Anyone who has Baileys left over from Christmas is being warned not to pour it down the sink.
The alcoholic Irish cream will go off once it's opened, and it's recommended you drink it within six months. But with Dry January in full swing, people may be thinking of pouring the liquid down the drain.
However, Southern Water has issued a warning against this as it could result in blockages. Alex Saunders, head of Southern Water's wastewater network, said: "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."
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Kevin Began, director at Blockbuster Drainage, told The Mirror the liquid "will collate in the 'U' bend under the sink due to its thick consistency and prevent liquid from passing through to the external drainage". It can also cause it to "set in the small bore pipework and cause blockages".
The same goes for "hot cooking fat, cream, sauces and oils". This is important to be aware of, because Southern is also concerned about the number of people who may order a takeaway in the aftermath of the festive period, and then pour oily sauces down the drain.
Instead, Kevin says you should pour the cooled liquid into a "sealable container and dispose of it in your general waste bin". Jamie Woodhall, UK technical and innovations manager at Rentokil Specialist Hygiene, added: "You should only pour water based products down a sink, or those that are water soluble.
"Flushing unsuitable products down domestic or commercial drains can lead to expensive drain blockages and overflowing sinks as well as increasing the risk of contamination, since grease sludge can harbour pathogenic bacteria."
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