Although it may seem obvious, disposing of eggshells, coffee grounds, rogue pasta, rice, or citrus peels down your kitchen drain can have lasting and costly consequences. Over time, discarded cooking oils and food scraps build up and can clog and damage your home’s plumbing system. But what about other common kitchen waste, like food grease? In a new TikTok video, a plumber shares the “worst drain blockers” that can wreak havoc on your pipes.
RELATED: I'm a Plumber and I'd Never Put These Common Items Down the Garbage Disposal.
In a video reposted by TikToker @thatplum6guy, the professional plumber wrote in a text overlay, “Don’t put grease down your sink,” adding that it’s “the worst drainer blocker other than baby wipes.”
To prove his point, he clipped a video of what grease-clogged pipes look like. The camera shows a pipe that’s blocked with a massive chunk of brown gunk, which is preventing water from moving through. Using a heavy-duty shovel, the plumber helps ease the solid wedge out of the pipe. After two attempts, the slab of grease filters out of the pipe, followed by a rush of backed-up water.
According to ClearView Plumbing, putting grease down your pipes can even destroy them for good: “Resist every temptation to pour that grease down the drain! Grease coats your pipes and turns into sludge, which traps food debris."
@thatplum6guy Another grease video ive found, this ond was eventually cleared. Luckily. Dont put grease down your sink #thatplumbguy #fypシ #grease #plumbers #blockage #howto #sink
New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection recommends freezing cooking oil and grease (once cooled) in a plastic bag before trashing. Alternatively, people can seal grease in a container labeled “Cooking Oil—Not for Recycling” and toss it with their regular garbage.
As for baby wipes, ClearView Plumbing explains that wet wipes “might be marketed as biodegradable, but they take a long time to disintegrate.”
Even “flushable” wipes shouldn’t go down your home’s pipes, Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, previously told Best Life.
"During the toilet paper shortage, it was not uncommon for plumbers to find non-flushable items like napkins or towelettes blocking the drain lines," James explained. "Blocked drain lines cause other fixtures to push water back into the home through the drains. A plumbing professional will need to inspect the drain lines to find where the stoppage is occurring."
Despite experts’ pleas, the video’s comment section is filled with TikTokers saying they plan to do the exact opposite due to surging rent costs.
“Rent is going up 300 dollars and they still haven’t fixed my maintenance request I put in 4 months ago. grease only goes in the drain,” one user wrote.
“I’m a renter and I still dispose of grease and wipes in the trash because that’s just the logical and correct thing to do LOL,” another said.
“I pay 1300 for a subpar 1 bedroom apartment. I’ll put whatever I want down the sink,” a third person remarked.
“Just run boiling water every week,” someone suggested.
“I know to put the grease in a kosher dill pickle jar,” said another. “My mom been told me that growing up.”
