What Should Never Go Down Your Drain — A Newcastle Plumber's Guide

Every week, our plumbers clear blocked drains across Newcastle caused by the same things being flushed or poured down drains that should never go there. Some of these are obvious. Some are genuinely surprising. Many are products specifically marketed as "drain safe" or "flushable" that demonstrably aren't. This is the definitive guide to what should never enter your drain system — and why.

The Only Things That Should Be Flushed

The three Ps: pee, poo and paper (toilet paper only). That's the complete list. Everything else belongs in the bin.

What Never to Flush

Wet Wipes and "Flushable" Wipes

The most common cause of blocked drains across Newcastle. Wet wipes — including every product labelled "flushable" — do not break down in water. They travel partway down the sewer and accumulate on any restriction (roots, joint gaps, grease) into solid blockages. Hunter Water explicitly advises that wet wipes should never be flushed. The "flushable" label is not regulated in Australia and does not mean safe to flush.

Cotton Products

Cotton balls, cotton pads, cotton buds (Q-tips), cotton cosmetic rounds — all of these must go in the bin. They don't break down in water and accumulate in drain systems easily.

Sanitary Products

Tampons, pads, panty liners — these are designed to absorb liquid and expand, which is exactly what they do in your drain pipe. Even products marketed as "flushable" versions are problematic in older Newcastle pipe systems.

Dental Floss

Dental floss doesn't degrade and is extremely effective at tangling around hair and other debris, binding loose material into blockages that are harder to clear than the individual components.

Medications

Flushing medications sends active pharmaceutical compounds into the water system where they're difficult to fully remove in treatment. Take unused medications to a pharmacy for proper disposal.

Paper Towels and Tissues

Despite being paper, paper towels and facial tissues are manufactured to maintain wet strength — unlike toilet paper, which disintegrates rapidly. Both can cause blockages. Bin them.

What Never to Pour Down Kitchen Drains

Cooking Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG)

The leading cause of blocked kitchen drains. All cooking fats — animal fats, vegetable oils, butter, lard, rendered fat — solidify in drain pipes and accumulate into blockages over time. Let fat cool and solidify, then bin it. Or collect it in a container and dispose of it in general waste.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds accumulate in drain traps and pipes, particularly in combination with grease. They don't dissolve and contribute to blockage formation. Bin or compost them.

Eggshells

A common misconception is that eggshells are fine for drains with garbage disposals. They're not — the membrane inside the shell can wrap around drain parts and accumulate with other debris.

Rice, Pasta and Starchy Foods

These expand when wet and can create gelatinous blockages in drain traps. Rice in particular continues to absorb water after going down the drain.

Paint, Chemicals and Solvents

Paint, cleaning chemicals, solvents, automotive fluids and pesticides must never go down drains. They harm aquatic environments and are illegal to dispose of via sewer in NSW. Dispose of these at Newcastle City Council's chemical waste drop-off facility.

What Never to Put Down Bathroom Drains

• Hair — remove from shower drain covers and bin it, don't wash it into the drain
• Kitty litter — including "flushable" clay litter, which causes severe drain blockages
• Condoms — these don't degrade and can cause blockages or pump damage in the treatment system