The foods that you should never put down your sink

People have always worried about what can go down their sink drains safely and what can’t so this list shows a few of the foods that are definitely not safe for our sinks.

Even if you have a waste disposal unit, there are still several foods that should never be put down the sink to protect your pipes against annoying blockages that are usually both expensive and inconvenient to fix. Most of these foods can be safely disposed of in the bin as an alternative which would save you an enormous plumbing headache in the future.

Oil

Despite being a liquid, oil solidifies when it goes down the sink which will instantly cause blockages. Avoid pouring any amounts of oil down the sink but if a smaller amount needs to be disposed of then try turning on the hot water for one minute, disposing of the oil down the sink and leaving the hot water to run for another minute to ensure it is completely washed out of the pipes.

Ground coffee

Small fragments of scraps including coffee grounds and even egg shells may be small but they can easily build up until a major blockage forms. This can be avoided by peeling eggs over the bin and collecting any left over coffee grounds with a paper towel or a sponge.

Starchy foods

Starch based foods such as potato peels, pasta and rice are not ideal for sinks as they can absorb water and either expand or become a gooey mess in your pipes. This can even cause an unwanted odour if the problem is ignored for too long. Dispose of all of these food scraps in the bin and change bin liners often.

Stringy foods

Foods such as celery, corn husk or asparagus should always be avoided even with a waste disposal as they will not break down easily. They are susceptible to either causing blockages or wrapping around blades and stopping motors. To stop this problem you can either bin the waste or chop them into much smaller and less stringy sections and dispose of it in the waste unit.

What have you never put in your sink?