Christmas dinner is one of the best parts of the holidays – but experts have warned that getting rid of leftovers might be ruining your plumbing.
Many rich, festive foods are classified as ‘Fat, Oils, and Greases’ (FOGs), which are one of the biggest culprits for blockages in drainage pipes.
Now, plumbing experts have revealed the waste foods you should never pour down the sink.
And they say that you should absolutely avoid washing any leftover gravy down the drain.
The richness of a good gravy comes from the fact that it contains both fats and flour, which makes it a ‘double threat’ for drain blockages.
While it might seem easy to wash away, gravy can solidify as it cools, causing serious problems that could leave you paying for expensive emergency repairs.
Mike Flook, a plumber from MyBuilder.com, says: ‘Disposing of FOGs down the sink in the run up to Christmas could lead to a disaster over the holidays.
‘Should you have any emergency issues over the festive period, you might find it harder to find a tradesperson that’s available, and so may have less options when it comes to pricing.’
Experts warn that washing leftover gravy down the sink this Christmas could ruin your plumbing and cause an expensive blockage (stock image)
However, it isn’t just gravy that could leave you with plumbing problems this Christmas.
Mr Flook says that many holiday staples, including coffee grounds, leftover meat fat, and even the dregs of your Baileys, could lead to blockages.
Since Baileys has a short shelf life, it is fairly common to end up with a half-finished bottle lingering in the fridge.
Although it might seem sensible to tip away the excess before recycling the bottle, Mr Flook warns that Baileys is still classified as an FOG.
That means you should avoid pouring any cream liqueurs down the sink, since they could damage the pipes.
Likewise, you should definitely make sure to avoid draining any extra meat fat into the sink.
Additionally, while coffee grounds themselves are not an FOG, they are a prime candidate for causing clogging.
Coffee grounds can soak up excess fat and clump together in U-bends, causing a blockage that is especially hard to remove.
Gravy, meat fat, and even cream liqueurs like Bailey’s are classed as ‘Fat, Oils, and Greases’ (FOGs), which are one of the biggest culprits for blockages in drainage pipes
If you do end up pouring fats down the sink this Christmas, it could be an extremely expensive mistake, with emergency plumber callouts costing four times the usual rate during the holidays (stock image)
Instead, experts suggest that you can use your coffee grounds to mix with soil in your garden as an effective fertiliser.
Mr Flook says: ‘It’s always best to err on the side of caution – if you think a product might be a FOG, do your best to avoid wastage – and if that’s not possible, wrap up the excess product and pop it in the bin.’
If you do end up pouring some fatty liquids down the sink, you should run the hot tap as soon as possible.
The hot water will help to dissolve the grease and fats, keeping them in a liquid form until they reach the sewers.
Mr Flook suggests leaving the hot tap running for several minutes to be on the safe side.
You can also add soap to the hot water as a gentle way of breaking down blockages, but you should not use any harsh chemicals.
‘Drain unblockers are often ineffective against FOGs, and can cause damage to your pipes in the process,’ says Mr Flook.
‘A simple plunger can actually be more effective than chemicals.’
As well as ruining your own drains, these fats can contribute to the formation of the enormous fatbergs which collect in the sewers. Pictured: Technicians remove a fatberg beneath Regent Street, London
Making these mistakes could leave you with an expensive issue, with emergency plumber callouts costing four times the normal rate – and even more at Christmas.
Mr Flook says: ‘FOGs are really problematic for our drains. And it’s not a problem that’s easy to solve without a professional.
‘Some sink waste kits can be a bit like a jigsaw, and I’ve come across many situations where customers have attempted to unblock a sink themselves and then ended up putting the washers back in different places, which then causes a leak.’
But if you dump gravy and Baileys down the sink, you could be causing problems for more than your own pipes.
As FOGs wash out through the sewers, they can leave behind a greasy film that coats the inside of pipes, especially when combined with other waste materials.
Over time, this can contribute to the formation of blockages or even the dreaded ‘fatbergs’ that cause so many issues for sewers in big cities.
These collections of oils, fats, plastics, and other waste can grow to weigh hundreds of tonnes.
The largest ever found in London stretched for 250 metres and weighed 130 tonnes – as much as two Airbus A318 aircraft.
What are fatbergs?
Fatbergs are blockages made up of flushed fat, oil, grease and other flushed waste such as wet wipes and illegal drugs.
They form into huge concrete-like slabs and can be found beneath almost every UK city, growing larger with every flush.
They also include food wrappers and human waste, blocking tunnels – and raising the risk of sewage flooding into homes.
Fatbergs are blockages made up of flushed fat, oil, grease and other flushed waste such as wet wipes and illegal drugs. Pictured: Technicians clear a fatberg beneath Regent Street, London
They can grow metres tall and hundreds of metres long, with water providers last year declaring an epidemic of fatberg emergencies in 23 UK cities, costing tens of millions of pounds to remove.
The biggest ever discovered in London was a 250-metre (820 feet), 110-tonne monster found under Whitechapel, east London, in 2017.
Fatbergs take weeks to remove and form when people put things they shouldn’t down sinks and toilets.
