An innocent mistake could end up costing you , or a Christmas party host, hundreds of pounds that could have been easily avoided
With drinks flowing this Christmas, it’s easy to toss anything leftover at the end of the night down the sink as you clean up. But, Brits have been warned some of our favourite drinks could cause unseen chaos.
Mike Flook, an expert plumber from MyBuilder.com, says there are plenty of unassuming items that could block your pipes if dumped down the sink or toilet. This could be a festive disaster and result in you spending hundreds of pounds to fix.
Popular drink Baileys, which many will be enjoying over Christmas, is a prime example of what shouldn’t go anywhere near the plumbing. Most people are not aware of just how problematic it becomes once poured down the drain.
Cream liqueurs have a large fat content and, as such, fall into the category of FOGs (Fats, Oils, and Greases) that should never go down the sink as they stick to pipes and can cause blockages. They also clump together and form disgusting ‘fatbergs’ that form in our sewers.
Mike said: “While it may seem that liquids like creamy drinks or leftover gravy could be washed down the sink, the reality is that they can cause serious issues, especially if it’s a repeated action. The result can be that, depending on the product and where you tipped it, you could face blocked toilets or sinks.
“While this is a pain at any time of the year, at Christmas when plumbers can be hard to come by, it is doubly frustrating and costly. However, there are steps you can take to avoid making these mistakes, as well as emergency actions you can take to help mitigate any disasters should you have accidentally flushed or poured something you shouldn’t.”
As well as Baileys, Mike from MyBuilder.com has plenty of other items you should definitely throw in the bin instead or pour down the drain this Christmas – including turkey fat. This has the potential to block up your pipes, especially once the hot liquid fat cools down and sticks somewhere in your pipes as a solid lump.
Mike added: “Calling out a plumber on Christmas Day is not easy – both in terms of availability and on the wallet. Emergency callouts can be four times as expensive as a regular one – and even more at Christmas.”
If you accidentally put something down the sink, you should do two things immediately. First, run the hot water for a few minutes as the heat can help dissolve grease and fats and keep them liquid until they are out of your pipes and in the sewer.
Add some washing-up liquid if you have any to hand as the water runs. Combined with heat, this is a simple and gentle way to help remove the blockages without damaging your pipes.