Many homeowners and renters experience a clogged drain from time to time. They may try to unclog their drains on their own, or they may need to call a professional plumber to get the job done for them. Regardless, a clogged drain can be a hassle or inconvenience when you have other duties and obligations.
Therefore, to make your life easier, you should follow these nine best-kept secrets for keeping your drains unclogged from our Kingman, AZ, team at Plumbing by Jake.
1. Do Not Pour Any Grease Down Your Drains
You should never pour your leftover grease or cooking oils down the drain when cooking. If you do this, the grease and cooking oils will eventually cause a huge clog. Instead, you should always put your grease and oils in the trash.
2. Use a Strainer or Drain Trap
Whether you are cooking or showering, using a strainer or drain trap is very important. Using a strainer or drain trap in your kitchen sink or shower will ensure that solid foods, hair, and other products do not enter your drains. Strainers and drain traps are quick and affordable solutions that are easy to find at almost all convenience or home improvement stores.
No kitchen sink should be without a drain trap, especially if you love to cook regularly. Drain traps and strainers can help keep pasta, rice, and other foods from clogging your drain.
3. Do Not Let Food Go Down Your Drains
You should be cautious when cutting vegetables and fruits or cooking food close to your sink. If any food pieces or scraps enter your drains, you will not only have a clog problem but also a very smelly problem. That said, if you see any food go into your sink, it is recommended that you stop what you are doing and make sure you place it in the trash.
4. Know When to Use Hot or Cold Water on Your Drains
After using your sink, you should run hot water down the drain to ensure that any small food particles that slip by can go down the drain easily. The hot water will help prevent any clogs from forming. You should also pour hot water down your kitchen and bathroom drain weekly to eliminate any gunk or particles stuck inside.
When using your garbage disposal, you should run cold water down the drain to help your garbage disposal work effectively. The cold water will help the garbage disposal break up any foods, oils, or grease inside it. Do not use hot water when running the garbage disposal, as it will only soften the food and grease inside.
5. Try to Use Natural or DIY Cleaning Solutions
Even though there are several different cleaning solutions that you can buy from the store, it is advisable to use natural or DIY cleaning solutions. This is because cleaning solutions you can buy from the stores are typically made of strong chemicals that can damage your drain and pipes. That said, you should make your cleaning solutions from items you most likely already own, such as baking soda, vinegar, and salt.
If you continue to use harsh chemicals, you will eventually need a plumber to tell you that your pipes are corroded, blocked, and damaged, which may be very costly.
6. Keep Your Drains Clean at All Times
You should try to clean your drains often to avoid a clog. You can do this by pouring baking soda, white vinegar, and salt down the drain. After letting this solution sit for a bit, you should pour boiling water down the drain.
Dish detergent and bleach can also help clean your drains, but you do not want to use them as often.
7. Do Not Put Certain Foods in the Garbage Disposal
Many people think they can simply throw any type of food down the garbage disposal, which can lead to a big issue. Therefore, you must inform visitors and family members about what can and cannot go down your garbage disposal. The good idea is to put up a sign near your sink letting people know what should never go down the garbage disposal, such as:
- Meat
- Bones
- Eggshells
- Vegetable peels
- Fruit peels
- Rice
- Pasta
- Starches
- Coffee grounds
- Paint
- Paper
- Chemicals
- Medications
8. Brush Your Hair Before You Take a Shower
Before you get in the shower, it is wise to brush your hair. This will prevent any loose hair from going down your drain.
If you have a pet that you often bathe in your bathtub or shower, you should also brush their hair beforehand. Placing a washcloth over your drain trap is also a good idea before bathing your dog because their hair differs from human hair, causing it to clog your drain trap.
9. Be Careful About What You Flush Down the Toilet
Although it is easy to assume you can flush anything down the toilet, this is far from the truth. Toilets are created to only handle toilet paper and human bodily waste. That said, you should never flush anything else down the toilet. If you have young children, you should be careful about letting them play near the toilet, as plumbers are often called to homes due to small toys and household items being flushed down the toilet.
If You Have a Clogged Kitchen or Bathroom Drain, Plumbing by Jake Can Help!
If you believe your kitchen or bathroom drain is clogged or forming a clog, please do not hesitate to contact Plumbing by Jake today. Our Arizona plumbers are professional, experienced, and skilled in any type of clog, and we will find and solve your plumbing issues as quickly as possible. We understand these problems can occur any day, so we are ready and available 24/7.
Call our office or submit our contact form at Plumbing by Jake to schedule your appointment today. Our team will fix the problem immediately and do everything we can to ensure it does not happen again!