We're so accustomed to throwing things down the drain that we don’t even realise we do it. Whether it's scraps from dinner, loose hair strands, or even “flushable” items, it is truly astounding how many different things can make their way down the drain.

This is highly detrimental to your plumbing system and can cause significant damage. In addition, clogged drains can impact septic systems, water treatment facilities, and cause considerable damage for you to deal with/ pay for (expenses you want to avoid paying, right?). You can easily protect yourself against these kinds of plumbing problems by becoming mindful about what and how you throw things away.

With this in mind, we've put together a list of 7 things you should never put down the drain (we guarantee you are guilty of doing at least one of them). Check it out!

Coffee granules

Don’t underestimate the power of those tiny granules of coffee! This is a common item you've probably thrown down the drain without thinking much about it. Opt instead for throwing your coffee grounds in the bin because built up coffee can cause blockages to the pipes, leaving you with a clogged/ slow draining sink.

Grease

Fats, oil, and grease are absolute no’s for your kitchen drain because they leave the pipes with a film. To quickly explain, as the hot liquids cool, the grease solidifies and creates sludge. This thick sludge can be very damaging to your drain, as it can block the entire pipe if it builds up. Also other items that are thrown in the drain risk getting caught in the sludge formed, thus requiring major drain cleaning to remove them.

Eggshells

Eggshells are another big no-no. Many people will throw most of their eggshells in the bin, but small pieces of the shell can find their way to the drain but you want to avoid this. But why? Well, the membrane inside the eggshells can wrap around the system or can also get caught in the existing grease build-up, causing you to need to get the pipes cleaned (and at a price). 

Stickers

In particular, produce stickers can cause significant damage to your plumbing system. Many believe stickers found on produce are essentially paper, meaning that they dissolve when in contact with water. Yes, this may be true for the occasional sticker but if you make a habit of letting these stickers go down the drain, you run the risk of dealing with clogged pipes very soon. To avoid this happening, get into the habit of peeling the stickers off your produce and putting them in the bin. Also it's important to note that the adhesive on the back of the sticker (the sticky stuff) can stick to the inside of pipes. Ultimately, this can end up in the water supply, which is clearly a practice to avoid. 

Flour

You may or may not be surprised by this one. Flour tends to thicken in contact with water and can form little solid balls, which can cause significant blockages in the pipework. Flour can also coat pipes, and mix with grease, eggshells, and other small items to create a major plumbing mess. When you've been cooking and baking with flour, the best thing to do is to scrape out any excess flour into the bin before washing the dish. 

Flushable wipes

Medication

Throwing medicines down the drain isn’t going to clog your pipes. However, it does impact the water treatment and supply systems. While it was believed that flushing unused medications were better than throwing them in the bin for safety reasons, this does come at the detriment of water supply systems. As a good practice to avoid anything happening to your plumbing at home, it is better to find other ways to dispose of your pharmaceuticals.