Warning issued to anyone who has leftover Baileys this Christmas
Christmas might have been and gone, but that doesn't mean Baileys is off the menu.
While many punters will opt for a festive mulled wine or a glass of bubbly, Baileys remains a firm favourite for those during the festive period.
I mean, it's very hard to say no to a cheeky glass of Baileys.
The Irish cream liqueur drink is something that people absolutely go wild for around Christmas, more than any other time of the year.
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But that love of the alcoholic and creamy bev can cost you more than a dirty hangover the next day.
For anyone who might have any left over after the festivities have drawn to a close, a warning has been issued that the drink could wreak havoc on your home.
Well, more specifically, your pipes.
Alex Saunders, head of Southern Water, told Birmingham Live: "Something like Baileys, which has a cream content, could add to problems. No one likes a nasty surprise over the festive season, and a blocked drain is no different.
"This is the time of year where we do see an increase in blockages, and so many of these can be easily avoided. Blocked sewers can cause flooding to homes and unclogging them can take a lot of time and effort."
This also goes for your turkey fat, gravy, and whatever else you have been pouring into your sink before, during and after cooking.
'Fatbergs' is the nastiest thing that can happen to a pipe, and it's a term for the congealed fat, oil, and non-biodegradable household items like baby wipes or nappies that end up blocking drains and causing a backup of sewage.
As per Maintain Drains: "As these items take longer to break down, they get stuck in the sewer system, blocking the drain pipes. This causes blockage and can even result in the pipes breaking.
"The most common item to cause a fatberg is fat oil and grease. By putting these items down your drain, you can slowly cause a fatberg due to other substances (such as wet wipes) combining with the oil.
"The substances can no longer flow through your drain swiftly and can get caught and stuck in the drain with other non-flushable objects. This can result in drain blockages."
While you've probably thought you've been warned enough about the dangers of Baileys, there's another expert who agrees that it needs to be properly disposed if not being glugged into your gullet.
If you didn’t know, Baileys is actually classed as ‘fats, oils and greases’ (FOG) because of its cream, and it’s a pain for tradespeople at Mybuilder.com who have had to sort out people’s homes because of its improper disposal.
“This popular drink has a short shelf life even when refrigerated, so often ends up down the sink,” the company said as per The Sun.
“But creamy drinks such as Baileys are classed as a FOG, and can wreak havoc on pipes. Most blockages could cost upwards of £250 to fix - and it’s so avoidable."
Baileys should instead be sealed in a container and then disposed of in the bin- not poured down the drain.
Or, according to Mike Flook, a plumber for MyBuilder, you can act fast if you accidentally tip it out.
Mike explained, as per the Express: "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."
Britt Jones