When you were growing up, your parents likely taught you to never flush Kleenex or paper towels. These two items are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to materials that should not be flushed under any circumstances.
Even pouring the wrong liquid down your kitchen or bathroom sink drain can sabotage your Florida home’s plumbing system. However, if you’ve made these mistakes and are now experiencing plumbing issues in your Florida home, you need an expert plumber in Coral Springs to help sort them out.
If you are ever in doubt as to whether the item in question should be flushed or poured down the drain, do the smart thing by throwing it in the trash for safe disposal. You also have the option of having a professional Coral Springs plumber check out your plumbing system and ensure its smooth functioning.
Below, we detail the worst items to flush or dump down the drain in your Florida home.
1. Never Dump Grease Down the Drain
Though dumping a small amount of grease or fat from bacon or another type of meat down your kitchen drain probably won’t clog your home’s pipes, these substances will cause damage if repeatedly poured down the drain. Pouring bacon grease into your home’s drain is problematic due to the unique chemical reactions that occur when wastewater is subsequently flushed from the pipes in your Florida home and transmitted to the sewer system. Fats within the oil and grease from your culinary delights combine with additional chemicals in the sewer to create harsh chemical conglomerations that gradually accumulate over time. This accumulation prevents water from passing through pipes to redirect dirty water to the nearest treatment plant.
Instead of dumping grease and fat down the drain, pour them in a small bag and throw them in the trash for safe removal that does not compromise your home’s plumbing system or Florida sewer systems. If you have already poured grease down the drain, it is not too late to take corrective action! Boil a gallon of water and slowly pour it down the drain while running the faucet’s hot water. Squirt some dish soap into the water mixture as it moves down the drain. The logic in this approach is that the hot water will cause solid grease to become liquid. The soapy water just might push the grease right on out of the pipes.
2. Never Flush Disposable Wipes
Disposable wipes are made of non-woven cloth containing an array of synthetic and natural fibers. Fibers ranging from cotton to rayon and plastic resins are pressed against one another to form cohesive wipes. These materials are not biodegradable. Unfortunately, people have been flushing disposable wipes since the 1970s. The damage to plumbing and sewer systems has already been done.
Toss disposable baby wipes and other variations of disposable wipes in the trash instead of flushing them and you will do your part to preserve the integrity of your Florida home’s plumbing system as well as the community’s sewer system. Even if facial wipes, baby wipes, and hand sanitizing wipes have packaging that states they are flushable, it is a mistake to flush them. There is a good chance these wipes will eventually clog your Florida home’s pipes, creating the need for professional plumbing assistance.
3. Resist the Temptation to Flush Condoms
Most people were never taught about the proper way to dispose of condoms. The subject of contraceptives was somewhat taboo until the past couple of decades. The result of this lack of education is the ignorant yet somewhat excusable flushing of condoms right on down the toilet. The bottom line is anything made of latex or another material similar to rubber should not be flushed. Latex is a non-biodegradable material, meaning it will not break down when entering the sewage system. Throw condoms into the garbage, tie up the garbage bag, and toss it in the outdoor trash can or dumpster and you won’t have to worry about a nasty clog forming in your Florida home’s plumbing system.
4. Do Not Flush Cotton
Though most women are aware cotton pads should not be flushed, some were never taught that tampons belong in the trash as opposed to the toilet. Furthermore, Q-tips and all other items made of expandable materials with considerable girth should be put in the trash can rather than the toilet. Cotton is problematic for your Florida home’s pipes as it can catch onto nearly anything. Cotton’s fibrous tissue can damage your home’s pipes, your toilet, and the sewer system as a whole.
Cotton’s inability to decompose prompts laborers who process waste to physically remove it from Florida’s waste streams. The cotton these workers pluck is subsequently sent to a landfill. You can do your part to prevent this completely unnecessary and time-consuming labor on behalf of Florida’s public workers by tossing cotton and other items that do not decompose directly into the trash can.
5. Cat Litter
If you did not grow up with a cat in your house, you are probably unaware of the best way to remove cat litter. The only waste that should end up in the toilet is human waste. Cat litter should be scooped into a bag and put in the outside trash can for pickup. Kitty litter is problematic for plumbing systems in that it is laden with sand and clay that are legitimate threats to your home’s pipes. A litter with silica and clay clumping is specifically designed to soak up moisture and generate clumps that become significant clogs as they reach your home’s pipes.
Conclusion
Your home’s plumbing system is designed to dispose of nothing other than human waste. Hence, items such as grease, oil, cat litter, and latex and cotton products should end up in your trash can and not in your toilet. The above information will help you understand exactly why these items should not be flushed while helping your plumbing system function flawlessly.
Ask Professional Coral Spring Plumbers
Get in touch with our Florida plumbing experts if you’re experiencing drainage issues in your Florida home. We are available 24/7 to sort out minor and major issues. Give us a call at 561-260-5763 to learn more about our Florida home and business drain cleaning services as well as our comprehensive plumbing services. We are here to help in your time of need.
