Clogged drains are among the most common plumbing calls in Charleston, especially during heavy cooking seasons like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and summer seafood boils. Many of these clogs are caused by items that should never enter your drains in the first place.
Below is a quick, clear, answer-focused guide, to help Lowcountry homeowners protect their plumbing and avoid costly repairs.
What Should You Avoid Putting Down Your Kitchen Drain in Charleston?
Charleston kitchens see a lot of heavy cooking: shrimp boils, BBQ prep, oyster roasts, and many other holiday meals. These local favorites create fats, oils, and grease. This waste causes clogs by hardening inside of pipes forming thick stubborn blockages. This problem is even worse in Charleston’s older neighborhoods like James Island, West Ashley, and Downtown Charleston, where older drain pipes accumulate buildup faster.
Avoid pouring:
- Bacon fat
- Turkey drippings
- Butter and margarine
- Cooking oil
- Gravy or sauces
Once cooled, these can lead to backups that require professional drain cleaning or hydro jetting services.
Local tip: Seafood grease (like from frying shrimp or fish) solidifies even faster, so always trash it.
Can Food Scraps Really Damage Your Kitchen Drain?
Yes. Food waste is the second-largest source of Charleston drain clogs. Here are some good items to avoid:
- Bones
- Eggshells
- Coffee grounds
- Pasta and rice
- Flour
- Potato peels
- Fibrous vegetables
- Vegetable/produce stickers
Many Charleston homes have long horizontal drain runs under raised foundations, meaning scraps settle and build up quickly.
Best practice: Use a sink strainer and scrape plates into the trash.
Does a Garbage Disposal Make It Safe?
No, even in Charleston homes a garbage disposal doesn’t make it safe to send problem foods down the drain. A disposal only grinds items into smaller pieces, but those particles can still cling to pipe walls and create slow drains or clogs, especially in older Lowcountry plumbing systems. Grease, coffee grounds, pasta, and fibrous foods are common offenders. If your disposal begins humming, rattling, or jamming, it may be time for a professional garbage disposal repair or cleaning from a Charleston plumber.
Why Are “Flushable” Wipes a Major Issue in Charleston’s Sewer System?
Charleston Water System has repeatedly warned that so-called “flushable” wipes don’t break down like toilet paper. Instead, they stay intact, snag on pipe walls, and build into large blockages inside home drains, sewer laterals, and even the city’s main sewer lines. In the Lowcountry, where older plumbing and tidal groundwater already strain the system, these wipes can quickly lead to backups, costly repairs, and sewer overflows.
Avoid flushing:
- Wipes
- Paper towels
- Cotton products
- Feminine hygiene products
Severe blockages may require sewer line cleaning or drain snaking.
Is Hair Really the Leading Cause of Bathroom Sink and Shower Clogs?
Yes. Hair mixes with soap scum, forming dense, sticky blockages. This happens faster in Charleston because hard water increases soap residue. Use drain screens and schedule routine, bathroom drain maintenance, if you notice slow drainage.
When Should You Call a Plumber?
If your drain is fully clogged
You’re experiencing frequent backups
Water drains slowly
You smell sewer odors
Your garbage disposal is jammed
Rooter Man provides:
Final Thoughts: How Do You Keep Your Charleston Drains Clear?
Whether you’re cooking a holiday feast or rinsing after a long beach day, what you put down the drain matters. With correct habits, and a little thought to what goes into the trash instead of your drains, you can avoid messy backups and protect your home’s plumbing long-term.
When in doubt, throw it out, not down the drain.
Rooter Man is here to help whenever you need fast, reliable drain service in Charleston and the Lowcountry.
