Never Pour Leftover Soup into the Toilet Tank Again! Environmental Agency Reveals NG Practices Causing 'Clogged Pipes and Foul Odors' – One Simple Trick to Prevent Grease Blockages

Whether cooking at home or eating out, leftover food and soup are inevitable. While we know food scraps can go into organic waste bins, what’s the best way to dispose of leftover broth? A recent post on Dcard asked how to properly handle leftover soup, since garbage trucks don’t collect liquid waste, and pouring it down the toilet or kitchen sink might cause long-term clogs. The post sparked widespread discussion online. The New Taipei City Environmental Protection Administration warns that pouring soup into toilets can disrupt the microbial environment in septic tanks. Home care expert Chen Ying-ru suggests using paper towels to absorb small amounts of soup before disposing of them in general waste, or, for larger quantities, pouring the soup down the kitchen sink followed by warm water to reduce grease buildup in pipes.

Never Pour Leftover Soup into the Toilet Tank! Environmental Agency Reveals NG Practices That Cause 'Clogged Pipes and Foul Odors'

A netizen recently posted on the social platform Dcard asking how to properly dispose of leftover soup, noting that garbage trucks don’t collect liquid kitchen waste, and they’re concerned about long-term clogs if poured into toilets or sinks. They also mentioned not wanting to dump it into storm drains. The post quickly drew numerous responses. Many users commented: 'Filtering out solids first is more important,' 'Do you use a sink strainer? You can filter the soup and then pour it down,' 'Why not just strain the soup before disposal?'

Experienced users shared more advanced tips: 'Add water until it’s above the food level, refrigerate it, and the next day the oil will solidify—just skim it off and then strain the rest,' 'If there’s not much soup, I put used toilet paper into it to absorb the liquid, then throw it in the trash,' 'Now I add a bit of dish soap, stir until foamy, then pour it down, followed by hot water for 1–3 minutes to minimize grease buildup,' 'I remember many plumbing videos say that when pouring soup, keep the water running—pour while water flows, and continue running water as you wash dishes afterward,' 'Use napkins to absorb the liquid and throw it away,' 'I recall Japan sells a soup solidifying powder—people there use it to solidify leftover oil and broth for regular trash disposal.'

The New Taipei City Environmental Protection Administration has warned against directly pouring oily soup down the toilet, as it can severely damage household environments and drainage systems:

• Disrupts Septic Tank Ecology: High concentrations of oil and salt in soup can destroy the microbial environment responsible for breaking down waste in septic tanks.

• Solidifies and Clogs Pipes: Grease cools and solidifies quickly in cold pipes, sticking to pipe walls. Over time, this builds up into stubborn grease blockages, leading to severe clogs.

• Attracts Disease-Carrying Pests: Accumulated grease in pipes emits foul odors, attracting cockroaches, flies, and other pests that feed and breed in the area.

Home Care Expert Shares the Right Way to Handle Leftover Soup—Prevent Clogged, Smelly Drains

For cleaning and recycling leftover soup, home care expert Chen Ying-ru shared environmentally friendly and pipe-protective methods:

• Small Amounts of Soup: If only a small amount of soup remains, use absorbent paper towels to soak it up completely, then dispose of it in the general waste bin.

• Larger Amounts (Pour into Kitchen Sink): If you must pour soup down the kitchen sink, follow these two essential steps:

• Install a Filter Mesh: Place a fine-mesh strainer over the sink drain to effectively filter out food scraps and solid waste.

• Rinse with Warm Water: After pouring the soup, immediately flush the drain with warm water. This helps dilute grease and reduces the chance of oil buildup on pipe walls.

Full discussion available on Dcard.