A clogged drain is a bothersome occurrence that can make flushing a toilet or draining water down a sink impossible until the blockage is removed. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to avoid a clogged drain so that all the drains in your home can continue to do their job without problems.
Avoid Putting Food Down the Drain
Food can quickly clog your drain and isn’t always easy to remove. Some smaller food scraps can be put down your kitchen sink drain and broken up with the garbage disposal occasionally, but you should still try to minimize the amount of food that you put down the drain as much as possible. Oatmeal, noodles and stringy vegetables are among the foods that should never go down a drain.
Make Your Own Drain Cleaning Solution
If you have a drain that’s running slow or clogged entirely and you want to stop the clog from getting worse, flushing the drain with drain cleaning solution may be your best option. Chemical drain cleaners that are found in many stores can harm your drain and pipes. You can make your own solution with baking soda and vinegar that are poured down the drain separately.
Get Your Pipes Cleaned Occasionally
Your pipes won’t need regular cleanings if you don’t put a lot of clogging substances down your drains, but getting your pipes cleaned professionally from time to time can help prevent any drain blockages. A plumbing professional from C & C Mechanical Plumbing & Drain Cleaning or another local company can insert a plumbing snake inside a drain to clean out the pipes and drain more thoroughly.
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Be Careful About What You Flush
Your toilet should be used for flushing bodily waste and toilet paper or bottom cleaning wipes only, and any other objects that are flushed down it could clog the drain and prevent you from flushing anything else. Even though cotton pads, dental floss, and women’s hygiene products may seem safe to flush down a toilet, doing so can quickly clog your plumbing system.
Install a Hair Catcher
The drain that’s in your shower or tub could become clogged with hair that falls from your body while you’re cleaning yourself. These hair strands can get stuck in the drain and accumulate, which can cause a major drain blockage. A hair catcher is a simple filter that can be placed inside the drain to trap these hairs in a place where they’ll be easy to remove. You can periodically clean out the hair catcher to remove the hair strands.
If you want your drains to continue to flush wastewater effectively, you should do everything possible to keep your drains clear. A plumber who knows all about drains can also be called to help with any drainage issues you might be experiencing.