Pouring this condiment down the drain could cause your sink to clog
Brits are urged to take caution when cleaning up(Image: Catherine Falls Commerical/Getty Images)
People who serve gravy alongside Christmas dinner have been issued a stark warning, with plumbing experts letting Brits know about an unexpected culprit of serious drain problems. The issue is often worse over the festive period.
You may be surprised to hear that the nuisance sink blocker is thought to be a popular festive condiment that typically accompanies a roast dinner. While you may be picturing cranberry sauce, horseradish or even mustard, Plumbworld experts claimed it’s actually gravy that’s especially problematic.
“Gravy is full of fats, oils, meat juices and thickeners that cool very quickly once they hit cold pipes,” the experts said. “What pours away as a smooth liquid becomes a sticky, solid layer inside your drainage system, catching food debris and slowly blocking the pipe.
“The problem grows over the Christmas period because families make and use far more gravy than usual. Between Christmas dinner, Boxing Day leftovers and New Year meals, trays full of meat juices and sauce often end up being rinsed into the sink.
“Each time this happens, another layer of grease sticks to the inside of the pipe. In winter, when outdoor and under-sink pipes are much colder, this fat sets almost instantly. Even a small amount adds to the build-up, and once the pipe is coated, bits of food, vegetables and stuffing cling to it easily, creating the start of a stubborn winter blockage.”
Believe it or not, experts have even claimed that gravy is often referred to as ‘pipe glue’ by plumbers due to its impressive tendency to stick to the sides of pipes. Beyond wreaking havoc on your drains, the lingering mixture of fat, starch and scraps may give off some gnarly smells in your home.
The experts continued: “Early signs of a gravy-related blockage include a sink that drains more slowly than usual, gurgling noises, bubbling in the plughole or a sour, greasy smell coming from the drain. If these warnings are ignored, the problem can turn into standing water that won’t drain at all, overflowing outdoor drains or leaks where pressure has built up inside the pipework.”
To combat this, Brits are urged to treat gravy like cooking oil and completely stop pouring it down the sink. Instead, it’s worth giving the leftover condiment some time to cool and harden before scraping it into the bin.
Similar advice was also recently issued by Thames Water. Recent research commissioned by the firm revealed that pouring fats, oils, and grease down the kitchen sink is one of the primary causes of internal flooding caused by blockages.
It also noted that up to 75,000 blockages, costing up to £40 million, are cleared by Thames Water on a yearly basis. Tess Fayers, Director of Wastewater and Bioresources at Thames Water, said recently: “Our research shows that everyday habits like rinsing leftover food, oil and fatty liquids down the sink or flushing wipes can unintentionally lead to blocked pipes.
“These issues are especially common during the festive season, when cooking and hosting are in full swing. The last thing we want is for the festive season to be ruined by blocked drains. There are some simple changes we can all make to help protect our homes and keep sewers flowing.
“Always scrape fats and oils into the bin before washing up, avoid pouring drinks like hot chocolate or tea down the drain, and avoid flushing anything that isn’t pee, poo or toilet paper, even if the packaging says otherwise.
“These small steps can make a significant difference to our environment and help protect homes for everyone; not just for the festive season but for years to come.”
Get all the hottest shopping deals, cash-saving tips and money news straight to your phone by joining our new WhatsApp Community – The Money Saving Club. Just click this link to join https://crnch.it/eutplxS1
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice here https://crnch.it/jeQqC872
