Grease, Hair & Soap: What Not to Put Down Your Drains

Most of the clogged drains we clear in Calgary were avoidable. The pipe didn't fail — something went down it that shouldn't have. Knowing the short list of repeat offenders, and what to do with them instead, saves you the backup and the call-out. Here's what to keep out of your drains, kitchen and bath.

Grease, oil, and fat (the worst one)

Hot bacon grease looks like a liquid going down the sink. A few metres down the cold pipe, it's a solid plug catching everything behind it. This is the single most common cause of kitchen clogs we see, and a Calgary winter makes it worse — cold pipe sets grease faster.

Do this instead: pour cooled grease into a can or jar and toss it in the garbage. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing. Run hot water for 10 seconds after oily dishes.

Coffee grounds and eggshells

Both feel fine going down. Both sink and accumulate in the P-trap like wet sand, building a dam that grease then sticks to. Even with a disposal, grounds are a problem — they don't break down, they pack.

Do this instead: grounds go in the compost or garbage. Same for eggshells.

Hair and soap (the bathroom pair)

In the bathroom it's hair and bar soap. Hair wraps the stopper and drain crossbars; soap scum coats the pipe and glues the hair in place. Together they form the classic slow-shower clog.

• Use a mesh hair catcher in every tub and shower drain.
• Switch to a liquid body wash if soap scum is a recurring problem.
• Clear visible hair from the stopper every couple of weeks.

The "flushable" lie and other bathroom mistakes

So-called flushable wipes do not break down like toilet paper — the City of Calgary itself asks residents not to flush them. Neither do paper towels, cotton pads, dental floss, or "septic-safe" cat litter. They snag in the line and catch everything after them.

Only ever flush: the three Ps — pee, poo, and (toilet) paper. Everything else goes in the bin.

Other things that don't belong down the drain

• Starchy and fibrous foods — rice, pasta, potato peels, celery. They swell or string up.
• Paint, joint compound, and grout water — they harden inside the pipe. Let the residue settle in a bucket and put the solids in the garbage.
• Medications and harsh chemicals — bad for the pipe and the water supply. Take unused medications back to a pharmacy, and bring leftover chemicals to a City of Calgary household hazardous waste drop-off.

A few good habits that keep drains clear

Prevention isn't about doing anything special — it's a handful of small habits that stop clogs from ever forming:

• Strain everything. A basket strainer in the kitchen sink and a mesh catcher in every tub and shower stops most of what causes clogs from ever entering the pipe.
• Run hot water after greasy dishes. Ten seconds of hot water keeps the line clear of the film that builds into a plug.
• Flush low-use drains weekly. Guest bathrooms and basement sinks dry out and let gunk set; a quick flush keeps them moving.
• Empty the strainer into the garbage, not the drain. It sounds obvious, but tipping the catch back down the sink defeats the whole point.

None of it takes more than a minute, and together they prevent the drain calls we get most often from Calgary homeowners.

Quick tip: skip the chemical drain cleaner as your prevention plan. It doesn't dissolve a grease-and-hair mat, it lingers in the trap, and it makes the pipe dangerous for anyone who opens it later. A monthly flush of very hot water through the kitchen drain does more good.

Related Calgary Home Guides

• Preventing Frozen & Clogged Drains in a Calgary Winter
• Bathroom Fan Not Clearing Steam? Calgary Troubleshooting Guide
• Clogged Vent Pipe? Why Drains Gurgle in Older Calgary Homes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to pour grease down the drain with hot water?

No. Hot grease may look like a liquid, but it cools and hardens further down the pipe, especially in cold Calgary winters. Pour cooled grease into a can or jar and put it in the garbage, and wipe greasy pans before washing.

Can coffee grounds go down the kitchen sink?

It is best to keep them out, even if you have a garbage disposal. Coffee grounds do not break down; they pack into the trap like wet sand and give grease something to stick to. Put them in the compost or garbage instead.

Are flushable wipes safe for toilets?

No. So-called flushable wipes do not break down like toilet paper and can snag in the line and catch everything behind them. Only flush pee, poo, and toilet paper.

How can I keep my drains clear without chemicals?

Use a basket strainer in the kitchen sink and a mesh hair catcher in tubs and showers. Run hot water after greasy dishes, and flush rarely used drains weekly. A monthly flush of very hot water through the kitchen drain helps more than chemical cleaners.

When prevention isn't enough in Calgary

Even careful homeowners hit a clog eventually — older lines scale up, and roots find cracks in the pipe outside. In Calgary's mature neighbourhoods, established trees and aging cast-iron lines make this more common than you'd think. When that happens, our technician clears the drain with a proper auger and checks what caused it. If a drain keeps backing up or more than one fixture slows at once, that's the call to make.

Already got a slow or blocked drain despite doing everything right? YOFF drain cleaning starts from $100 anywhere in Calgary, and $20 comes off your first job. Book a drain cleaning — you only pay if we fix it.