Common Kitchen Plumbing Mistakes And Their Effects

What Happens When You Put Chemical Drain Cleaners in the Dishwasher? Or Grease Down the Drain?

We’ve all been there: you’re in a rush while cleaning the kitchen and need a quick fix for unclogging your dishwasher or getting rid of grease. It’s easy to use popular drain cleaning products to unclog your drain or to quickly pour that pan grease down the kitchen sink. Unfortunately, these “quick fixes” can actually lead to more time-consuming and expensive problems.

The Harms of Drain Cleaning Chemicals on Dishwashers

It’s not uncommon to eventually deal with a backed-up dishwasher drain due to the gradual build-up of food particles and grease. When this happens, you may be tempted to pour chemical drain cleaner in your dishwasher. Don’t do this!

Chemical drain cleaners contain acid. This acid is designed to dissolve clogs and be rinsed down the plumbing pipes with water. Unfortunately, the drain cleaner does not discriminate. It will dissolve everything it comes in contact with, including the seals on your dishwasher, the drain hose, and the interior of your dishwasher. This could even damage your machine and lead to future dishwasher leaks. Chemical residue is also a problem with drain cleaner. Even if you run your dishwasher after pouring in chemical drain cleaner, there still could be residue left in your machine, and that residue could find its way onto your dishes. Instead of using a chemical drain cleaner in your dishwasher, it is best to call a professional plumber to clean your drains.

The Hazards of Grease Down Your Kitchen Sink

Another hazard for your kitchen plumbing system is grease going down your drains. When grease, animal fats, and oil are hot, they stay in a liquid form. But once they cool, many types of oils and greases become solid. When you pour them down your drains, that grease slowly cools as it moves its way through the pipes. This can leave a buildup of solid grease inside your drain lines that not only block the system, but also attract food particles and other debris. Over time, this will narrow the diameter of your pipes and can lead to slow and completely clogged drains.

Instead of pouring grease, oil, and animal fats down your drains, try pouring grease into disposable containers, like empty coffee cans or food jars, and throwing it away in your garbage. If you do happen to get a drain line clog, our plumbers can come out and clear them out.

Drain Cleaning Services with Mr. Plumber

If your household drains or main sewer line is clogged, you can always call Mr. Plumber to come out and address the issue.