No matter whether it isaround the kitchen sinkor the sink: You should never throw these 9 things down the drain. Otherwise, you risk clogging it or harming the environment.
Many people think that eggshells are harmless as organic waste and throw small pieces down the drain. Actually wrong, becauseEggshells are usually very hardand can quickly block the drain. They also have sharp edges that food particles can stick to. You should therefore not throw even small pieces down the drain. Instead, you can compost the eggshells or throw them into organic waste.
What should never be thrown down the drain: Grease
Fat residues, frying fat and sauces must never end up in the drain. Fat is liquid when it is hot. But it cools down quickly and can then clog the drain. The same applies to the toilet. Save yourself time-consuming repairs, let the grease residue harden and then dispose of it with organic waste.
Coffee grounds also contain fats and should not be disposed of down the drain. You can fertilize houseplants with coffee grounds. You can also use the coffee grounds as fertilizer for the garden.
Flour should never go down the drain
Flour reacts quickly when it comes into contact with water and forms a thick, sticky mass to which other food particles also adhere. Therefore, flour should never go down the drain. Remove any remaining flour with a spatula and throw it into the organic waste bin.
Do not dispose of medications down the drain
Unused medications could release dangerous chemicals into the water that are harmful to the environment and marine life. The active components of certain medications can also have a negative impact on plants and animals. Certain medicines contain hormones that can be absorbed by plants through the water. But it can get worse because other medications can make the germs in the drain water resistant.
To prevent this, you should never throw liquid medication down the drain. Medicines should instead go into the residual waste bin. The residual waste is usually incinerated and no chemicals are released into nature. Alternatively, you can ask locally or at the pharmacy how you can dispose of the medication.
Do not throw banana stickers down the drain
The temptation is great, but even price stickers and banana stickers shouldn't be thrown down the drain. They are not water-soluble and cannot be composted. If many of these stickers collect, they can clog the sewer pipes or even damage the waterworks. Therefore, throw them in the residual waste bin.
Wet wipes do not belong in the drain
To be on the safe side, even flushable wet wipes should not be put down the drain or toilet. Since they are made of synthetic fibers, they can clog the pipe or pump systems. You can dispose of them in the trash or install a bidet and do without them completely or at least limit your consumption a little.
Cleaning products
Many cleaning products, even those used to clean flooring and ceramics, also contain harmful chemicals. That's why such cleaning products always have a label indicating how they should be disposed of. It usually also states that the chemicals they contain could harm the environment and underwater life.
The same applies to acrylic varnishes, paints and paint thinners, which must under no circumstances be allowed to go down the drain. You can dispose of dried paints and water-based varnishes in the trash. Contact your local authorities for advice on how to dispose of paint thinners and solvent-based paints. They will give you the address of a pollutant collection point where you can drop off the chemicals.
Paper products
Kitchen paper, ear swabs and feminine hygiene products do not have the properties of toilet paper and do not dissolve as quickly in water. You should therefore not throw them into the toilet or down the drain.
Surprisingly, the tissues are also included. In recent years, manufacturers have been offering lint-free and tear-resistant paper tissues that can clog drains.
Foods that swell in water
Foods that swell in water include rice, popcorn and pasta. They can clog the drain pipe. It's not a problem if a few grains of rice or pasta end up in the drain. But it shouldn't be more than that.
Leftover food, paper products, etc. end up in the drain every day. If you want to keep it clean and odor-free, then you should pay more attention to what you put in it. To avoid unpleasant odors, you could clean the drain once a month with special or cleaning products. Alternatively, you can also use specific onesUse home remedies.
