Some Things Just Don’t Belong Down the Drain

Spring is finally coming to Portland and with it, spring cleaning. As we welcome the warmer weather, spring seems to be the perfect time of year to re-evaluate our surroundings, and to rid ourselves of unnecessary clutter.

Clutter might be cumbersome, but not dangerous unless it happens to creep its way into your bathroom. Do you have too many items crammed into that medicine cabinet above your bathroom sink? Do you store extra toilet paper, magazines, candles, matchbooks, or various knickknacks on or above your toilet bowl? If so, you may want to reconsider your bathroom’s décor and see if you can keep these items in a more manageable location.

Here are two things you can quickly add to your spring-cleaning regimen. These actions will help you eliminate toilet or sink drain clogs:
  1. Eliminate bathroom clutter. As mentioned above, it’s best to keep your bathroom organized so that foreign objects are not accidentally knocked into your toilet or down your sink drain.
  2. Keep the toilet lid down. This may seem like a nagging thing to do, but it’s a simple and certain way to

  3. keep unwanted household items out of the toilet. People intentionally and accidentally put all sorts of foreign objects in their toilets that cause clogs. Other common items we see down the drain include:
  4. Cell phones. It’s a good idea to check what you’re carrying before entering the bathroom. Removing cell phones, wallets, and keys from pockets could prevent a potentially embarrassing situation from occurring.
  5. “Flushable” wipes. These wipes are often made of a much thicker material than toilet paper and are not usually safe for flushing. Your best bet is to stick with toilet paper.
  6. Prescription drugs. Throwing prescription drugs down the drain is not safe and potentially harmful to the environment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has guidelines they suggest following.
  7. In-tank toilet cleaners. In-tank toilet cleaners won’t clog your toilet, but the substances in these cleaners will often deteriorate the mechanisms in your toilet. You’re better off scrubbing the old-fashioned way, ideally with a natural cleaning product.

Please contact 3 Mountains Plumbing for all of your Portland plumbing needs. With over a decade of experience serving the greater Portland area, 3 Mountains Plumbing is always happy to assist.

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