Think Produce Stickers Are Harmless? Here's What Happens If They Go Down The Drain

Fruits and veggies are important parts of a balanced diet, and the stickers that are used at grocery stores are generally harmless to people. So, if you're cleaning your produce and accidentally wash the sticker off into your drain, you may think it's harmless for your pipes as well. However, they can cause serious problems in your pipes, septic tank, water treatment facility, or even in the environment.

Produce stickers may seem small, but the pipes that carry waste water away from your sinks can get pretty narrow. The stickers can become caught at a bend in the pipes or elsewhere. A single sticker on its own may not cause noticeable damage, but they can accumulate slowly over time since the plastic or vinyl stickers don't break down in water. You may not notice the problem until it's too late. Additionally, according to an interview Eddie Linares, an American Home Shield (AHS) Virtual Plumbing Expert, did with Southern Living, "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."

If they do pass through your system without damaging it, they can still cause problems elsewhere. Waste water treatment facilities are not equipped to handle them either, and while your single sticker may not seem like much, you never know how many other people in your town have also washed produce stickers down the drain! All those stickers could end up at the same facility and really gum up the works. They can even end up in bodies of water if they aren't caught and filtered out properly.

Unclogging a drain is simple, but stickers are trickier to deal with. Since produce stickers don't always cause problems right away, or may even not impact your personal pipes at all, the best thing to do after accidentally washing them down the drain is monitor the situation. You can check to see if the sticker is stuck somewhere easily accessible, such as a food particle filter near the top of the drain or at the bend in the pipe beneath the drain. If the sticker is nowhere to be seen, try your best to put all future stickers in the trash and clean your pipes to reduce the risks of any blockages.

If the sticker does create a blockage, you have a few options for cleaning it out, depending on where the blockage is and how severe it is. Blockages in the u-bend are relatively common, especially when it comes to solid objects, so it's a good place to check first if you can't see the blockage through the drain. Make sure your water is turned off to avoid spraying yourself, and place a bucket underneath the pipe to catch any water sitting in the bend. It's a good idea to wear gloves as well. Carefully unscrew the pipe, drain any water into the bucket, and use a drain snake to clear out any clogs.

For blockages in other parts of the pipe, you may be able to use a drain snake. However, if the produce sticker is still sticky, the adhesive may be holding it in place, making it difficult to remove. You can use a natural solution to unclog your drain, such as an enzyme cleaner, as it will weaken the adhesive.