If your toilet doesn’t flush, you have slow drains, or your sink is backed up, you may be wondering what you can do to fix the problem. Often, the culprit is something that’s been put down the drain. To help keep your drains flowing freely, you may have to get a professional plumber to take a look at what’s causing the blockage.

All American Plumbing, Heating, & Air is here to help. We’re your leading experts in plumbing, drain cleaning, and more. In this blog post, we’ll share five things you need to stop putting down your drains right now.

1. Grease And Oil

Although grease and oil may be slippery in liquid form, they quickly solidify once they cool down. As they travel down your drains, grease and oil will adhere to the sides of pipes and eventually cause a blockage. To avoid this issue, pour used grease and oil into a sealable container and dispose of it in the trash. Grease and oil can solidify in your pipes and cause clogs. Pour used cooking oil into a sealable container and dispose of it in the trash instead of down the drain.

2. Q-Tips, Cotton Balls, And Makeup Pads

Cotton products usually absorb water, instead of breaking down and washing away like toilet paper. As they travel down your drain, they can get stuck within the curves of your property’s drain pipes and cause a clog. Q-tips, cotton balls, and makeup pads should be disposed of in the trash instead of being flushed down the toilet or put down the drain.

3. Wet Wipes

Some wet wipes are marketed as being “flushable,” but that doesn’t mean they won’t cause problems in your plumbing system. While regular toilet paper will dissolve in water, wet wipes do not. When flushed, wet wipes can travel through the sewer system and become stuck on other objects, causing a blockage. It’s best to dispose of wet wipes in the trash instead of flushing them down the toilet.

4. “Flushable Kitty Litter”

While kitty litter is technically biodegradable, that doesn’t mean it won’t cause clogs in your plumbing system. Kitty litter can absorb water and expand, which can cause it to get stuck in your pipes and create a blockage. Additionally, kitty litter can cling to other objects in your plumbing system and worsen a clog that’s already present. It’s best to avoid putting kitty litter down the drain or flushing it down the toilet.

5. Mortar, Grease, Adhesives, And Other DIY And Craft Supplies

Anything that hardens or sticks as it dries should not be put down your drains. This includes mortar, grout, grease, adhesives, and other DIY and craft supplies. When these materials harden in your pipes, they can cause a blockage. If you need to dispose of any of these materials, contact a professional to see how best to proceed.

While it may seem like a good idea to quickly rinse out the leftover portion of glue down the drain, this can cause big problems down the line. Adhesives like glue will solidify and coat the inside of your pipes, which will eventually lead to a clog. In the end, you spoil the fun of your DIY or craft project because you may receive a significant bill after a plumber comes to unclog your drain.

Do You Need Professional Help?

If you’ve put any of these things down your drains and are now dealing with a clog, the experts at All American Plumbing, Heating, & Air can help. We offer drain cleaning services that will quickly and effectively remove blockages from your pipes. We also offer video pipe inspection services that can help identify the cause of your clog and prevent it from happening again in the future.

For more information about our drain cleaning and video pipe inspection services, or to schedule a service, contact us today at (209) 710-5629. We’re here to help you keep your drains flowing freely.