No matter what kind of household you have and what lifestyle you lead, the sink is one of the most common areas where individuals do busywork at home. Whether it’s cleaning your hands and face or doing the dishes, you can end up with a lot of issues that cause clogging, corrosion, or other headaches that make your sink practically unusable. Many homeowners get drain cleaning done regularly to prevent any problems from growing over time. However, it could help you to know what actions are abusing your sink and drains.
-
Washing meat over your sink
A lot of people wash meat over the sink before they cook it, with the idea that it is a hygienic practice that is a part of food prep before you make your dish. However, this well-known practice is not helpful since it spreads the bacteria and pathogens from raw meat over onto the surface of your sink, making it a breeding ground for germs as well.
Often, the sink is not sanitized after doing this, but the best practice is to keep the area clean while directly cooking the meat after taking it out of the packaging.
-
Dumping food bits
It’s a matter of convenience for many that you can always dump small bits of food down the drain as long as they’re not too enormous, dense, or sharp. This idea is wrong. Not only will this damage and overwork your garbage disposal if you have one, but it can also cause clogging over time. Those food bits stick to the pipes and even contribute to their corrosion. Some of the worst offenders are eggshells, celery, coffee grounds, and, yes, pasta. Throw out any leftover bits before you wash anything and keep your garbage compactor’s job at a minimum.
-
Pouring grease or oils down the drain
Whether it comes from the food we dump down or pans and pots we’re cleaning, one of the biggest no-no’s is pouring down grease, oils, and fats down the drain of our sink. These become sticky over time and latch onto your pipes, making it more prone to clogs not just from the build-up of the substance itself but also from other debris and things that get caught in the globs. It’s hard for water alone to push through these as well.
-
Leaving containers or empty cans in it
A lot of times, the dishes can pile up, and along with it comes containers of opened pasta, canned goods, and other materials. Unfortunately, leaving those metal containers and the like in an area that is wet and sees a lot of moisture is a significant factor in getting rust. Not only is this gross, but it is also harmful to you and is unclean in general. Doing this degrades your sink and may end up needing a deep clean or even some repairs if the rust corrodes it. So it’s best to avoid the habit of putting cans and stuff in the sink altogether.
-
Letting soap build up
It may sound counterintuitive to say that too much soap is also bad for your drains, but soap scum can build over time and make your drain as clogged as any of the other factors above. If the particular soap you use is also harsh, it can even lead to quicker corrosion. The best way to combat this is by doing regular cleanings.
By avoiding these habits, you can worry less about clogging and drain maintenance. Over time, you can also lessen your expenses when you take care of your sink and drains.
