A clogged drain can cause a lot of trouble in your home. But it can also be fixed easily with a little bit of effort.
So, if you want to avoid this problem happening, follow these simple tips and tricks. They’re sure to help you prevent a clogged drain before it gets too severe!
- Keep Hair Out of Your Drains
Clogged drains can be a nightmare. They can be expensive to fix, and they can damage your pipes.
Hair is one of the most common causes of clogged drains in bathrooms, especially showers and bathtubs. The strands of hair that fall out while shampooing or shaved form clumps and get stuck in your pipes, making them difficult to clean.
To prevent a hair clog, consider using a hair catcher or strainer in your shower or bathroom sink drains. There are many available on the market today, and they allow water to flow freely while trapping the strands of hair in the bottom.
Another preventative measure is to pour boiling water down your drains every month or bimonthly. The hot water helps loosen hair strands and gunk before they clog the drain and create a bigger problem. It can also help dissolve soap scum and other grime in your drains, which will prevent clogs from occurring.
- Don’t Flush Garbage Down the Toilet
Flushing garbage down the toilet can clog your pipes and cause sewer overflows in your home or business. These blockages are costly and can harm you, your neighbors and the environment.
Even if it says it’s flushable, wipes, paper towels and facial tissues shouldn’t go down the drain. They aren’t designed to break down like toilet paper does, and they can easily clog your pipes.
Instead, keep a lined trash can in your bathroom to dispose of wipes, towels and tissue paper properly.
Big chunks of waste are like sand, plastics, toys and cat litter should also never be flushed down the toilet. Not only do they clog your pipes, but these items carry toxins and parasites that could get into the water supply.
- Don’t Put Too Much Food in Your Drains
Putting too much food in your drains can quickly cause problems. Certain foods, such as pasta, rice and breads, will expand with water, making them sticky and clinging to your pipes, leading to a clogged drain.
Flour, cornstarch and oatmeal will also get gummy when wet. This makes them very difficult to get out of your drains, and they can be a major cause of a plumbing emergency.
Eggshells are another food item that shouldn’t go down your drain. These have sharp edges that can easily get stuck in the garbage disposal, causing a clog.
Hair can clog drains too, so be sure not to throw it down your sink. You may think it’s harmless, but human, pet, doll or stuffed animal hair can easily get stuck in your drains and create a clog.
Keeping these tips in mind will help prevent a clogged drain and save you time, money and hassle. It’s a small price to pay for keeping your home plumbing working properly.
- Don’t Pour Oil or Grease Down Your Drains
Oil and grease poured down your drain can clog the pipes in your home or worse, clog the municipal sewer system. They form fatty blobs that wreak havoc on your plumbing system and can cause significant amounts of waste to build up in the sewer (which is called a fatberg).
Even liquid cooking oils like olive and canola oil can clog your drain if they are poured down the sink. They can also stick to your sewer pipes and collect food particles and other solids.
Rather than pouring it down the drain, wait for it to cool and throw it away. This will help prevent clogs from forming.
Then, instead of chasing the oil down with hot water or dish soap, try flushing it down with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This will loosen the grease and make it easier to clean out your drain. Visit https://www.fixitrightplumbing.com.au/blocked-drains-adelaide/ for more information regarding plumbing services and plumbing tips.
