You’re planning your famous holiday dinner, and somehow Cousin Lenny’s famous steamed spinach made it onto the menu. No worries, you can always sneak over to the bathroom and send that green sludge down the drain. It should be fine if it’s soft and small enough, right? Al Bourgeois plumbing has seen its fair share of clogs, and one common reason is that food has managed to get lodged in the plumbing! Most times, people send food down the toilet because they are trying to use it as a substitute for a garbage disposal, or because a child sneakily tossed some cereal down the toilet without their parent’s knowledge. The following are some of the worst foods to flush and some disposal solutions for those looking for options besides the garbage can.
What Happens When Your Flush Food
If you’re panicking because of that one time a piece of bread fell into the toilet, please don’t fret. A small piece of food here and there won’t cause any damage (as long as the piece isn’t too big). The major problems arise when food flushing becomes a habit. The worst-case scenario is that the food waste clogs your sewer line and potentially backs up raw sewage into your home.
Which Foods Not to Flush
Short answer: All Foods.
All foods should be considered off-limits when it comes to your plumbing. Your pipes are simply too narrow to effectively discharge food scraps. This occasionally comes as a surprise to some people. After all, isn’t human waste just digested food? It’s true that food is biodegradable (eventually), but in the short term, undigested food can cause clogs that can cause serious harm to your plumbing. Additionally, there are certain foods that can be particularly harmful when flushed.
Bones and Other Hard Materials. Hard foods, such as bones and fruit pits, take a long time to decompose and are one of the most common causes of food-related plumbing clogs. These materials also contribute to the aptly named “fatburgs.” Fatburgs are solid masses found in sewers of waste-matter formed by the combination of non-biodegradable solids.
Grease, Fat, and Oil. You’ve probably heard never to flush oil or grease down the drain. The same logic applies to your plumbing! When fat cools, it congeals, and it can form gunky build-up on the sides of your pipes. Another side effect of grease is it can attract other debris that sticks to the fat, causing clogs.
Grains such as oats, barley, and rice can seem small and innocuous at first. However, these foods expand when they go down your plumbing and mix with water, potentially blocking your sewer lines.
How to Dispose of Smelly Food
You have a little bit of leftover fish stew, and you’d rather not just throw it in the garbage can to stink up your kitchen. You have options! Rather than flushing your food down the toilet, try these handy options:
Garbage Disposal. While there are still foods you should avoid putting down your garbage disposal, it is a much better option than flushing scraps down the sink or toilet! If you do not have a garbage disposal, ask your plumber about installation options!
Freezer Trick. If you’re worried about the smell, package up your leftovers and keep them in the freezer until trash day.
Composting organic matter is easy and immediate! All food can be composted, so check with your city and see if it supports composting efforts. Your garden will thank you!
Contact Al Bourgeois Plumbing Today!
Is something causing your toilet to clog? Are you worried about plumbing damage? Contact Al Bourgeois plumbing! We will get your plumbing back to normal as soon as possible. And remember, next time you have some extra dinner scraps, don’t flush your food!