Kitchen sink disasters: Common culprits to avoid during prep
Holiday preparations in the kitchen don't always create a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Often, a sense of urgency and stress leads to mistakes, such as a clogged sink. Here, we remind you of things that should not be disposed of in the sink.
It's common to pour various substances down the drain daily, such as food scraps, oil, or tea and coffee grounds. We often don't realise how serious the consequences can be. Although such habits may seem harmless to many of us, they are quite the opposite.
This can end badly
During dishwashing, leftovers often end up in the pipes, but they don't always disappear completely. Improperly disposed of scraps can lead to blockages that make it difficult to maintain cleanliness and cause permanent damage. Repairs are expensive, and a clogged sink is a major inconvenience, especially during this period. Therefore, it's important to do everything possible to avoid this.
Things you absolutely cannot throw into the sink:
- Products that increase in volume when exposed to water. These include grains or rice, which can swell in the drainage pipes. When too many accumulate, they will block the drain.
- Pasta and flour. Like grains and rice, they swell due to gluten when exposed to water.
- Meat. When left in the pipes, it emits an unpleasant smell and serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. This applies to both raw and cooked meat.
- Vegetables. Vegetables with a high starch content or fibrous vegetables can clog the drain very quickly, especially when remnants of smoothies or celery juice end up in the sink.
- Eggshells. Not only are they sharp and can cause permanent scratches, but when combined with fat or flour, they can clump together and quickly clog the drain.
- Oil. Is often used in holiday dishes but should never be poured down the drain, as it can quickly clog pipes and cause damage.
- Coffee or tea grounds. In contact with water, they quickly clump together and cause blockages.
- Raw dough. This sticky flour-based substance coats the inner walls of the pipes, reducing their capacity and leading to blockages.
