Can Coffee Grounds Safely Go Down The Sink

You woke up feeling a little extra sluggish today so you went to the kitchen and turned on a pot of your favorite coffee. Then, you sit down and take out your phone only to get carried away with those Instagram posts and the recent news filling up your Twitter feed. Suddenly, you realize you’re going to be late for work so you dash to your room, throw on some clothes and head to the kitchen to grab that cup of coffee.

There’s no time to dump the grounds in the trash so you wash them down the sink and as you commute to work, you think about what you just did.

Just about all of us have been guilty of rinsing a healthy supply of coffee grounds down the kitchen drain every now and again. The question is: Just how much damage are those tiny granules doing to the plumbing? Surely it can’t be very much, right? In fact, aren’t coffee grounds supposed to help flush out the pipes? 

The answer may be surprising. Along with grease, coffee grounds are one of the leading causes of pipe blockage. 

This is likely due to the fact that many people rinse their filter baskets out in the sink, with little heed for the consequences. While the grounds are seldom combined with grease at the time that they enter the pipes, if both substances have made it down the sink, they’re bound to meet up eventually. 

Still, if your sink has seen more than its share of the morning coffee in the past, there’s no need to panic. A simple cleaning, done by professionals, can rid the pipes of the sludge buildup that may have formed as a result. Even if you have no visible draining issues at the moment, it’s best to take action early — waiting until there’s an overflow will only lead to more damage. 

In the meantime, find another way to dispose of those used coffee grounds. Investing in a more heavy-duty brand of garbage bag can work wonders. And if you prefer to recycle, the grounds also make excellent compost for a garden or outdoor plants. 

We’re happy to help ensure that this problem won’t cause lasting damage to your pipes. Again, don’t wait for an emergency — call and make an appointment with Scott Hale Plumbing, Heating & Air for your drain or garbage disposal cleaning today!