Here’s why you shouldn’t pour Baileys down the sink

We all know that some liquids shouldn’t be poured down the sink. The likes of oil and lard are an obvious no-no.

But as for a lesser known example that you might well be faced with after the Christmas break? The same goes for that bottle of Baileys lingering in the back of your cupboard…

Yup, Southern Water have warned people to be cautious when getting rid of any creme liqueur from the holidays (if you’re one of those people that even has any leftover, that is.)

Keep the Baileys away from your drain… (Credit: Alamy)

You might be getting rid of the creamy drink ahead of a Dry January stint, or perhaps you’ve simply had enough of the stuff after a rather boozy Christmas…

But they’re suggesting that people should be extra cautious when disposing of the tipple, seeing as it can clog up drains.

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“Something like Baileys, which has a cream content could add to problems. No one likes a nasty surprise over the festive season and a blocked drain is no different,” said Alex Saunders, head of Southern Water’s wastewater network to the Telegraph.

“This is the time of year where we do see an increase in blockages, and so many of these can be easily avoided. Blocked sewers can cause flooding to homes and unclogging them can take a lot of time and effort.”

You don’t want a clogged sink! (Credit: Alamy)

As many people already know, the same can be said for oily sauces found in your Christmas leftovers (however tempting it is to just tip that down the drain.)

It comes as they warned that 250 tonnes of fat could enter sewage systems for every million turkeys eaten over the Christmas period. That’s a ‘fatberg’ we don’t even wanna think about, tbh…

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‘Fatbergs’ and blockages are very real issues that occur when fat is poured down drains, which occur as a result of liquids cooling and solidifying deep in the pipes.

These clogs can cause flooding and plumping issues in homes, whilst ‘fatbergs’ can also form in severe cases, when non-biodegradable household items get in the way, too. 

So, how do you get rid of creamy liquids and cooking oil safely?

Another solution? Drink it all! (Credit: Alamy)

One option is pop it into a disposable container and seal it shut, then throw it away. You can also pour leftover oil and creamy liquids into a container and freeze it until it’s hardened then bin it when it’s solid.

Plus, another technique is to let the liquid cool and then toss it in a plastic bin bag, so long as there’s already some other bits and bobs inside it. Your rubbish will actually help soak up the hardened cream or oil, so it doesn’t make a mess.

Of course, you could always just find a willing subject to drink the Baileys for you. We volunteer as tribute!