Your home's plumbing system keeps your household functioning smoothly. The kitchen sink is an especially important home plumbing fixture that is often vulnerable to clogs that require emergency drain cleaning. Here's a quick list of items to throw in the trash instead of down the drain to keep your system in good condition.

What to Avoid Putting Down the Kitchen Drain

1. Oil & Grease

When you cook meat, oil and grease can accumulate in the pan. While still warm, these items remain in liquid form, but once you pour them down the drain and they cool off, they harden into a solid. Over time, you'll need to schedule drain cleaning to remove solid grease from clogging your pipes.  Instead, wait to clean your pans until they've cooled off, and wipe grease and oil away with a paper towel.

2. Eggshells

Eggshells contain a membrane that can easily clog your kitchen drain. In addition, small pieces of eggshells that are ground up by your garbage disposal can get trapped in grease, exacerbating the issue. To protect your pipes, crack eggs and dispose of shells in the garbage can. 

3. Coffee Grounds

Whether you use a French press or a traditional coffee maker, you'll need to dispose of a batch of used grounds every morning. While they may seem small and harmless at first, throwing coffee grounds down the sink every morning will lead to buildup and cause you to rely on your garbage disposal to clear the pipes. Toss used ground into the trash instead to avoid buildup and corrosion that could require extensive plumbing repairs. 

4. Produce Stickers

Most fruits and vegetables sold at the grocery store will have a small sticker on them. These tiny pieces of paper have adhesive on the back that can easily stick to your plumbing pipes. This can catch other bits of food and grease, prompting a larger clog. Removing these stickers before you wash produce can help prevent this problem.

When your kitchen sink clogs, reach out to the professionals at Chugach Sewer and Drain for drain cleaning. Based in Anchorage, AK, and serving residents throughout the surrounding regions, this plumbing company is known for timely, efficient repairs at fair prices. To schedule an appointment, call today at (907) 929-5072. For more information on their expert plumbing repair services and top-of-the-line equipment, visit their website.