We take our drains for granted, assuming they’ll work as they should with minimal to no involvement on our part. This is true when you use your drains for their intended purpose, but there can be unintended consequences when they’re used for other reasons. The following will help you keep your drains flowing free, no matter what room they’re in.

Kitchen Drains

Using your kitchen drain as a garbage can or disposal may be tempting. However, that won’t achieve the best outcome for your wallet or your peace of mind. The following four tips can help with those two things:

1. Do not put grease of any kind down your kitchen sink. It will solidify, and you’ll have a clogged drain.
2. Always run water down your disposal when using it. This will help wash the ground scraps through the pipes without clogging.
3. Make a weekly habit of pouring at least a gallon of boiling water down your drain. This will help dissolve any residual greasy food particles.
4. At least once a month, use an enzymatic drain cleaner or baking soda and vinegar to release any residual debris.

Bathroom Drains

Ideally, you should use a drain screen to trap hair and debris before they go down your tub or basin drain. Additionally, there are five other helpful actions that you can take:

1. Brush your hair before you wash it. This removes loose hairs and skin that might otherwise go down the drain.
2. As with your kitchen drain, pour at least a gallon of boiling water down the bathroom drains to remove soap scum and residue from personal care products.
3. Use drain stoppers and clean them regularly.
4. Remove any small items around the basin so they’re not accidentally knocked into the drain, especially without your knowledge.
5. Never ever flush foreign objects down the toilet. It was designed for one purpose, and any other use can clog the toilet and, eventually, all the drains in the house.

General Care

Although it’s tempting to simply get a container of caustic drain cleaner and use it once monthly, we don’t recommend this approach, especially if you have children or pets. The caustic substances in these cleaners can damage your plumbing, particularly if it’s older, and shouldn’t be used for routine maintenance.

A better solution to monthly drain cleaning is to pour a half-cup of baking soda into the drain, add one-fourth cup of kosher salt, and then pour in a cup of vinegar. You can use either white vinegar or cider vinegar, and the salt is optional. This creates a chemical reaction that eliminates many minor clogs.

If you’ve taken good care of your drains but still need a plumber, call one without delay. Reach out to the experienced team at Turbo Plumbing & Rooter in Granada Hills, CA for drain cleaning straight away.