What Not to Flush or Pour Down the Sink
The everyday items that cause most blocked toilets and sinks in Narre Warren homes, and simple habits that keep drains running.
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Toilets
Only flush the three Ps: pee, poo and toilet paper. Wet wipes, including those labelled flushable, do not break down like toilet paper. They tangle in pipes, catch on roots and join with fat to form solid blockages. Cotton buds, dental floss, sanitary products, nappies, paper towel and tissues should all go in the bin.
Kitchen sinks
Fat, oil and grease are liquid when hot and set solid as they cool in the pipe. Wipe pans with paper towel before washing, and put cooled fat in the bin. Coffee grounds, rice, pasta and food scraps also build up; use a sink strainer and empty it into the bin or compost.
Showers and basins
Hair combines with soap scum to block shower wastes. A simple hair catcher prevents most of these blockages.
Laundries
Lint, sand and pet hair from washing build up in laundry wastes. Clean the machine filter and use a lint catcher on the trough.
Chemicals
Avoid pouring paint, solvents or harsh chemicals down drains. Caustic drain cleaners can damage pipes and are dangerous if a plumber later has to open the line.
Narre Warren soil and pipes
Most of Narre Warren sits on grey and yellow clay that holds water through winter and cracks open in a dry February. Pipes laid in it move a little every season. On the streets built in the 1970s and 1980s that means earthenware sewer joints that have shifted and let roots in. On the 1990s and 2000s estates south of the Princes Highway it usually means PVC lines that have sagged where the trench was backfilled, leaving a dip that collects grease and wipes. Up in Narre Warren North the blocks are bigger and the runs are longer, often to a septic system or a pump. We bring that local knowledge to every job, and we use a camera to confirm what is happening underground rather than guessing at it.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water repairs
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilet repairs
- Leak detection
- Sewer and relining
- Stormwater
- Roof and gutters
- Bathroom plumbing
- Kitchen and laundry
- Backflow and commercial
More guides
Questions on this topic
Are flushable wipes safe for pipes?
No. They do not break down quickly enough and are a major cause of blockages.
Does boiling water clear grease?
It may move it a little further down the pipe, where it sets again. Keeping grease out is the real fix.
Why Narre Warren calls us back
Local to the 3805 streets
From the Fountain Gate side streets to the estates off Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, we know the homes and how they were plumbed.
One licence for the whole job
Water, sewer, stormwater and gas are all covered, so one plumber can usually finish what they start.
You approve the price first
The fault is found and explained, then priced. Nothing is done until you say go ahead.
Respect for your home
Covers on boots, sheets on floors, and the mess goes with us. We ring ahead if we are running late.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is going on and a licensed Narre Warren plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Call 03 7075 3465 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you have one. A licensed plumber rings you back, asks a few questions and books a time that suits. On site they find the cause, talk you through the options and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote you can take away and think about.
Need a plumber in Narre Warren?
Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, North and the suburbs around them. No rates on the website: we find the fault first, then give you the price.