Home Improvement > PlumbingJune 30, 2010

Keeping Drains Clear

I know there are several schools of thought on this one, so feel free to disagree. I've been married for 55 years and I have always done this. I dump my used coffee grounds in the sink drain and follow with water. It's almost like sand blasting the pipes. I have never had drains plugged up because of it. Everyone in my family who has his or her own kitchen does it with no ill effect.

Another drain hint. A friend whose daughter was a nurse told her this one. The nurse had flu for several days. She didn't want to have dirty tissue sitting in waste cans because of the bacteria so she flushed them down the toilet. When she recovered she had to have several hundred dollars worth of plumbing work done from her house down to the street. The plumber told her to never put Kleenex or other facial tissue down the toilet. He suggested she blow her nose and blot her lipstick on toilet paper.

By MartyD from Houston, TX

Editor's Note: Do you have any advice for keeping drains clear. Post your tips in the feedback.

Related: Clearing a Clogged Kitchen Sink Drain

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By
07/01/2010

A plumber suggested this to me years ago, because I have long hair which always seemed to cause clogs.
Once a month I pour 1 cup of baking soda into the drain and follow with 1 cup of white vinegar. Fizzes and cleans the drain. Rinse with hot water. Works great in both bath and kitchen drains.

By
07/01/2010

You can put coffee grounds in your drains if you want to but I have heard many plumbers say no to the coffee grounds. It is a very costly thing to do as "michawnpita" says. Please think seriously before you do this.

By
06/30/2010

My husband, the plumber, by trade, daily works with pipes. Says no coffee!
The grounds are acidic and more than likely don't always move out of your pipes (there are a lot of twists and turns), they will eat the pipes (he's seen it from people who garbage disposal their grounds). It's not a wise thing to do at all! Use them for your flower beds or compost.
Try the baking soda and vinegar, followed by a hot water flush once a month, that works much better and the vinegar is only in contact for a few seconds, unlike coffee grinds which can get stuck in the muck that collects in your pipes.

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