Chances are you’ve already experienced the headache, unsightly mess and inconvenience that comes with a clogged drain. Proper maintenance performed on a routine basis prevents future foul-ups in your pipes, saving you time, hassle and money. Follow these tips for clog-free drains in your home.
Clean Your Drains on a Regular Schedule
Your bathroom drains are susceptible to stoppages because of hair, toothpaste, used soap and other personal care products. Thankfully, there are some simple methods you can use to clear them on a weekly basis. For the sink in your lavatory, observe this procedure once per week:
While slightly more involved, clearing your bathtub or shower drains should also be done weekly. A bent wire or hair cleaning brush are the best tools to pull out hair or any other detritus that’s collected inside. Pull off the drain cover, use your chosen instrument to clean out any accrued substances, and then replace your drain cover when done.
Another procedure that’s quite simple to incorporate into your regular cleaning and upkeep is pouring some boiling hot water down your drains. The scorching water will not only help push any solid or chemical debris away, but return any collected fat, oil or grease to their liquid states so they can easily move out of your pipes as well. Do this for all of the drains in your home once per week.
Monthly clear-outs go above and beyond your weekly regimen, and aim to remove both solid and liquid buildup. For your garbage disposal, you can find a chemical disposal cleaner at your local grocer. If you prefer a non-chemical method, use a disposer brush once per month. Alternately, you can perform monthly cleansing by running a combination of ice and salt in your disposer, followed by some cold water and half of a lemon or lime. Chemical or eco-friendly drain cleaners also eradicate residue, and are suitable for all of the pipes in your home.
Prevention Is Key
Besides routine upkeep, the proverbial “ounce of prevention” goes a long way towards thwarting time-consuming, expensive jam-ups. Many common culprits not only damage but collect inside your pipes, and it’s imperative that you don’t allow them into your drains in the first place. Here’s just a small list of materials that should never be poured down your sinks.
1. Fats, Oils, and Grease
Collectively known as FOGs, these substances are some of the top offenders. Even though they’re liquid when hot, many lipids solidify after cooling and can accumulate inside your pipes. FOG buildup can quickly grow into massive obstructions, so that’s why you should never pour grease, fat or oil down your sinks. Additionally, excessive FOG waste can cause blockages in municipal sewer systems or wreak quite a bit of havoc in your septic tank. Keep in mind that this also include excessive amounts of other oil-based personal care items, such as tanning lotion and hair care products. Dump these materials into a non-recyclable container and dispose of it with your household rubbish. If there’s only a small amount of lipid left over from cooking, wipe the bottom of your pot or pain with a paper towel and throw it out with your waste.
2. Toxic Chemicals
Although it might be tempting to empty a small amount down a shower drain or utility sink, noxious substances such as paint thinner or paint can ruin your pipes and lead to later plumbing problems. Take these to a local hazardous waste drop-off point instead.
3. Food
Unless you have a garbage disposal, you should never dump food down the drain. Even then, garbage disposal units are only meant to handle small particles of food. Avoid feeding your disposer any of the following items:
Periodic maintenance and preventative measures are both vital to keeping your household drains clog-free. Weekly and monthly cleaning regimens, as well as not allowing the disposal of certain substances, keeps your pipes clean and unobstructed. The time you take now to follow these guidelines saves you time, worry and expense in the future.