One of the most unpleasant things that can happen to a homeowner is a clogged up sink. And why does this always seem to happen when you are expecting company or planning a big dinner? Keeping your sink drain clean will help you avoid this embarrassment and trouble. This is done by avoiding certain materials in the sink.

Don't put food in the drain unless you have a garbage disposal unit. Even small items such as popcorn kernels or vegetable peels. These will all plug up the drainage line. A real culprit is bread and butter that can form a paste when it is mixed with the running water and sticks to the sides of the drainage pipes.

Grease is one of the biggest offenders in stopping up you sink. Grease, once it is stuck in the line will form a hard material that becomes a plug in the drain. Even hot grease, once it is exposed to the cool pipes, will harden in the pipes. Pour leftover grease in a container and cool it to a solid, then put it in the garbage.

The only kind of detergent you should be putting in the sink is dish detergent. Others, such as car cleaners or dishwasher detergent will clump up. Dishwasher or clothes detergent are intended to be agitated in the washer; this will not happen in the sink, so it will not break down properly.

You should never put toxic pesticides in your sink. They will congeal when mixed with the water in the line and form a solid that will block the line. Some may even corrode the pipes.

Even though calcium or lime is used in some septic systems for odor elimination, you should not put ordinary calcium or lime in your sink drain. The septic products are specially formulated; ordinary calcium or lime will harden to a concrete like substance and really cause problems in the lines.

Besides cooking grease, you should avoid putting other kinds of oils, such as lubricating oils or motor oil in the drain.

Just like the edible oils, they will harden and stop up the drain. In addition, EPA regulations prohibit motor oil to be disposed of in this way. You may be subject to fines for contaminating the water.

Another product that is like grease is the oils we use for our bodies, such as baby oils, moisturizing oils, or oil based soaps. These should be put in a container and placed in the garbage.

A final item to avoid in your sink drains is hair. Using a trap on the drains will prevent hair from going down the drain, especially in the bathroom. Clean out the drains frequently.

For a totally back-up free home, avoid putting any of these products in your drains, and then put a good quality drain cleaner down the drain once a month for good measure.