Originally posted on https://beastbayplumbing.com/4-plumbing-mistakes-probably-making/

There are probably some plumbing myths that you’ve bought into. There are also probably a few things that you’re doing that you don’t even know you shouldn’t do. If you talk to a plumber, they’ll tell you about some common mistakes that people make. Here are a few of them.

Myth #1 — Ice In the Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal is a great convenience; you don’t have to scrape pots and pans into the garbage can. You can just grind up and dispose of waste right there. However, you should keep the ice cubes out of the disposal. Just let them melt and wash away because ice can actually dull the disposal blades. There’s a myth that ice sharpens them, but that’s just not the case. It does, however, help clean the blades. So, maybe once every three months or so, it could be worthwhile to grind up an ice cube. Don’t do it more often than that though.

Myth #2 — Bleach in the Drains

Many toilet bowl cleaners and toilet bowl tablets have bleach in them. Some of the ones that are designed to go in the tank have bleach in them as well. Bleach is an incredible cleaner because it is corrosive. Bleach will eat away at the surface of the toilet bowl and corrode your pipes. It can eat away the working parts of your toilet tank in six months. All of those soft rubber and plastic parts will be the first to go. Avoid bleach in your toilet. Read more here about “What you should know about your drains“.

Myth #3 — Hot Grease or Oil

Cooking oil that is liquid at room temperature is not as dangerous to pipes are fats that are solid at room temperature, but you should avoid putting either one down the drain. Your best option is to let them cool and then pour them into a sealable jar. Throw the whole thing away. Many people keep old pickle jars or pasta sauce jars for just that reason. You can also filter the oil and reuse it; just don’t pour it down the drain. It can solidify and form a clog in your drain or in the city sewer main.

Myth #4 — Flushable Anything

There are flushable baby wipes, flushable toilet wipes, flushable makeup wipes, and so on. You shouldn’t flush any of them. Throw them away in the trash can. Plumbers say that you should not flush anything other than waste and toilet paper. The wipes that claim to be flushable do not dissolve in water the way toilet paper does; that means, they will eventually form nasty clogs.

Contact Your Plumber

Still have questions about common misconceptions concerning your pipes? Contact your local, experienced plumber. For Vallejo plumbing, call Beastbay for all your plumbing needs!