5 More Things You Should Never Flush Down The Drain

Last week I told you about a few things you shouldn’t flush down the drain.

Ever.

Ever ever ever ever!

They were:

• Cat litter
• Baby wipes
• Disposable diapers
• Feminine hygiene products
• Cotton balls

But that’s not all. There are a whole lot more things that, if you flush them, you’re booking yourself a one-way trip to 24 hour emergency plumber city. Population – you, your toilet, and your wallet.

Yeah I know, it’s a hassle. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just throw everything in the toilet and flush it? Then it all disappears and you never have to think about it again?

Maybe in the future we’ll have robots in the pipes to clear up any clogs. But until then here are five more things you should NEVER flush down the drain.

Condoms

Imagine a tree root growing through your pipe. A stick right through the middle of it, like a no smoking sign. Then imagine you flush a condom past it. What do you think is going to happen?

Maybe it’ll pass by, if you’re lucky. But maybe it’ll catch on it, which will make the tree root block more of the pipe. Then imagine more stuff catches on it, and you can see what I’m talking about here.

Don’t flush your condoms. Wrap them up in toilet paper and throw them in the trash. Trust me, it’s embarrassing when your plumber finds out that’s the reason for your clogged pipes!

Bandages

Is it a cloth bandage? Then it’s not going to break up when you flush it. And because it’s designed to absorb liquid (blood, in this case), it can end up expanding in your pipes and catching on the smallest chip or root in your pipe.

Is it an adhesive bandage, like a Band-Aid? Then it’s sticky, so it might get stuck to the side of your pipes. And even if you fold it up before you flush it, it’s not designed to break up, so you’ll get the same problem as anything else.

Just don’t flush it. I know it’s kind of gross and has blood on it. But don’t flush it.

Fats, Cooking Oils Or Grease

You’re probably not flushing this down the toilet. You’re probably pouring it down your kitchen sink drain if anything. But hey, don’t do either of those.

This stuff is gooey and sticks to the sides of your pipes. Then when you flush that bandage or cotton ball down the drain (even though I told you not to!) it can get stuck to the goo that’s built up. Don’t flush it!

Keep an empty can in your freezer, and pour the grease into it when you’re done cooking. Then when you’ve filled it up toss it in the garbage. Or you can open the door and toss the oil in your backyard. Or you can whip it up into a smoothie, I don’t care. Just don’t flush it!

Rice

Again, probably not a toilet thing. But look – rice expands in water. So if you’ve got a bunch of rice going down your drain, what do you think is going to happen?

Don’t flush rice. Don’t put rice down the drain. Put it in the garbage, or better yet – just eat it!

Paint, Household Chemicals, And Other Hazardous Waste

Are you crazy? You’re pouring that stuff down your drain? Stop stop stop!

First of all, that’s illegal. And second, this stuff can get into the water supply, harm wildlife, and also damage your pipes.

You can take it to a waste disposal site. Here’s a list of the ones in London. You might also be able to donate your old paint to community projects or children’s charities.

Prescription Medication

For those of you at home counting along, you’ll notice this is the sixth in a list of five. But that’s just an added bonus for you. That’s right – buy five, get one free! You never know what sort of crazy deals you’ll find

Now look, this one’s not so bad for your pipes. But there’s more to life than just pipes.

When you flush this stuff down the drain, it can end up in the local water supply, in the Thames River, or in other ponds or lakes nearby. And if they’re antibiotics they can kill a lot of the animals in the water. And look, the Thames River has enough problems as it is. We don’t need to make it worse.

The London Police has a program where you can turn in your old prescription drugs. Here’s a London Free Press article on it.

Contact London Plumbing

Look, no one’s perfect. Even if you know this stuff, maybe your kids don’t. And maybe you’ve got a clogged drain because your teenage son wants to flush his condoms so you don’t know what he’s up to.

Whatever the reason, we won’t judge. We’ll just clear your drain. Give us a call, we’re happy to help!

Stuck? Give Us A Call

Once you’ve shut the water off, take a deep breath, and give us a call. Here at London Plumbing, we’re here to help, no matter your plumbing needs.

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