The thought of a faulty drain, burst pipe, and of course, a clogged sink is overwhelming talk less of actually battling one or all of these plumbing problems. A clogged sink could lead to a burst pipe and faulty drain, which is why these 23 random things that can clog your sink are a must-know for every home.
Your kitchen, bathroom, and utility sinks can be clogged by the most random things and will become costly and major problems that are inconvenient and humiliating. With proper maintenance, avoiding the problem of a clogged sink might soon be history. Here are 23 random things you might be guilty of tossing down the drain;
Peels And Rinds
An important piece of information is to scale back on what you put into the sink. Why? Why not! You’re either being a bit lazy not to dispose of fruit rinds and peels in the garbage disposal because it’s just too far, which is understandable. After all, we have all been there. And I say get a temporary bin in the kitchen for waste that could clog your sink.
How can you tell if they’ll clog your sink? That’s why you scale back on these wastes. Do not put potato and fruit peels in your sink. The ground rinds will end up stuck in drains and gets it clogged and cover the filters.
Hair
Hair clumps up and embeds itself into a stinky mass of magnet that only attracts dried soap and more hair. This bunch of tangled hair is common for clogged tub drains and bathroom sinks.
The pipe walls catch the hair clumps on their way down the sink, and as more pressure from the running tap goes down the sink, the hair clump together. It becomes tougher and resists water flow causing the sink to be clogged. Ways out include;
- Using sink guards that collect the wet hair
- Installing a pipe snake to free up the mass
- The fastest way out is by installing a drain straining device that collects the hair
Eggshells
There’s a story about eggshells cleaning and sharpening the blades of the garbage disposal, well this is a myth, and it does the entire opposite. Eggshells will create trouble for the garbage disposal blade, and the fragments of the eggshells will clump up together and clog the filter, and if a lot of these clumped up eggshells get down the drains, they’ll clog your sink too.
Damaged Pipe
Built-up rust from old pipes, dented pipes, worn-out pipes that can lead to blocked water flow can be reasons for a clogged sink. Poorly repaired plumbing, like not fastening the pipes securely, can cause the pipes to shift over time and can also clog your sink.
Your best bet is to install new pipes as a replacement and ensure they are securely fastened. You must also ensure that they are not in places easily damaged.
Coffee Grounds
You might think pouring your grounds down the drain is one harmless disposal since the grounds are in powdery form, but they are only harmless if your drains are consistently cleaned. A sink with a sludge built up can be easily clogged when coffee grounds keep pilling until a form of tough grounds is formed.
Starches And Fibrous Food
Did you know starchy and fibrous foods expand in the garbage disposal? These foods include celery, corn, potatoes, corn husk, asparagus, rice, and pasta can expand in the garbage disposal. Their expansion will ultimately distort the blades of the garbage disposal. Then, the sticky paste from starch solidifies in the pipes and clogs the sink.
Your oatmeal and mashed potatoes leftovers become sticky and hard when left for too long and will become like this in your sink. A must-know to avoid situations like these is to entirely avoid disposing starch down the drain and limiting your garbage disposal for only crumbs disposal.
Soap Scum
Soap scum is a chalky, sticky substance that forms when the chemicals present in the soap react with magnesium and calcium in the water. This substance wall the pipes and builds up until it becomes difficult for water to pass through the drain.
Grease, Fats, And Oil
Grease, fats, and oil will also be amongst the list of things you must avoid pouring down the drain, but do you know why? Even if it is a little, they easily coat and solidify in the pipes, and over time will begin to have an adverse effect on the sink and in the pipes.
Paint
Washing down paint down the drain is a very big problem that should be avoided. Not only is it bad for the environment, but washing undiluted latex paint that isn’t water-soluble is a very sure way to ruin your plumbing by getting your sink clogged.
Cottom Swab
Cotton swabs and any cotton-like material are can only absorb water but cannot be dissolved by water, and over time, if continuously disposed of in the sink, it will cause it to become clogged.
Wipes And Towelettes
If it isn’t toilet paper and claims surrounding it say it’s flushable, do not dispose of it in the toilet and through the grinds of the sink. When shredded, they become worse and will begin to collect other waste.
Dental Floss
Biodegradable materials like dental floss and strings are culprits for causes of clogged sinks s they can easily form clumps and knots in the pipes of the sinks. Trapped dental floss oozes off a disgusting odor when stuck in the pipe for too long.
Toys
Kids not only say but also do the darndest things even if these little ones innocently think they’re helping, like giving their toys a bath in the kitchen sink. You shouldn’t be surprised when your plumber shows you what got your sink clogged, and they are toys.
Flour
No matter what type of flour it is, it becomes a gummy, sticky paste once mixed with water. Imagine dumping some flour in the sink or washing flour down the drains. It would, of course, form a huge mess in the pipes and begin to attract other waste, ultimately clogging the sink.
Rags
A mistake made at some homes is shredding rags down the sink. The habit must be stopped as it can be very dangerous by causing your sink to become clogged and lead to a burst pipe that could flood your home.
Small Objects
Small objects like earrings, needles, pins, rings, tiny beads tend to be full in the sink but usually by mistake but, if not taken care of, might become a problem. As time goes by, these small objects will another waste build upon them until they form a clump clogging the sink.
A Stuffed P-Trap or J-Trap
The P-trap is the pipe’s bent part located directly under the sink; it joins the sink’s drain to a larger drain pipe. This p-trap or j-trap is responsible for preventing four-smelling and toxic gas from flowing back into the sink, and when small items like rings, earrings, soap, and grease clogs the p-trap or j-trap, it clogs the sink as well.
Unlike other random things that can clog your sink, stuffed p-trap or j-trap can be easily fixed by manually removing it and cleaning out the waste. You could also use a toothbrush to clean off the dirt from the p-trap or j-trap.
Condoms
It might seem unreal, but condoms are one thing that must never be disposed of in your sink and even in the toilet; their latex material will clog up the sink and make a mess in your pipes.
Food Remains
A popular reason for clogged sinks is food; it could be from shredded vegetables, leftovers washed down the drains collected over time in the P- or J-trap. Solutions to unclog the sink include;
- Installing a drain cleaner that isn’t toxic but with bacteria and enzymes to decompose the food waste in the sink.
- Installing garbage disposal will reduce the chances of getting a clogged sink.
- Your next option is to hire a plumber to lean out the drain.
Sand
Do not wash out sand down the drain; if they do not flow out into the sewer, they end up piled up in the p-or-trap pipe beneath, eventually clogging up the sink.
Chunks of Garbage
Chunks of garbage should be properly disposed of in the trash can and not in the sink as they are also random things that can clog your sink.
Medication
Did you know dumping medication is against the law? Well, that won’t be your only problem if it is continuously done over time. Instead, the disposed of pills in the sink will become too much and finally a plumbing issue.
Solvent, Nail Polish, And Polish Remover
Products that contain solvent-like nail polish and polish remover shouldn’t be dumped into the sink. Not only will they make a mess in the sink, but they also cannot be dissolved by water and will only form a clump that attracts other waste, causing a clogged sink.
Whatever might be the reason for a clogged sink, hiring professional plumbing is the fastest and easiest solution to a clogged sink