Keeping Your Pipes Clean

Learn how to keep your city water pipes free of clogs. We have put together information to help you avoid a plumbing disaster! 

• Be sure to always scrape or wipe all excess food into the garbage before washing dishes. Food, even small amounts, can contain starches and fats that can stick to pipes and sewer systems. This can lead to clogs in your house and city water systems. Washing is used to clean your dishes and remove dirt, grime, and grease. These 3 are then whisked away in the water down your pipes. But solids can stick inside the pipes in your home or city pipes. 

• Fats, on the other hand, float and easily clump together to make larger lumps. These, too, get stuck inside pipes. Even using dish soap and hot water will not keep the fats from sticking. Over time, more dirt, grease, and grime stick and narrow the pipes and eventually cause pipes and sewers to plug up. It’s like your pipes are having a heart attack.    

• Leftover sauces and gravies are made up of fats, oils, and flours. They need to be cooled and then placed in the garbage or compost bin, depending on where you live. 
  • Store leftover fat and oils in plastic containers with lids such as old yogurt containers or an empty can. Keep the container in the freezer and add to it until it is full.  In many cities, small containers can be placed in the garbage and larger amounts (1 L or more) should be taken to your city’s Eco stations. Check with your city's website for their guidelines. 

• If you have kids at home, you may have slime, play dough, finger-paints, or clay to get rid of.  Have kids wipe their hands with paper towels to remove excess solids before washing their hands.  
  • Leftover or old slime, play dough, and finger paints should all be disposed of in the garbage. Many of these are high in starch, which swells and sticks together went wet. This could lead to annoying and costly repairs of the sewage pipes.  
    • If you have a slime high in flour or cornstarch, allow to air dry before you get rid of it in the garbage.  

• Any paper, besides toilet paper, should not be put in the toilet. Although items may say they are flushable, often they are not in the plumbing system long enough to fully break-up. This includes: 
  • Wipes of any kind (cleaning, cosmetic, baby wipes) 
  • Kleenex 
  • Paper towels 
  • All other products go into the garbage. Remember, diapers, dental floss, band-aids, feminine hygiene items, cotton balls, and swabs, should all be put into the garbage.