Can Stickers Clog Drains? A Plumber's Warning

Such a tiny thing can cause big problems.

We’ve all been there. Whether washing an apple at the sink to enjoy as a snack or getting a lemon ready for zesting, we clean the produce and barely notice when its little produce sticker falls off and into the sink where it waits washing down the drain.

But produce stickers aren’t food debris and they’re closer to a plastic bag than a counter’s worth of crumbs. So what actually happens if they go down the drain with tiny food remnants, dish soap, and water? Is this just a plumbing emergency in waiting?

To understand the potential ramifications of absentmindedly allowing produce stickers to be washed away with the sudsy water, experts have weighed in on the issue.

Is It OK If Produce Stickers Go Down The Drain?

Since most produce stickers are made of plastic or vinyl with adhesive backing, which doesn’t dissolve in water, these seemingly benign stickers can easily stick to pipes or components in your plumbing system.

According to Eddie Linares, an American Home Shield (AHS) Virtual Plumbing Expert, these stickers should never be purposefully washed down the drain, and he adds that you should prevent them from accidentally doing so.

What Precautions Should You Take?

Since the potential damage is so real, taking care to remove produce stickers so that they don’t accidentally end up in your pipes is key, advises Linares.

“The best precaution is to remove produce stickers before washing fruits and vegetables,” he says.

“Dispose of them in the trash, not the sink,” adds Linares. And if your sink is equipped with a garbage disposal, it’s even more crucial to “check that no stickers are stuck to the produce before rinsing or grinding.”

What Happens If Stickers End Up In The Drain?

What may start out as not much of a problem can really balloon into something major. Produce stickers don’t just swirl all the way down (which is problematic anyhow); they often cling to the insides of pipes or get caught in garbage disposals and filters.

“Over time,” explains Linares, “these stickers contribute to clogs, potentially slowing down or preventing water flow in household plumbing.”

It can get even more complicated than that, however. Because produce stickers can’t dissolve in water, “they add to the amount of debris that treatment plant filters must remove—potentially causing overloaded filters,” says Linares. “In homes with septic tanks, produce stickers can disrupt the biological breakdown process that occurs naturally within the septic system since most are made of plastic and are not biodegradable,” he adds.

Other Things That Shouldn't Go Down The Drain

There are a number of other items that should not come into contact with your pipes.

Linares points out several things that are commonly mistaken as safe for drains but which can actually cause serious issues:

• Grease and cooking oil: These solidify and cause blockages.
• Coffee grounds: These can clump together and contribute to clogs.
• Eggshells: Their membrane can wrap around disposal blades.
• Pasta and rice: They expand with water and can block pipes.

Linares says a good practice is to purchase a wire mesh strainer for your kitchen sink that will catch any unwanted food debris from entering the plumbing system so that you can then dispose of it properly in the trash.