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Drains: Keeping Them Free Of Clogs

5 May 2020

Gina Hawkins

Keeping your drains free of clogs is something that can take a lot of work depending on your household, especially if you have small children in your house. This article will explain some of the more common ways clogs can happen, some of the more unique ways clogs can happen, and some of the things that you can do in order to prevent clogs from happening.

Some of the common ways drains get clogged

Sometimes there are things that can seem like a never-ending battle when it comes to keeping them out of your drains. Here are some of the more common causes of drain clogs:

Hair – Hair is a common cause of clogs and with good reason. When someone is in the shower, they can lose a lot of hair and that hair will go right down the bathtub drain where it can lead to clogs. You can purchase a drain gate for your shower or tub drain that catches the hair to stop clogs.

Soap – Soap is usually made with ingredients that contain fat or grease, both of which you want to keep out of the plumbing system. However, this is hard to do when the soap you use contains these things. The fat and grease can harden in the pipes, leading to clogs. Use soaps that don't contain sodium tallowate or sodium lardate or switch to liquid soap which usually doesn't contain these ingredients.

Food particles – Food that goes down the drain can end up clogging it. If you have a garbage disposal, you still need to be careful with what goes down it. The best way to prevent this type of clog is to wipe every dish off into the compost before putting it in the sink. Also, make sure all grease and fat is off dishes before they go in the sink.

Some of the lesser common ways drains are clogged

Sometimes there are things that may not be put down the drain regularly, but if and when they do, they can spell big trouble for you with regards to clogs. Here are some of the lesser common causes of drain clogs:

Dirt, sand, or litter - Dirt, sand, litter, and other heavy types of granules that go down the drain can be problematic because they can collect in the plumbing and lead to clogs in the system. If you are very dirty with actual dirt or sandy from going to the beach, you should rinse off with the hose or wipe yourself down before getting in the shower. If you are going to be rinsing out your litter box, do it in the yard and not in a shower.

Small objects – Small objects can be more common if you have small children, but they happen in a countless number of other ways. Legos, marbles, small action figures, small bouncy balls, and any other small toy can end up a victim of the toilet by way of tiny hands. You can prevent these types of clogs from happening by putting a childproof lock on the toilet seat that will make it so your little ones won't be able to get to the toilet.

Things labeled as flushable – There are a lot of items on the market that are labeled as "flushable." However, if the items aren't toilet paper, then there is a chance the items may still lead to clogs. The best thing to do is to continue to only flush toilet paper. Stay away from all "flushable" wipes, cat litter, and other items that aren't normally flushable.

The best way to prevent clogs

Aside from running your household in a way that prevents certain items from going down the drains, there is something else you should do to prevent clogs. This is to have a plumber come out to your home annually to clean the drains. When they clean the drains, it will get rid of anything that is starting to build up or that would eventually end up becoming part of a clog. Drain cleaning is something you don't want to skip because a lot of blockage and pipe narrowing can happen in two years. 

For more information about drain cleaning services, contact a professional. 

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