Tips

Tips To Help Prevent Blockages

We are called upon to clear stoppages on toilets on a daily basis, and the items that cause the problems are usually the same. 

Be sure to never flush the following items and you can avoid a toilet backup:

  • Baby wipes/cleansing wipes (even if the packaging indicates its safe)
  • Kitty Litter or anything from the litter box
  • Pet pads
  • Tampons/tampon applicators/feminine products
  • Condoms
  • Cotton balls/cotton swabs
  • Disposable diapers
  • Paper towels
  • Prescription medications
  • Band-aids
  • Dental Floss
Kitchen sinks are the most difficult area to avoid problems.  Just remember that garbage disposals are really only effective on incidental debris. 

The following items should not be put down the disposal:

  • Coffee grounds
  • Rice
  • Pasta (any type of noodles)
  • Potato peels
  • Eggshells
  • Vegetables (they are too stringy and fibrous)
  • Grease/oil/fat
  • Bones
  • Glass/plastic/metal
  • Bleach or chemicals (this can damage the blades on your disposal)

Always use cold water when your disposal is in use.  Hot water causes the grease to liquefy.  When it cools down it will accumulate in one spot.  Run the disposal with the cold water running for 5 minutes, not just until you don’t hear food grinding.