4 Personal Care Products You Should Never Put Down The Drain
Pouring liquids and other bits and pieces down the drain in your wetroom or flushing them down may seem like the most convenient way to get rid of all the used or leftover personal hygiene products that you have in your home. In fact, a majority of Brits are disposing 1.8 million tonnes of waste down the drain every year. While it may do no harm to have liquid soaps and shampoo go down the drain, it’s important to note that some things should never, ever go through sewer lines as these can cause clogging, and some may even harm the environment. Before heading to the drain to dispose of another item, keep in mind that these 4 seemingly harmless everyday products should never be thrown down the drain.
Body oil and lotion
You probably have a habit of pouring leftover body oil down the drain, but oil is one of the top things never to pour down the drain. The improper disposal of oil and fats have recently caused headlines as a 130 tonne mass of congealed waste and fat, dubbed as a fatberg, has been discovered clogging a 250 metre stretch of London’s sewer network. If you regularly pour oil and other oil-based products down the drain such as lotions, sunscreen, creams, and face and body oils, not only will it damage your plumbing, but it can also cause sewage overflow. To dispose of these items properly, keep leftover products in their original containers and throw in the garbage.
Cotton buds
In a survey carried out in Birmingham, Swindon, Manchester, and London, a majority of respondents said that they would either throw cotton buds down the drain or flush them after using. However small a single cotton bud may be, you should never dispose of them in this manner as they do block drains, and when this happens, the only way to unblock them is to do so by hand. To prevent this from happening, throw used cotton buds in the trash can.
Bathroom wipes
Bathroom wipes or moist towelettes are becoming increasingly popular in households. But despite the fact that these items are being marketed like toilet paper, these should never make their way down the drain. These wipes are already creating clogs and sewer blockages all over the world as they don’t degrade after being flushed, so it’s better to throw these in the garbage after use.
Coffee grounds
Some people use coffee grounds as a natural exfoliant, but this natural skin brightener won’t simply dissolve when poured down the drain. Coffee grounds are some of the worst offenders for causing blockages in sewer lines. You can throw coffee grounds into the garbage can, or you can mix them into the soil where your roses or hydrangeas are planted to give these flowers a bit of natural acidity and nutrients.
To avoid clogging up your sewage lines, one must dispose of these personal care items properly and know which items should never be flushed down or thrown down the drain. Not only will you do your part in saving the environment, but you’ll also save money on plumbing costs and sewer line repairs.
