Blog

May
2
2017

How to Prevent Clogged Drains and Toilets

As you go about your daily business of cooking, cleaning, and laundry, your home’s drains have to work hard to keep up. With so much use, internal drains in your home can easily become clogged.

Signs of drain blockages include water that is slow to recede in sinks or showers, toilets that seem to struggle when flushing, and negative odors emitting from drainage areas. When you want to prevent blocked drains and clogged toilets from happening, it’s time to call your Brisbane drainage experts to eradicate the problem. But to keep these issues from occurring in the first place, a few simple steps can make a big difference. Follow our advice to help you prevent clogged drains and toilets.

Preventing Blocked Drains in Your Sinks

Your sinks are a prime suspect for clogging, particularly in the kitchen. As you clear dishes away, food particles are flushed down the drain, along with dish soap and other debris. Over time, certain materials can cause a buildup, so it’s important to take the right precautions to keep sink drains free and clear.

Don’t pour grease or fats down the sink

After cooking meats, don’t pour the remaining liquid fat down the drain. This is prone to clinging to drain walls and resulting in nasty buildup. Instead, pour animal fat into a container, where it will generally solidify. It can then be thrown out or disposed of properly.

Compost your food scraps

A major culprit of clogged sinks is remnants of food that have gone down the drain. Many items do not easily dissolve or wash away. Even garbage disposals cannot remove all of the sticky debris. In nearly all cases, the better approach is to throw your foodstuffs in the garbage, or, better yet, into a compost bin.

Give it a DIY flush.

After using the sink, a simple hot water flush can help keep your drains moving nicely. Pour hot water directly into the drain. Once every few weeks, you can also give your drains a natural cleanse, using baking soda and/or vinegar. These ingredients help to loosen material clinging to the drain and reopen the passageway.

Avoiding Clogged Toilets

To prevent clogged toilets, it’s essential to be mindful of what is being flushed down. Avoid disposing of items like sanitary products, paper towels, or excessive amounts of toilet paper. Regular maintenance, such as using a toilet plunger or enlisting the expertise of Brisbane Clogged Toilet Experts for professional assistance, can further ensure a smoothly functioning plumbing system in your home.

Never flush anything aside from toilet paper

A primary cause of a clogged toilet is when other items are flushed down the toilet, such as sanitary napkins or paper towels. Only items that will truly disintegrate in toilet water should be flushed. If you’re unsure whether baby wipes or something similar are flushable, try placing the item in question in a bowl of water to see if it mostly dissolves within 30 minutes. Items that retain their shape and bulk should not be flushed, as they will impact the drain.

Keep toilet paper use to a minimum

Although toilet paper is flushable, your drain can only handle so much. Use paper sparingly and if you need to dispose of a large amount, do so in multiple flushes. Keep a plunger in your bathroom so that you can easily tackle minor clogs.

Keeping Your Shower Drains Unclogged

Shower drains are another of the most likely places to experience a blockage. This is widely due to the percentage of hair which ends up in the shower drain. There are a few ways to stop clogs in their tracks.

Use a mesh drain stopper in your shower

Using a mesh-screened cup or other drain stopper can help catch some of the largest pieces of debris. Make sure you choose a stopper with small openings, otherwise, hair will easily bypass the capture point. You should empty this stopper once a week or so.

Brush your hair before showering

To prevent blocked showers, limit the amount of hair that ends up in the drain by brushing or combing your locks prior to your shower. This removes the loose hair that is ready to be washed away.

*By following the above tips, your drains will be kept as clear and functioning as possible.

Brisbane Blocked Drains offers rapid drain clearing for commercial and residential properties in Brisbane and surrounds. If you need help with clogged toilets or blocked drains, give us a call now.

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