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To flush or not to flush: Plumbers warn of drain dangers at home

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When 20,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into St. Petersburg, Florida officials said part of the problem could be what residents were putting down their kitchen and bathroom drains:

Grease down garbage disposals; not-so-flushable wipes being sent down the toilet.

Experts at the Pink Plumber, which serves both sides of the bay, said most people break the simple rules about what goes through their pipes, costing themselves -- and maybe the city.

Garbage Disposal No-No's:
1) No eggshells
2) No rice
3) No fruits, vegetables
4) No grease of any kind
5) Bag most food (scrape your dinner plate into the trashcan, not down the disposal); liquids mainly

Toilet No-No's:
1) No paper towels
2) No dental floss
3) No wipes of any kind
4) Only three things should go down the toilet...and the third thing is toilet paper

 

Plumbers agreed: No grease, no eggshells in disposal; no paper towels, flushable wipes down toilet