Drain clogs are an annoying fact of life for most households. And while you might think that clogs are avoidable if you are extremely careful about what you wash down the sink, tub, or shower drain, the fact is that clogs will occur eventually. But you can take several preventative measures to lessen the frequency and severity of the drain clogs in your home.
One crucial fact to remember is that all of the drains in your home are connected. And that includes the pipes that carry waste from your toilets. So there will always be a certain amount of residue and build-up in your drain lines. The secret is not to increase the residue build-up with items that should ever be washed down the drain. And it is also wise to commit to an annual professional drain cleaning to remove all of the residue and potential clog creators.
Here are the things to keep in mind during your daily routine to avoid those frequent and potentially costly drain clogs:
- Keep grease and oil out of your drains. These liquids need to find their way into a can and then your trash receptacle. While you might think that liquid grease will wash right down the drain, it is more likely to harden and stick to the drainpipe walls. And once it becomes hardened and sticky, it will trap all of the waste particles that flow past to begin making a nasty clog.
- Drain screens are an excellent investment. These very affordable mesh screens keep pieces of soap, dirt, and hair from heading down the drain to create your next clog.
- If you don’t have a garbage disposal, no food should ever be rinsed down the drain.
- If you do have a garbage disposal, never put fruit or veggie peel, eggshells, coffee grounds, or bones down the disposal. And always rinse items down with a long blast of cold water to ensure they flow clear of the disposal and head out to the city sewer main.
- There is no suitable substitute for toilet paper. No other paper products should ever be flushed. Paper towels, napkins, tissues, baby wipes, and even most so-called flushable wipes are too thick to break down in water. These more durable paper products will only swell up inside your drain lines and create a pipe blockage very quickly.
- A clean drain is a happy drain. And happy drains are not likely to back-up and flood your home with dirty water and raw sewage. To keep your drains clean and happy, pour a large pan of hot water down your drains each week. It will loosen and wash away all of the grease and debris building up inside the pipe.
- To clean and freshen your drains, pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Let the bubbles do their scrubbing, and then rinse with a few minutes of cold water. This process will also remove the residue and any unpleasant odors.
- Call in a professional at the first sign of trouble. Correcting a minor plumbing issue will always be easier, faster, and less costly than waiting until it turns into a huge problem. If your drains are slow to clear and a DIY cleaning does not do the trick, call (720) 740-0452 to schedule a professional drain cleaning. The team at Royal Services uses nothing but high-pressure water to blast away residue and nasty clogs without damaging your drain pipes. And like all of our services, your professional drain cleaning is backed by our satisfaction guarantee and complete warranty.