Ska-wish, ska-wish, ska-wish. Splash, ska-wish. Ah, yes. The sound of the plunger being used yet again. Drain clogs make this sound common, but it’s one that’s preventable. If you understand how drains work and how clogs form and are removed, then you can keep your drains clog free.
Stop the Hairballs
Hair is one of the biggest components of drain clogs, especially in the bathtub or shower drain. It can form clogs when Uncle Joe routinely taps out his razor trimmings into the sink instead of the trash, or it can happen just from the everyday shedding that occurs when we rinse out our shampoo. Once the hair is in the drain, it builds up wherever there is a bend in the piping or where other buildup can catch it. The easiest solution to this is to buy a drain catch or plug. These products fit right into or over the top of the drain to stop hair from going into the pipe. Plastic catches aren’t as durable, though they don’t rust the way metal ones can. These are great options for people who don’t like to treat their drains chemically.
Use the Disposal—Wisely
Garbage disposals can do wonders to get rid of those last little bits of chicken parmesan that stuck to our plates. Still, they aren’t designed to chop through rocks. (Don’t laugh. Even things like aquarium gravel have been put in disposals.) Unfortunately, people treat them as though they are, and as a result, items find their way into the drain that never should. The consequence is often a nasty clog. If the item you want to put down the disposal drain isn’t biodegradable, don’t put it in, and don’t use the disposal for pieces of food that are larger than a finger.
Contain the Grease
A lot of people put the grease down the drain and then rinse out the sink with the disposal running. This is one of the worst things a person can do for their drain, because according to Lowe’s, a home improvement store chain, the grease sticks to the piping and whatever buildup may already be in the pipes. This sticky mess makes it harder for other debris put down the drain later on to flow on by, and clogs form. Put the grease in a reusable container instead and dispose of it properly when the container is full.
Look Ahead, Not Back
An unfortunate reality about drain care is that most people don’t pay attention to the performance of their drains until there is a problem. They react to backed up water, foul odors, or leaks, but they don’t do much when the drain is flowing well. This can spell catastrophe with clogs, because by the time a clog is serious enough to cause problems, it can be hard to dissolve or remove. Instead of reacting to a clog in a reactionary way with drain clog products, react in a preventative way and use the products once a month to prevent build up from forming. The makers of one of the best drain products, Liquid Plumbr, actually recommend this to keep drains flowing. If you don’t like using chemicals, a natural recipe for drain cleaning is to pour baking soda down the drain, let it sit for a while, and then chase the baking soda with some vinegar. The chemical reaction that occurs bubbles away grime and buildup, and the acidic vinegar disinfects and can eat through material that could cause a clog. Additionally, the baking soda removes odors.
Inspect
An easy way to prevent clogs is to inspect the drains routinely. Once a week, go through the house and run water through the drain. See if the water is flowing right out of the basin or tub or if it is held up before draining. Listen for “blurps” as the water drains—these can be a sign that a clog is causing air pockets to form and then pop. Lastly, take a whiff of the drain. Foul odors can be a sign that something has been trapped in the piping and is starting to decay.
