cannot handle more fibrous foods, like corn husks or artichokes.
Let’s talk a major no-no that folks the world over just love to pour down their drains – cooking oil. It’s so tempting after whipping up a batch of fried chicken just to dump it down the kitchen sink. But don’t do it!
Oil may be liquid when you pour it in, but eventually, it will congeal and turn solid. The same is true of other foods that are high in fat, like peanut butter and ice cream. A clogged kitchen sink is often caused by a combo of grease and food.
The takeaway? Preventing clogs starts with stopping them from ever forming. Be super careful with what you put down your sink.
Strain for the Win
It’s easy for bits of debris to fall into your kitchen sink no matter how careful you are. That’s why you need to invest in an inexpensive but effective drain strainer.
This nifty little gadget fits in the opening of your kitchen sink. It’s great at preventing clogs by simply stopping junk from passing through. The waste simply collects in the strainer allowing you to empty it at your leisure.
Of course, sinks with a garbage disposal unit have a secret weapon to blitz bits that get through. But prevention is better than cure and it’s simpler to stop potential clogs in their tracks.
Kitchen Sink Maintenance
Get into a few good habits, and kitchen sink maintenance will be a walk in the park. Firstly, scrape all your food scraps into the trash before washing the dishes.
Each time you finish the dishes, run your hot water for a few moments to help get any debris moving; cleaning a kitchen drain once a month with vinegar and baking soda is great at preventing kitchen sink clogs. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar down the drain. Leave it for an hour then pour boiling water down to clear away any buildup.
Prevent Clogged Kitchen Drains the Easy Way!
Clogged kitchen drains are not an inevitable fact of life. Get into good habits, such as throwing food scraps in the trash and cleaning your drains once a month. This will stop them from getting clogged and help them smell fresher for longer!
Head over to our Home Tips section right now for more great ideas!