An expert issued UK households a safety warning if they are to drink Baileys over Christmas.
An expert plumber on behalf of MyBuilder – the reliable way to hire tradespeople – warned people about pouring any leftover Baileys into the sink.
Mike Flook said that any last drop of Baileys in the glass should not be poured down the sink, because it could lead to an expensive blockage.
While “creamy” liquids like Baileys seem like they need to be poured down the sink, “the reality is that it can cause serious issues”.
If you’re faced with a blocked sink over Christmas, when plumbers can be hard to come by, it can be doubly frustrating and costly.
“Cream liqueurs have a large fat content… and should never go down the sink, as it sticks to pipes and can cause blockages.”
If you have poured Baileys down the sink, it’s best to act immediately and run the hot water tap.
Mike explained: “Heat from the water can help to dissolve fats, and keep them in liquid form until they are out of your pipes and in the sewer.”
Whatever you do, don’t run the cold tap if you’ve just poured Baileys down the sink.
Mike warned: “This will quickly cause it to solidify, blocking your pipes… and drain unblockers are often ineffective against [fats].”
If you do face a blockage, a plunger “is likely to be more effective”, so Mike advised: “Ensure you have one in the house just in case.”
Other pipe-blocking ingredients include turkey fat and coffee grounds, which should be disposed of safely in the bin.
To help prevent a costly call-out to a plumber, which can be up to four times more expensive around Christmas time, it’s best to pour any leftover Baileys, coffee grounds and turkey fat in the bin where it belongs.
