Apartment living has plenty of perks. You get a convenient location, less outdoor upkeep, and often a maintenance team you can call when something goes wrong. Still, plumbing problems can become a headache, especially when you aren’t sure what caused them.
The kitchen sink is easy to overlook. A little leftover cooking oil here, a handful of coffee grounds there, and before long, your drain may start running slowly. Some foods seem harmless going down the sink but can stick to the inside of pipes, collect around other debris, or cause trouble for a garbage disposal.
Being careful about what goes down the drain can save you from clogged pipes, unpleasant smells, and an unnecessary visit from a plumber. Here are 12 common kitchen items that are better off in the trash or compost bin.
Grease and Oil
After cooking bacon, frying chicken, or sautéing vegetables, dumping the leftover oil into the sink can seem like the easiest cleanup option. The problem starts once that grease cools.
Oil and fat can cling to the inside of pipes and gradually collect other bits of food and debris. Over time, that buildup can restrict water flow or create a stubborn blockage. According to ScienceDirect, fats, oils, and grease are major contributors to plumbing blockages.
Instead of pouring grease down the drain, let it cool and place it in a container. Once it has hardened, throw it away according to your local waste guidelines.
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Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are small, which makes it tempting to wash them down the sink after making your morning coffee. Unfortunately, they don’t dissolve in water.
Grounds can collect inside pipes and combine with grease, food particles, and other debris. That mixture can gradually form a thick mass that slows drainage and may eventually cause a clog.
Keep coffee grounds out of the sink. Toss them into the trash or add them to a compost pile if you have one.
Eggshells
Eggshells are another kitchen scrap that many people assume garbage disposals can handle. Grinding them into tiny pieces doesn’t mean they disappear.
The fragments can collect with other material inside the plumbing and contribute to buildup. There is also little reason to put eggshells through a disposal when they can easily go into the trash or compost bin.
If you’re using a garbage disposal, check the manufacturer’s instructions before putting unusual food scraps into it.
Related: 10 Leftover Foods That May Harbor Bacteria When Reheated
Starchy Foods
Pasta, rice, and potatoes can cause trouble because they absorb water and become larger and softer after cooking.
A few leftover grains or pieces of pasta may seem insignificant, but larger amounts can collect inside the drain and contribute to a sticky blockage. Potato peels can be especially troublesome because they can turn into a thick paste.
Scrape leftover starches into the trash or compost rather than washing them down the sink. Also, don’t rely on running extra water to make a large amount of pasta or rice disappear.
Fibrous Vegetables
Celery, asparagus, corn husks, and similar vegetables have long, tough fibers that can wrap around garbage disposal blades.
Instead of being chopped into tiny pieces, the fibers may become tangled and interfere with the disposal. Larger amounts can also collect farther down the drain.
Keep these scraps out of the disposal. A compost bin is a much better destination for vegetable trimmings.
Greasy Meat Trimmings
Fatty pieces left over from bacon, pork, beef, or other meats can create the same kind of trouble as cooking grease.
Fat may seem liquid while it’s hot, but it can harden as it cools inside your plumbing. Once it sticks to the pipe walls, it can collect food particles and gradually reduce the space available for water to flow.
Scrape fatty trimmings into a container or trash bag instead of washing them away. If you’re dealing with a pan covered in grease, wipe it out with a paper towel before washing it.
Related: 15 Discontinued Canned Foods You Can’t Buy Anymore
Cheese
Melted cheese may slide easily out of a pan while it’s hot, but that doesn’t mean it belongs in your drain.
As cheese cools, it becomes sticky and can cling to the inside of pipes. Small pieces can also combine with grease and other food debris, creating a bigger blockage over time.
Scrape leftover cheese into the trash or compost it if appropriate. A few seconds spent scraping a plate can save you from dealing with a slow drain later.
Fruit Peels and Pits
Banana peels, citrus peels, apple cores, avocado skins, and other fruit scraps can be rough on a garbage disposal and plumbing system.
Some peels are tough and fibrous, while pits and cores are hard enough to damage disposal components. Large pieces can also become stuck in the drain rather than moving freely through the pipes.
Put fruit scraps into your compost bin or trash instead. If you have a garbage disposal, check its manufacturer’s recommendations before putting any type of peel or pit inside.
Nuts and Shells
Nuts and their shells are another category of scraps that don’t belong in most garbage disposals. Hard shells can be difficult for the disposal to break apart and may contribute to blockages or wear on the equipment.
Even small pieces can collect with grease and other debris once they enter the plumbing.
Save those shells for the trash or compost if they’re suitable for your setup. Don’t assume that something small is automatically safe for your drain.
Related: 22 Foods You Think Are Good for You—but Aren’t
Flour
Flour and water make a sticky combination, which is exactly what you don’t want inside your plumbing.
If you rinse flour from mixing bowls, measuring cups, or countertops directly into the sink, it can combine with water and form a paste. That paste can stick to the inside of pipes and collect other debris.
Before washing baking equipment, scrape as much dry flour and dough into the trash as possible. A quick wipe with a paper towel can keep a surprising amount of flour out of your drain.
Canned Vegetable Cooking Liquid
The liquid left inside a can of vegetables may seem harmless, but it can contain starch, salt, and food particles.
Small amounts are unlikely to cause a plumbing disaster by themselves, but repeatedly sending thick or starchy liquids down the drain can add to buildup, especially if your pipes already have grease or debris inside them.
If the liquid is suitable for cooking, save it for a recipe. Otherwise, dispose of it in a way that doesn’t involve pouring large amounts of food residue into the sink.
Leftover Sauces and Dressings
Pasta sauce, creamy dressings, marinades, and other leftovers can contain oils, fats, dairy, or thick ingredients that don’t move cleanly through plumbing.
Sauces can cling to pipe walls and combine with other scraps already inside the drain. Fat-based dressings can also harden after they cool, making the problem worse.
Scrape thick sauces and dressings into the trash before rinsing your dishes. For particularly greasy containers, wipe them out with a paper towel first.
Your kitchen drain can handle plenty of water, but it isn’t a second garbage can. Keeping grease, fibrous scraps, hard shells, starches, and thick food waste out of your pipes is a simple habit that can help prevent slow drains and costly plumbing problems.
