Drains and pipes are designed to move liquid away from your home. However, when certain materials find their way into the plumbing, blockages will form. When these obstructions are neglected, they lead to backups that require professional drain cleaning from an experienced plumber. Fortunately, there are many avenues to take for steering clear of clogs and their many complications. To help you protect your plumbing, here are a few practices that will help prevent clogs.

5 Strategies to Keep Drains From Clogging

1. Use a Hair Trap

Over time, individual hair strands will stick and collect within pipes, and eventually form a mass that makes it hard for water to flow through. Place hair traps in shower drains to catch these obstructions before they go further down the plumbing.

2. Give Your Garbage Disposal a Break

Not all types of food go down the kitchen sink. Certain items—such as fibrous vegetables, rice, pasta, eggshells, and coffee grounds—jam up the garbage disposal and contribute to blockages. Instead of throwing this waste into the sink, put it in a compost bin or trashcan instead.

3. Watch What You Flush

Toilets are powerful waste removal tools, but they’re only designed to handle liquids and human waste. When you flush other objects down the drain, serious clogs will form. To minimize the need for professional drain cleaning, never flush items that can jam up the pipes—such as cotton balls, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, bandages, baby wipes, paper towels, and cat litter.  

4. Never Rinse Grease

After you’re done cooking, leftover grease and oil looks liquid enough to dump into the drain, but they’ll restrict water flow after cooling and solidifying in the pipes. Prevent this by always pouring fats, oils, and grease into a safe disposal container. When washing a greasy dish, run hot water through the drain to thoroughly remove traces of the waste.

5. Perform Routine Drain Cleaning

Routine drain cleaning will remove small buildup to prevent larger clogs. One easy way to perform this task is to put a scoop of baking soda in the drain and rinse it with hot water. Another useful method is letting one cup of vinegar sit in the drain for 30 minutes before rinsing it with boiling water.

When facing a clog that won’t quit, don’t wait for the problem to get worse. Instead, turn to Nobles Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for fast and thorough assistance. Serving the Mason, OH area, this experienced plumber is equipped with advanced drain cleaning resources that can take on the toughest blockages—including sink, shower, and toilet clogs—and keep your pipes flowing. For more details about these emergency plumbing services, visit this contractor online. To request a quote, call (513) 237-1781.