Drain clogs are a part of life for homeowners. It’s not a matter of if you’ll have a clog, but when one will show up. They may be annoying, frustrating, and troublesome to deal with, but the good news is that you can do some things to prevent them from forming or at least slow their formation.
How To Prevent Drain Clogs
- Be aware of what you put down the drain and garbage disposal
- Avoid flushing certain items down the toilet
- Never use chemical drain cleaners as they can cause further damage
- Use a natural bio drain cleaner as a preventive measure for slow drains
Rather than go through the hassle of removing a clog, taking a few of these proactive steps can help you prevent a drain clog in the first place and keep your drains cleaner for longer.
1. Be Aware Of What You Put Down The Drain and Garbage Disposal
It may seem like common sense, but your drain can’t handle everything you throw at it. Obviously, things like hair are an issue in your bathroom, but your kitchen drain is probably the most prone to trouble from this issue, and it has to do with something you probably use every day: your garbage disposal. Many people are lulled into a false sense of security, thinking their disposal will take care of whatever it is they put down the drain. But the truth is this isn’t the case. Your garbage disposal is good at taking care of many things, fatty foods, stringy foods, or shells from foods like eggs or shrimp are all known for being catalysts that cause clogs to form. They stick to the sides of plumbing and then catch other debris that goes down the drain, eventually causing a pesky clog that’s a real pain to get rid of.
2. Avoid Flushing Certain Items Down The Toilet
Toilets give us a quick, sanitary, and easy way of disposing of certain types of waste. However, your toilet’s drain line is small, and that means some of these things which many people simply flush away can get stuck and cause a clog. As such, we always strongly advise all customers to only flush things like fecal matter and toilet paper down the drain—nothing else. It surprises a lot of people that one of the leading causes of unexpected toilet clogs is feminine hygiene products that are flushed down the toilet—because these products are designed to expand, they can fill in a small gap and complete a clog in a hurry. If you’re ever in doubt whether or not it’s okay to flush something away, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution and toss it in the trash can instead.
3. Never Use Chemical Drain Cleaners
While this isn’t really a way to prevent a drain clog, you may have seen those nasty chemical drain cleaners in the plumbing aisle in your local home improvement warehouse. Never use these—while they claim they can get rid of a clog, they also eat away at your plumbing and can do far more damage than they’re worth. However, that doesn’t mean everything in that aisle is a waste.
4. Use A Natural Bio Drain Cleaner
Bio drain cleaners are becoming more and more common and could do great things to keep your drains in good shape. These cleaners usually look like small pellets that you put down your drain. These pellets contain bacteria that eat away at organic materials in your drains, opening them up and keeping them clean. They’re totally harmless to your plumbing, completely safe to use around young children and pets, and even eat their way through any grime and buildup found throughout the drain lines in your home. Putting a capful or two of these pellets down your drain every few days to a week can alleviate a slow drain in no time, and do so in a way that’s completely natural!
If you were unable to prevent a drain clog and you’re tired of your drain giving you headaches, call the Westchester County drain cleaning team from Pro Drain, Inc., at (855) 463-2457 or contact us online to schedule a drain cleaning service today.