Not everything that looks like it can go down the drain should go down the drain. Even things that look like they could still shouldn’t.
When it comes to your fingernails, this is one of those instances where you should follow the rule that just because it might fit doesn’t mean you should do it.
And if your nail has grown past the point that you feel like cutting them down a bit, this is probably good information for you to know.
Fingernails shouldn’t go down the drain because they can cause a major problem with the plumbing in your home. Nails have many different parts, and inside this nail are skin cells, skin oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, and more.
What’s more? They hardly decompose because of the material they are made of (keratin) and tend to clog sinks.
Except you are ready for the financial stress, you shouldn’t, for any reason, throw your nail clippings down the sink.
Read Also: Can Fingernails Scratch Phone Screen?
Can You Flush Fingernails Down the Toilet?
No, you can’t flush fingernails down the toilet. Fingernails are not designed to be flushed and can cause problems in your plumbing. The toilet is designed to flush human waste and toilet paper, and anything else that is not specifically designed to be flushed can cause a clog or damage the plumbing system. It is best to dispose of fingernails in the trash rather than trying to flush them down the toilet.
Reasons Why You Should Not Let Fingernails Go Down The Drain
By nature, fingernails are a hard nut to crack, and that’s because of the materials they’re made of (keratin and biotin)
So when they find their way into the sink, they hardly decompose or rot, so it’s pretty easy for them to accumulate and then clog up over time.
Where Is The Best Place To Cut Your Nails?
There isn’t a size fits answer as to the best place suitable for one to cut his or her nails, but I like to clip mine over a piece of an opened magazine and then dump them afterward in a trash can.
Below are other ways to clip your nails to prevent them from flying around.
1. Clip Your Nails With Hand In A Bag
Get a disposable bag that is big enough to accommodate your hand, then, insert your fingernails or toenails and then clip.
2. Over The Toilet
This is quite simple. You only need to clip them with your fingers partly stretched over the toilet.
How Do You Dispose Of Cut Nails?
There are effective ways to dispose of your nail clippings aside from pushing them down the sink. Below you will get to learn about how to dispose of your cut nails the right way properly.
- By using a garbage can
- By flushing them down the toilet
- By burning them
- Dissolving them using drain cleaners
- Bury them
1. Garbage Can
This is one of the most reliable and safest ways to dispose of nail cuttings properly. To do so, you may have to put them on a piece of paper or wrap them up with tissue before putting them down in the trash can.
2. Flush Them Down The Toilet
There’s a lot of controversy as to whether it’s safe to do so or not, but the truth is that I don’t see this as a big deal if you ask me.
Sewage pipes ain’t that small for fingernails to want to clog them, except if you plan to collect all the nail cuttings of people living in your community for 10 years and then decide to push them down your toilet hole all at once.
If not, you’re perfectly safe to do so without the fear of clogging the pipes. Just be sure to wrap them up in tissue paper before discarding them.
3. Burn Them Up
If you don’t find the above-mentioned ways convenient, you might as well consider burning them up.
Burning is another great way to dispose of nail cuttings. Just be sure to collect them up in old newspapers or tissue before burning them.
4. Dissolve Them Before You Discard
Do you know that some drain cleaners, such as the Mister plumber drain opener, could help dissolve those nail cuttings?
Well, you heard me right. Here’s how it works. Pour some of the drain cleaners into a bowl containing those nail cuttings and then leave them for a couple of minutes until they fully dissolve.
Once dissolved, you can discard them on the floor or pour them down the drain.
PS: If you mistakenly cut your nails over your kitchen sink, this cleaner could help dissolve those nails under the sink and can help prevent your kitchen sink from clogging.
5. Bury Them
If you’re uncomfortable discarding your nails into the trash can, flushing, burning, or dissolving them, you should try burying them.
This is especially important for those who don’t want people to see where they dispose of their nail clippings or get hold of them for whatever reason.
Why You Should Dispose Of Fingernails Cuttings Properly?
Hair, nails, and skin are powerful weapons that can be used against the owner if not properly disposed of by men/women of the occultic world.
Aside from the weapon thingy, several reports have shown that stepping on those clippings could pose bad luck to pregnant women. In other words, it could potentially lead to miscarriages. Although a claim many are yet to come to terms with. Click HERE to learn more.
What Items Should Not Be Flushed Down The Drain?
Many of us abuse our plumbing system a lot by shoving things down the drain without realizing how much damage it will cost and, of course, the financial burden of a failed plumbing system.
While it’s hard to see what goes down there, there are things you can do today, almost not to clog the drain.
Below are things I forbid you from putting down the drain that would help you save money in the long run.
1. Coffee Grounds
Most people think that passing coffee grounds down the drain is completely harmless and safe, but the truth is that it’s not.
Several reports from plumbers worldwide have shown that most sewage clogs result from passing coffee grounds down the drain. So I’ll advise that you rather throw them away into your trash can than try to flush them down your sink.
2. Egg Shells
Good garbage disposal should indeed be able to ground eggshells without stress, but you do not know that these tiny particles could easily miss up pretty fast with fats inside the pipe and then become a mess afterward.
So you’ll be better off disposing of them straight into your garbage can than trying to shove them down your sink.
3. Fats And Oil
These are excellent binders and, when poured down the drain, could clog pipes and make it almost impossible for anything to pass through them.
One rule of thumb to dispose of these fats is to can them until they cool down before disposing of them in the trash can.
4. Paper Towels
The fact that they’re biodegradable doesn’t necessarily mean that you should shove them down the drain.
Paper towels and cotton balls are excellent absorbers, so its quite easy for them to clog your sink.
So you should dispose of them in the trash can once you’re done using them.
5. Rubber
Anything made of rubber shouldn’t enter your sink by any means because they are non-biodegradable and hardly dissolve in water, so it’s likely to float around and might clog the drain.
6. Wipes
Whether it’s flushable or not, wipes generally ought not to go down the drain because it doesn’t break down easily so make sure to always dispose of them in a trash can.
7. Sanitary Pads
Feminine products are designed in such a way that they swell up once they absorb liquids and could block water from entering the sewer system.
To be safer, I advise you to dispose of feminine products in the trash can or burn them.
Other items that shouldn’t, for any reason go down the drain includes;
- Dental floss
- Bandages
- Hair
- Medications
- Kitty litters
- Diapers
- Bones
- Fertilizers etc.
What Is Safe To Put Down The Drain?
The only things that are safe to go down the drains are what the drains were created for. Experts like to call them the 3 Ps, which means the poop, pee, and of course, tissue papers.
Anything aside, these would clog the drain and disrupt the correct functioning of the sewer system.
Can you rinse fingernails down the sink?
No, you cannot rinse fingernails down the sink. Fingernails are not designed to be rinsed down the sink and can cause problems in your plumbing. The sink is designed to drain water and small particles of food, but anything else that is not specifically designed to be rinsed down the sink can potentially cause a clog or damage the plumbing system.
Conclusion
Anything that could potentially clog the drain shouldn’t be allowed to go down no matter what and that includes fingernails, dental floss, bandages hair, medications, kitty litters, diapers, bones etc.
So think twice the next time you plan on shoving those items down the drain. Have any questions? Don’t forget to leave a comment below.
Read also: Do nails grow faster in water?
