Everyone has experienced a clogged drain or two in their life. It can be disgusting when you’re cleaning dishes of food and your drain decides to clog up. Now you have water filling up your sink and soggy food particles floating around. The easiest way to avoid clogged drains is to regularly clean them and be mindful of what you put down them. Sometimes, however, a little extra help is needed.
Keep in mind that some drains in your home will need more help than others. For example, your kitchen sink puts up with a lot and may need the most help.
Here are 7 ways for preventative drain care to keep clogs at bay:
Drain Guard
Using a drain guard on all your plug holes will reduce the amount of waste that gets washed down. If you have never used a drain guard, they are small, metal disks that sit atop your plug to collect debris before it has a chance to fall down the drain. You can also buy drain guards for your shower to catch hair. Hair is the number one reason for clogged shower drains.
Drain Cleaner
A simple task, adding drain cleaner regularly to all your drains can help clear out smaller debris that has begun to build up. Finding as natural a drain cleaner as possible is recommended to avoid pipe corrosion.
Boiling Water
Washing out your drain with boiling water at least once a week is the simplest way to keep your drains clean and clear. Hot water keeps the oils from food products running smoothly down the drain instead of building up over time and causing blockage.
Garbage Disposal
Be sure to clean your garbage disposal at least once a month with a sturdy brush. Your garbage disposal does a lot of work grinding larger food items into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can also grind up some salt and cubes of ice to help cut down on grease and slime. Follow this with some cold water and half a lemon or lime to give your garbage disposal a better smell.
Washing Pets
Washing your pets can be a messy business, especially when they shed all that hair. A simple solution to keeping your drains from clogging up with all that hair is to lay a washcloth over the shower drain. This will collect a lot of hair that can later be thrown into a garbage bag, thus tremendously reducing the amount of animal hair going down the drain.
Look for Signs of Trouble
Problems with your drains don’t become fully noticeable until it is too late. However, taking the time to inspect your drains regularly to look for signs of damage can help reduce your chances for severe problems in the future. When you start noticing wet patches or leaks where you know there shouldn’t be, you should call a professional.
Let the Professionals Handle It
If you are faced with a drain problem that you can’t easily fix yourself or are unsure of how to fix, call York Plumbing and Drains today. We will be happy to help you with all your drain needs and give you more tips on how to prevent future drain issues. Give us a call today at (781) 521-8164.