Flushing faux pas may lead to clogs, costly repairs

When it comes to plumbing clogs, we can definitely apply the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”…or in this case, a quart of Liquid Plumr.

Back in the days when I did a lot of plumbing work with my cousin, Sal, in Brooklyn, I unclogged more toilets, clean-outs, shower drains, sewer mains etc. than I care to remember. It never ceased to amaze me the crazy things we’d find in waste lines. I think the funniest of all colossal-clogs was in an Italian-American mama’s house. She routinely dumped old leftover “Sunday Sauce” down her toilet, whole sausages and all. When we asked her why, she explained dumping food in the toilet avoided her trash bins from getting a “puzza” (stink). This same kind of anti-odiferous rationale is what motivates nonnas like her to soak, then scrub seafood shells before throwing them away, but I digress.

Knowing proper disposal dos and don’ts in your household should be taken seriously in order to avoid bigger issues down the (waste)line.

The following are common flushing faux-pas:

• Tampons—I know some are packaged as “flushable,” but trust me, I’ve seen inside enough pipes, especially in older homes, to know they’re all little troublemakers. That goes for the applicator as well, even if it’s cardboard. Instead, wrap it up in TP and throw it in the garbage.

• Hair—Folks know about trying to keep hair out of shower drains, but they don’t hesitate throwing clumps of hair in the toilet. Don’t do it. Sure, doing so will make it down the toilet drain, but will eventually become part of the stuff that clogs things down the waste line.

• Food—Like the Italian mama I cite above, it’s understandable why you’d want to throw liquidy-smelly food down the toilet but only do so if it’s soft, like baby food, and not greasy.

• Paper Towels—Especially the very thick ones, they won’t break down and will end up causing a clog.

• Wipes—And this goes for wipes of any kind, even make-up. They may say “flushable,” but I’ve seen how they can wad up and create blockages in pipes.

• Cat Litter—Again, I don’t care what the label may read, don’t do it.

• Condoms, cigarettes, cotton swabs/pads/balls—all no-nos.

Down-the-drain DON’TS:

• Grease—The worst clogging culprit of all! For small amounts of household kitchen grease, pour off fat into a small jar. Keep this designated fat-jar in the fridge, then once filled, throw it in out with your trash. This rule goes for any kind of fat—butter, lard, shortening, oil, etc. If it’s a larger amount of grease/oil, let’s say what you’d use to deep-fry, collect it in a disposable container and bring it to your local city land-fill.

• Small Food Scrapings—They may seem harmless enough, but will build up over time. Scrape all food particles into the garbage.

• Chemicals—This “don’t” is more of an environmental warning. Any chemicals, paints, turpentine, nail polish remover, anti-freeze, etc. is best collected, then brought to our local landfill and disposed of in the proper designated section.

• Medications—Another environmental concern. Keep meds out of our water supply. Our local CVS has a drug disposal box in the back of the store near the immunization room.

Garbage Disposal DON’Ts

• Stringy or thick, fibrous peels from fruits and veggies. Celery, banana skins, asparagus, corn husks, artichokes, etc.

• Ice—There’s a myth about ice cleaning and sharpening blades. Truth is there are no “blades” in a garbage disposal and manufacturers don’t advise grinding ice anyway.

• Any Food that Expands When Wet—Rice, pasta, bread, cereal, etc.

• Eggshells, bones, grease, coffee grounds, tea leaves—even with a high horse-power disposal, these foods will create a paste-like matter that may eventually cause clogs.

• Any non-food items.

Now, you may be able to get away with a few no-no’s here and there, but believe me when I tell you, long-term dumping and flushing fouls will set you up for a date with a plumber.