Drains are the gateways to a clean and fresh home. Whether it’s getting rid of food debris from the kitchen, wastewater from the washing machine, or soap suds from your shower or tub, the drain lets you simply flush the dirt away. Drains can get clogged over time by large waste particles like coffee grounds, chunky food waste, hair, or built-up cooking grease.
Keeping your drains clear and unclogging them from time to time is necessary to keep the problem under control. If left unattended, you may need to call your local plumbers in Long Beach, California, for help. But there are some preventative steps you can take to ensure your drains remain clean and clear.
Tips to Keep Your Drain Lines Clear
Check out these tips and tricks you can use to keep your drain lines clear and free of dirt.
- Don’t use the drain as a trash can: One of the first ways to keep your drains clear and block-free is to avoid throwing potential coagulants in the drain like it’s a trash can. Find other ways to dispose of them instead. For example, food waste, a very common coagulant, can be stored and gotten rid of via a separate garbage can or even used for composting if you are into gardening.
Hair clogging up the shower drain, another common problem, can be prevented by using a screen or grate at the opening. The hair can then be collected later and thrown away in a separate bin.
- Use hot water: Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, some waste particles end up building up over time and clogging up your drain. This is quite common in the kitchen, thanks to tiny food particles and cooking grease or oil in water that don’t wash away down the drain.
To solve this, run or pour some boiling hot water down the drain every time greasy or oily water is poured down the drain. The hot water will prevent the particles from sticking to the sides of the plumbing.
- Use baking soda: Baking soda can act as an effective cleaning agent for your drains as it can soak up any odors and small particles. Wash it down with water, and the baking soda will take all the dirt along with it and keep the dream clear and fresh. Doing this from time to time is a great idea.
- Use vinegar: Staying on a similar theme as sprinkling baking soda down the drain, you can also pour vinegar to achieve the same result. The acetic acid in vinegar acts as a natural solvent that can extract food and grease buildup along the inner surface of the drain. Remember to leave it for 30 minutes after pouring the vinegar before letting the water rinse it down.
- Use a strainer to catch any coagulant particles: As they say, “prevention is better than cure.” In the same spirit, install strainers in your kitchen and washroom drains wherever applicable so that the culprits are caught before they can cause much damage.
All you will need to do is go through the slight inconvenience of disposing of the gunk and dirt from the strainer promptly, and your drains won’t be much trouble for you at all in the long run. Your local plumbing contractor in Anaheim, CA can help you install the strainers.
- Use a store-bought cleaner to clean your drain: If you’re not in the mood for DIYing your drain cleaner, you can always use an over-the-counter option available in your local stores to keep your drains free of debris and gunk.
A word of caution, though: many cleaners contain lye, an active ingredient that can be hazardous to the eyes and lungs if used too much. To ensure safety, always adhere to the instructions on the label and use only the recommended amount.
If you find yourself in a situation where it’s too late, and none of the above self-help options are working, feel free to contact Power Pro Plumbing, the best in drain cleaning in Cerritos, CA.
