How to Prevent Clogged Drains—Because Backups Are the Worst
Nobody wants a clogged drain to mess up their day! It doesn't take much to cause a swampy, stinky headache. When a kitchen sink is clogged or a bathroom pipe bubbles up with a stubborn refusal to budge, it will disrupt your schedule. Thankfully, you can often prevent plumbing mishaps by removing the suspects. With a few proactive measures, you can evict rogue hairballs, blast away grease globs, and disable the other clog-creating gangsters.
In this post, you will learn:
Why Do Drains Become Clogged?
A stealthy little science experiment could be happening underneath your sink. Cooking oil and grease may have easily slipped down the drain only to solidify into a glob that grabs onto everything else passing through. When hair drops down the drain it acts like a fish net catching soap scum and debris, building up layers of gunk. Even soap scum by itself can form a slimy residue that narrows your pipes over time.
The good news is that the scallywags can be stopped to prevent clogged drains. You can
keep your pipes clear with good habits and intentional maintenance.
The Grease Problem—Grandma Was Right!
Grandma was right when she said pouring grease down the drain is a mistake. Hot grease that slides out of the pan and down the drain may look harmless, but it’s not. As the oil cools inside your plumbing, it becomes a sticky clog magnet that grabs onto food particles, coffee grounds, and whatever else finds its way into the pipes. If not cleared away soon, you will have a full-blown clogged-drain disaster.
It’s best to throw away cooled grease in a designated container and wipe grease off pans with a paper towel before rinsing - like Grandma said.
Keep Hair Out of Your Drains
When hair drops down your drains, it tangles into dense mats that collect soap scum, dirt and other rascals. Hair clogs continue to grow in size and density when ignored.
Preventing hair clogs is simple. Install drain catchers or hair traps in your sinks and showers. Get into the habit of cleaning these hair traps often, and messy hair balls will be prevented. This easy drain clog prevention measure will save you a service call from your plumber.
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The Kitchen Sink Clog—More Than Just Grease
Grease is the major troublemaker for clogged drains, yet a kitchen sink clogged with food scrapes is also a problem. Coffee grounds, fibrous veggies, and starchy foods like rice and pasta are also clog gangsters. Eggshells have a harmless-looking façade, but their tiny shards settle into sludge and mix with grease to form a plumbing nightmare.
Your best defense is to keep these items from your disposal and drain. A drain strainer will catch food particles before they escape to the depths and cause chaos. Consider composting organic scraps. Simple daily habits can prevent clogged drains in the kitchen.
Flushing the Wrong Things? How to Keep Bathroom Drains Clear
Your toilet is not a trash bin. Only toilet paper and human waste should be flushed down. Everything else can clog pipes in the bathroom. Cotton balls, hygiene products, dental floss, and wipes (yes, even when labeled “flushable”) accumulate in pipes, causing stubborn blockages.
The easy fix: Keep a covered trash bin in the bathroom for disposal of all trash other than toilet paper.
Best Practices to Keep Your Drains Flowing
Knowing how to prevent clogged drains starts with preventative maintenance techniques that include:
- Weekly hot water flushes: Running steaming water down the drain will melt away minor grease or soap buildups
- Fish out hair clogs: Remove hair from the drain with a wire hanger or plastic zip tool (available at most hardware stores).
- Classic baking soda and vinegar hack: Pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Let it foam up for 10-15 minutes and flush it with hot water.
Scheduling a professional drain cleaning service once or twice a year takes care of clogged drains before they turn into major problems. Preventative maintenance will save you time and money in the long run.
A Clog-Free Home Is a Happy Home
It’s always easier to prevent than to repair clogged drains. Simple habits, like using drain covers and disposing of grease and food scraps properly, combined with routine maintenance will keep repairs bay.
Stay proactive with good habits and maintenance, and for those occasions when you need professional plumbing services, contact Moe’s Plumbing soon. We'll clear your clogged pipes and teach you how to avoid clogged drains.
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