Expert warns about risk of 'hefty bill' this Pancake Day after people make huge mistake

At long last it's finally Pancake Day and I'm sure many of us are frantically chopping up strawberries, scooping out Nutella and whisking up copious amounts of batter to bring on the day with a bang.

However, it seems we should all be mindful of making a pretty huge mistake, with one expert warning all the pancake lovers out there over the risk of the 'hefty bill' attached to the faux pas.

Kitchen expert at Tap Warehouse, Nancy Emery, explains: "Pancake Day is great fun for all the family, but the batter can cause serious damage to drains if it's poured down the sink."

The expert continued: "Pancake batter is made up of flour, eggs and milk and we also use butter or oil to cook the pancakes which is a recipe for disaster when it comes to your drain and pipes.

"Any leftover batter that’s washed away down the kitchen sink will harden quickly inside pipes which can lead to blockages often referred to as fatbergs and even burst pipes. So, while it runs down the drain in your kitchen sink initially and seemingly disappears, underneath it is quite a different story."

Yikes.

Nancy highlights that the major trouble with such blockages is that they're usually 'deep in the drainage system' and not always accessible to clear yourself.

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"If you’re going to try and clear it, you’ll usually have to access the drain from outside your home which is difficult if you’re not sure where this access lies," she continues.

She recommends using a 'sturdy rod-like instrument' to break up the fatberg but, unfortunately, you'll also most likely have to roll your sleeves up and dig out the mass yourself to ensure it’s completely free of debris.

That's one way to put you off your maple syrup-doused stack.

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Nancy carries on: "Sometimes, the only way to clear this kind of blockage is to call a professional and that’s not cheap, especially if you have to call them out at the weekend or late in the evening."

Now, while the average cost of unblocking a drain varies and totally depends on the size of the blockage, you can expect to fork out anywhere between £150 - £300 for a drain specialist, making your brekkie quite the expensive treat.

"It’s best to discard the leftover batter mix in a DIY fat trap," the expert advises. "Simply pour into an empty 2L milk bottle or any other suitable container with a lid. Once the bottle is full, simply discard it in the normal bin."

Topics: Food and Drink, Life, Money

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.