How does any myth start? Someone makes a claim or tells a story and momentum starts to build-up. People believe what’s said and start to spread the word. This is how we end up with falsehoods and half-truths. These myths are often harmless and even entertaining, but if you take advice based on a false plumbing myth, you could end up in the deep end.

We’ve rounded up some common plumbing myths so we can reveal the real truth behind them.

Flushable wipes work fine with your plumbing

We can understand why people believe this myth because it’s exactly what the companies selling these products tell you. Flushable wet wipes are being presented as a better alternative to toilet paper, helping you feel cleaner after using the toilet. That may be true, but it’s a different story when those so-called flushable wipes entire your pipes. They break down much more slowly and ineffectively than toilet paper and can cause serious clogs in your pipes and septic tank.

Drain cleaners are safe for your pipes

We’ve touched on this one in a previous blog. People think that store-bought drain cleaners are the perfect replacement for calling a local plumber. They’re cheaper and they do the job just as well. In reality, these cleaning products are corrosive, making them not only dangerous for your pipes but also for you and your family if you’re breathing in the fumes or if you accidentally get some on your skin.

You should use lemon peels to clean your garbage disposal

This tip is partially helpful, but only in the short-term. Placing lemon peels in your garbage disposal can help to mask the bad smells emanating from it, but it won’t clean it, meaning the source of the bad smells is still there. Plus, the acidic nature of citrus fruits like lemon can also be corrosive to the metal inside your disposal.

Boiling water helps grease down the drain

You probably know that kitchen grease solidifies when it cools, meaning it will clog your drains if you pour it down the kitchen sink. But many people take this logic and come to the conclusion that mixing grease with boiling water will keep it in its liquid state long enough to drain away. This is not true and pouring grease down your drains in any state is likely to lead to clogs.

Plumbing in Australia drains the other way

This is perhaps the most popular plumbing myth that we all heard as children. It’s an amusing anecdote, but unfortunately a false one. The water in drains and toilets does not go down in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

What plumbing myths have you heard that turned out to be completely false? If you’ve had any problems in your home because of any of these myths, contact us for an emergency plumber in Clemmons, Winston Salem, and Lewisville.