Who knows where the notion starts? A rumor, a “he said so,” or a “that’s what she said,” can quickly turn a plumbing misconception into plumbing truth. Here are some of our favorite plumbing myths and their actual truths.
Myth: Ice cubes sharpen garbage disposal blades.
Truth: No they don’t, but they will clean the blades, and it’s recommended to do so if your sink starts to smell. “Eggshells also work for cleaning the disposal,” Showalter says. “If you’re cracking a lot of eggs for breakfast, shove the shells down the disposal. They’re abrasive, but break up easily.”
Myth: Put a brick in the back of your toilet tank to save water.
Truth: Bricks will deteriorate over time and cause other things (like the flapper) to break. The intent can also backfire, and you displace too much water, having to flush twice.
Myth: Drop lemon peels down the disposal to make it smell good.
Truth: Yes, it will smell nice, but the peels can clog the drain. “Make sure you have a powerful enough disposal to cut through the peel,” Lutz says. Unless you know for sure, don’t do this. You can, however, pour some white vinegar in to freshen up your disposal.
Myth: Flushable wipes are A-OK!
Truth: They don’t biodegrade like toilet paper, and are causing a lot of problems. “We go on countless service calls to unstop whole houses with ‘flushable’ wipes piled up and clogging the lines,” says David Butler, owner of highly rated Butler Plumbing in Rowlett, Texas. “The wipes will flush down a toilet, but so will a sock.”
Myth: Toilet bowl tablets that contain bleach will keep the toilet clean.
Truth: If the tablet contains bleach and is designed to sit in the tank, it will destroy the working parts of a toilet within six months, Butler says. Bleach in the bowl is fine, but don’t let it linger in the tank for more than 10 minutes. Flush it through to prevent damage.
Myth: Water flushes counter clockwise in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere.
Truth: An idea based on the Coriolis effect, but it doesn’t apply to such small bodies of water as found in a toilet, despite claims to the contrary by Owen Wilson’s character in the movie “Wedding Crashers.” The actual direction of the flush is determined by the design of the toilet itself.
