7 November 2026 · 1 min read · By the Plumbees team
Drains are designed to carry water, toilet paper and human waste, and nothing else. When other things go down, they can build up on the pipe walls and trap more material until the whole drain is blocked.
Never flush
- Wet wipes, including those labelled flushable, which often do not break down
- Cotton buds, cotton wool and make-up pads
- Sanitary products
- Nappies
- Dental floss
- Medicines
Never pour down the sink
- Cooking fat, oil and grease. It cools and hardens inside the pipe.
- Coffee grounds, which clump together
- Rice, pasta and food scraps in large amounts
- Paint, solvents and chemicals
What to do instead
- Let cooking fat cool, pour it into a sealed container and put it in the general waste
- Use a sink strainer and empty it into the bin
- Bin wipes, cotton buds and sanitary products
- Take unused medicines to a pharmacy
If you are a landlord or manage a building
Tell tenants clearly what should not go down the drains. A short note in the tenancy information pack can save a lot of call-outs. Shared drains in blocks of flats are especially vulnerable, because one person's habits affect everyone.
When a blockage has already formed
Slow draining, gurgling and bad smells are the early signs. Clearing a blockage early is easier and cheaper than waiting for a full backup. Our blocked drains and toilets page explains how we handle it. For rented homes, see our landlord plumbing service.