Don’t pour this Christmas drink down the sink, plumbers caution
Plumbers are warning of the dangers of tipping one festive drink down the plughole, unless you want to invite an emergency call-out bill. But which one is it, and why?
Christmas to-do lists are long enough without adding “call plumber” to the tasks to be completed. So if you would rather focus on presents than plungers, heed this warning.
While the dregs of many a Christmas drink can be merrily poured away, one culprit is likely to land you in a sticky situation. Beverages such as beer and wine can be safely tipped down a plughole without causing damage, but if Father Christmas hasn’t quite finished his glass of Bailey’s before heading back up the chimney then beware of pouring it away.
The Irish cream liqueur can prove detrimental to household plumbing due to the creams and fats the drink contains, meaning it behaves in the same way as cooking grease in your pipes, causing stubborn blockages, unpleasant smells and even sewage backing up into sinks. Even small amounts of Bailey’s poured away can build up over time, plumbers warn, and end up causing you a headache in the new year. In fact, cream liqueurs fall into the category of FOG (Fats, Oils, and Greases), which cling to pipes and cause ‘fatbergs’ as they cool.
Christmas drink disposal
The issue is especially prevalent during the Christmas period when more consumers are sipping Bailey’s in front of the fire while wrapping gifts and writing greetings cards. Rather than pouring the liqueur down the sink, plumbing experts recommend emptying leftover Bailey’s into a container and throwing it in the bin. Or why not hang onto it to use in festive recipes such as these Bailey’s cupcakes?
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To a lesser extent the same advice applies to Guinness, which has a creamy texture due to its nitrogenation, but without the same fat content as a cream liqueur.
It’s not only our plumbing we should be worried about. According to Waste Direct, improper disposal of alcoholic drinks may also harm aquatic life as almost all alcohol contains ethanol, an oxygen-depleting substance, which can end up damaging ecosystems.
For household disposal of Christmas drinks the company says: “If you have a very small amount of alcohol to get rid of (say, the drops at the bottom of the glass/bottle), it’s usually safe to pour it down the sink. However, you must dilute it with plenty of water. Remember to never mix alcohol with cleaning chemicals or dispose of it in general waste. This poses a serious fire risk.”
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