Clogged drains are a nuisance that homeowners shudder to even think about. Not only are they time-consuming and generally a headache to deal with, they almost always require professional intervention. The smell can be particularly offensive and a system that becomes backed up can place the health of your family at risk. Even if you are fortunate to never experience a clog in the plumbing of your own home, there is always a risk that you may experience a much larger problem with a clog in the main lines. Once the main line becomes backed up it can cause additional backups into the plumbing system within your home and further contribute to additional strain on the municipal sewage system. In many cases it can also result in damage to the environment. Clogged drains can be avoided provided you use proper drain maintenance and technique … and keep an eye on what goes down the drain to begin with.
Home Drain Cleaning Tips
While prevention is the key to success, keeping your drains clean runs a very close second. Because we can’t see them, we don’t really think about cleaning them either. Keeping your drain free of debris is just as important to the health of your family as safe food handling practices and hygiene. As a general rule, if you are careful about what you put down the drain, you really shouldn’t need to clean them that often, once a month should do the trick. Some drains, for example your bathtub, shower and bathroom sink drains need to be checked more regularly. Think about how much hair you shed shampooing your hair or shaving. Then think about how quickly all that hair can clog the drain, especially if you live in a household that has multiple family members.
Orsack Plumbing Company recommend the following cleaning schedule to keep your drains in tip-top condition!
Once a week drain maintenance
• Lift up any pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink and remove any debris or buildup. Rinse the stopper and replace it back in the drain.
• Remove the drain cover from your bathtub or shower drain and use an auger (you may know it as a drain snake) to clean any hair or other debris that might have accumulated.
Once a month drain maintenance
• Thoroughly clean your garbage disposal with a heavy duty brush designed for garbage disposals or try this cost effective clean – grind up a few cups of ice and table salt in your disposal unit, flush with cold water and complete with half a lemon or a lime to instantly deodorize.
Once your drains are clean there some simple things that you can do to ensure they stay that way.
• Place mesh screens over all of the drains in your homes to catch food particles, hair and other debris. This is one of the most cost effective ways of maintaining clog-free drains.
• Brush your hair before bathing to help remove loose hair.
• Wash pets outside whenever possible. If you must wash your pet inside cover the drain with an old wash cloth to catch any excess hair, dispose of the washcloth along with the hair after use.
• Never treat your drain like a trash can! Your toilet, sinks, garbage disposal and other drains are not designed to accommodate many of the things we put down them on a regular basis.
Things you should never, ever put down the drain include: Grease, fats and cooking oil, coffee grounds, meat, poultry, fish bones and egg shells, pasta, rice and bread, gum, stickers, baby wipes, napkins, paper towels, cotton balls, cotton swabs, dryer sheets, cigarette butts, feminine hygiene products, cat litter, band aids, dental floss, razor blades, rubber gloves, prescription medication, lotion, cosmetics, glue, bottle caps, toys, paint, and motor oil.
