Plumbing Myths Dispelled

While many answers to your most basic plumbing questions can be found online, getting false information can not only cause damage to your plumbing but also cause potentially costly repairs.

At Heaton plumbing we want to help dispel some of the most common home plumbing myths that simply aren’t true:

1. Lemons can disinfect your garbage disposal

While cutting up a lemon and tossing it down your disposal can surely mask a bad smell, it won’t actually disinfect your garbage disposal and clean the system. To properly disinfect your disposal you must spray a cleaning solution (a mild soap) down the drain. Let the solution sit, scrub your disposal with a brush and flush with warm water. An even better solution than a mild soap would be Pipe Shield which offers a natural pipe maintenance and cleaning agent in one.

2. Ice cubes won’t sharpen or clean your disposal blades

While ice cubes can help to clean out your disposal and break up any grease accumulating around the drain, ice cubes will not sharpen or clean your disposal blades. Toss some ice cubes down the disposal and let the disposal run for a brief moment. The ice chips will actually be able to reach those hard to clean tiny crevices in your disposal that are often difficult to reach with a brush.

3. Sanitary and baby wipes are not flushable

Contrary to what you might read online, sanitary and baby wipes are not flushable, nor biodegradable like toilet paper. Wipes can cause blockages by getting caught on uneven sewer pipes, potentially backing up your entire sewer and drain system.

Mike Heaton – Your Trusted Plumbing Professional

Understanding your home’s plumbing facts can give you a greater knowledge of how your drainage system works. From helpful tips and advice to prompt service in the event of a plumbing emergency, the expert plumbers at Heaton plumbing are here to help to address all of your residential plumbing needs.