How to Prevent a Clogged Drain
Be Mindful of What Goes Down the Drain
Take care not to put anything down the drain that can cause damage or blockages. This means being mindful of not letting small food bits and other debris down the drain, and never pouring oils or fats down the drain after cooking. Oils and fats may seem harmless because they are liquid when hot, however once they are washed down the drain they will cool and congeal, creating blockages. Instead, collect cooking oils and fats in a can or other container and then dispose of the entire thing.
Use Drain Strainers
Do you often find yourself with a clogged shower drain or a kitchen sink blocked up by gunk? Drain strainers are your new best friend. Use drain strainers in your shower to catch hair and soap bits before they go down the drain and prevent too much food debris in the kitchen sink from washing down the drain and causing blockages and foul odours.
Don’t Flush Those “Flushable” Products
Many products, such as baby wipes, makeup-remover pads, and kitty litter, often advertise as “flushable,” but these products are not actually safe to flush down the drain. All of these so-called flushable products take a long time to break down and can easily clog your pipes.
How to Clear a Clogged Drain
Don’t Use Liquid Drain Cleaners
Many people’s first reaction to a clogged drain is to reach for a bottle of store-bought drain cleaner, but this actually does more harm than good. Liquid drain cleaners contain corrosive chemicals that eat away at pipes, causing damage and significantly bigger problems than a clogged drain.
Do Use a Plunger
The best way to remove clogs is to use a plunger. This will not harm your pipes the way chemical drain cleaners will. To use a plunger, add a little bit of water to your shower or sink, position the plunger over the drain, forming a tight seal around the entire drain, and pump the plunger up and down.
Call in the Professionals
If your plunger is no match for a particularly stubborn clog, it’s time to call in a plumber for professional drain cleaning services. Professional drain cleaning is done using either a snake, which is a long metal auger fed through your pipes to remove blockages, or with hydro jetting, a technique that sends pressurized water through your pipes to dislodge difficult clogs. These techniques are effective for removing tough clogs and will not cause any damage to your plumbing system.
For professional drain cleaning and all your other plumbing needs, call Pink Plumbing today!
