Things You Should Never Pour Down a Floor Drain

Floor drains are designed to handle water from sinks, showers, and other routine household plumbing flows. But many common liquids—especially grease, chemicals, and certain cleaning products—can cause blockages, corrode plumbing, or carry pollutants into drainage systems.

Even if a substance “goes down” at first, it can build up in the drain trap, line the pipe walls, or react with other materials further down the system. That’s why best practice is simple: only send appropriate water down a floor drain and follow product disposal guidance for everything else.