What to Put Down the Drain

Sewer Stoppages & Clogs
What you put down the sink, garbage disposal or flush down the toilet matters! Major contributors of sewer line stoppages and clogs include:
  • Coffee grounds
  • Diapers
  • Eggshells
  • Household fats, oils, and grease (FOG)
  • Kitty litter
  • Motor oil
  • Newspapers
  • Paper towels
  • Sanitary napkins
  • Soiled rags

Below are some general guidelines that will help safeguard the sewer system and reduce costs for everyone:
  • Don't put cooking fat, oils, and grease down the kitchen sink. Watch FOG video.
  • Do scrape grease and food residue from dishes and pans into a garbage bag before placing your dishes into your dishwasher or sink. This will reduce grease build-up in the sewer lines.
  • Don't flush motor oils, transmission fluids, anti-freeze, paints, turpentine, and caustic household cleaners down the toilet, garbage disposal, or sewer manholes.
  • Do seek out a hazardous material disposal site.
  • Don't flush anything down the toilet that will not dissolve and could plug the sewer mains, including disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, bandages, rags, and plastic bags.
  • Do wrap or seal coffee grounds, eggshells, and kitty litter in solid waste containers.
  • Don't let hair go down the sink, shower, or bathtub drain.
  • Do empty washing machine lint into a garbage bag and avoid the discharge of lint into the sewer line.
  • Never flush medical waste, toxic substances, or flammable, reactive, explosive, or radioactive substances down the toilet or sink.
  • Do unclog drains naturally by pouring 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Follow a few minutes later with boiling water.
Never Put These Down the Drain
  • Flammable, reactive, explosive, corrosive, or radioactive substances
  • Medical or infectious wastes
  • Non-biodegradable oils
  • Noxious or malodorous materials
  • Pollutants which result in the emission of hazardous gases
  • Solid or viscous materials which could cause obstruction to the flow or operation of the treatment plants
  • Toxic substances