The drains in your house likely seem like an easy way to dispose of certain things. The water pushes stuff down easily enough and you don’t have to take out any trash! However, drains aren’t as powerful as you may think. Putting certain things down your drains in Massachusetts can result in a variety of problems. Whether it’s certain kinds of foods or bathroom products, there are plenty of things that should never go down the drain.

Here are seven examples of things that should never go down your drains in Massachusetts:

Oils

There are a variety of oil-like substances used for cooking. Among these are cooking oil, olive oil, salad dressings, condiments, and mayonnaise. Not only are they a major contributor to clogs, but they can combine with other debris to make sludge.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds are one of the biggest contributors to sink clogs. Grounds aren’t completely water soluble, which means when they mix with oil or grease coating the pipes, it can create a big mess. It’s better to throw them away or compost them.

Pasta and rice

Rice and pasta share a common trait that’s an important part of cooking them. The two tend to expand when exposed to water. When stuck in your pipes, this can result in clogs. In addition, pasta made of sticky semolina can gum up your pipes or garbage disposal.

Egg shells

Egg shells can be particularly difficult for garbage disposal units to take care of. The shells can be hard on the blades, and the membrane can wrap around the grinding apparatus. Even when ground up, the shells are granular waste that often collects with other waste to form clogs.

Flushable wipes

Despite the name, flushable wipes shouldn’t be disposed of through your toilet drain. A New York Times article wrote about NYC’s $18 million expenditure on problems caused by flushed wipes. Unlike toilet paper, wipes don’t disintegrate in water and can combine with materials like grease to create major clogs.

Paint

Depending on where you live, there may be specific rules as to how you dispose of oil and latex paint. Sometimes, even water used to rinse brushes used with water-based paints shouldn’t go down your drain. As a rule of thumb, oil paint almost always has to be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility.

Medication

Medications don’t damage your plumbing in any way, but the pharmaceuticals get into the waterways and aren’t healthy for humans and animals. Most of the medicine found in our waterways comes from human urine. However, it’s estimated that one-third of sold medicine goes unconsumed. If there’s no medication take-back program available, mix the medication with something unpalatable, seal it in a plastic bag, and throw it in the trash.

What can MillTown do to help me with plumbing problems?

Since 1979, MillTown has been helping homeowners like you resolve their home service issues. Since then, we’ve proven our brand of high quality in our service area. We have a 24/7 call center so we can come by no matter what time your plumbing acts up. Our uniformed plumbers will arrive with a fully stocked truck ready to help you. If you have problems with your drains in Massachusetts, call MillTown today.

By Milltown Plumbing