Problem Foods, Clogged Kitchen Sinks, and Garbage Disposals

Sooner or later, your kitchen sink could become clogged or slow to drain. Certain types of food and kitchen habits are particularly troublesome for both your drain and your garbage disposal. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to either prevent or slow down the chance of food-related clogs.

Here is more information on the common types of kitchen sink and garbage disposal clogs, signs that you have a drain problem, and some prevention tips.

Common Food Items That Cause Clogs

A variety of different food items can cause your kitchen sink or garbage disposal to back up, but certain items are particularly troublesome. Here is a list of some of the most common sink and garbage-disposal-clogging items.

Grease and Fats

Grease, butter, and oils are at the top of the list of clog-causing food items. These substances build up a coating on the pipes and then congeal to form a clog.

Egg Shells

Egg shells are rough on your garbage disposal blades, plus the membrane can get caught and cause blockages. Finely ground shells can also build up in the drain and cause blockages.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds don’t fully dissolve in water and tend to attract other materials, such as grease, to form a thick coating that blocks the pipe.

Potato Skins

Potato skins are another item that doesn’t do well in garbage disposals due to their high starch content. They break down into a paste-like substance which then contributes to existing clogs.

Pasta and Rice

Dried pasta and rice, even after cooked, can continue to accumulate water and swell up after they go down the sink. Their starchy content also make these foods easily stick to grease and other material already coating the sides of the pipes.

Signs That a Drain Problem Is Eminent

Drains often give you plenty of signs that you are about to get a nasty clog or other plumbing issues. Here are three different signs that a kitchen sink problem is on the horizon.

Bad Smells

You will notice this musty or stinky odor as soon as you walk into the home or your kitchen. The scent might either smell like mold or sewage.

Slow Draining

Chronically slow drains are a classic sign that a clog is in the pipes and not far from completely blocking the flow.

Gurgling Sounds

Gurgling sounds are an indication that water is building up further down in the pipes and sometimes you can see the water pooling just below the drain.

Tips on Kitchen Sink Clog Prevention

Here are some simple ways in which you can help prevent kitchen sink clogs as well as treat minor ones in the future before they get too big.

Clean Sink After Each Use

Wipe down and clean your sink after each use, clearing out food debris. Even if you don’t use your sink that often, fill it up with extra hot water and let it drain at regular intervals.

Throw Problem Foods in Trash

Don’t put any foods in the garbage disposal or down the drain unless you know for sure that it won’t cause a problem. Instead, put troublesome food in the trash or compost bin.

Use Bio-Clean

Bio-Clean is an innovative plumbing product that addresses the source of the issue. Rather than push clogs further down the drain, it dissolves organic buildup, leaving your pipes clean and trouble-free.

The product is a dry powder so it will last for several years in your kitchen cabinet. To activate it, simply combine it with warm water and pour it down your backed-up drains.

A clogged kitchen drain is never fun and can be extremely inconvenient when you’re trying to plan a big meal. If you find that your clog is not resolving itself, or you have chronic clogs, then call a plumber and have your drains cleaned. At Two Men and a Snake, we can tackle your clog. Call us today and we will quickly work to resolve your drain clog problem.