Home Drains 101

Drain Care Tips For Your Home

Though many often don’t think about their home drainage system until they ultimately have to, being mindful of how you use them could prevent a lot of future problems. From your toilet to your sink, there are several daily steps you are probably taking that could be harming your drain. Though it’s not intentional, it’s still damaging, and leading to what could eventually be a significant issue.

So as we continue into the new year ahead, here is everything you need to know about the drains in your home to keep them problem-free in 2020:

Kitchen Drain Care

Let’s start with one of the most trafficked areas of your home — the kitchen. From after-dinner plates to garbage disposal care, you could be doing your drains a disservice. For starters, you should always have a drain catcher in your sink to catch spare food particles from going down the drain, where they can clump up, stick together, and ultimately reduce your water flow. Here are some other kitchen habits you should try to adapt:

Scrape your plates: Before placing your dinner plates into the sink, get into the habit of scraping them into the garbage each day. Doing so will ensure that no food waste will get down the drain and clog it.

Do right by your disposal: One common mistake many homeowners make is throwing ALL FOOD down your garbage disposal. You should only use it for small, chopped up foods and avoid grease, oils, and fibrous/stringy foods like celery and pasta. That is because when wet, these foods swell and expand and will ultimately do the same in your drains.

Dispose of grease in the trash can: If you’re frying foods, be sure to have a way of getting rid of the leftover grease and cooking fats. They should never be placed in the sink. Once cooled, they harden. When these oils and fats solidify in your sink, they can leave sludge and buildup around the pipes and eventually create a complete blockage. Instead, dispose of them in an old coffee can.

Get rid of drain smells: To keep your drains smelling fresh and clean, consider grinding citrus peels with cold water every few weeks.

Bathroom Drain Tips

Shower drains: From shampoo and soap suds to excess hair making its way down the drain, it’s not uncommon for many homeowners to find themselves standing in a puddle of water before their shower is even over.

The best way to prevent this from being a common occurrence is through an inexpensive hair catcher. These additions can stop any shedding hair and debris from getting in your drains and ultimately sticking to your pipes. If you already find yourself standing in a pool of water every time you shower, you’ll want to consider a drain cleaning, too.

Toilet mistakes: From q-tips to paper towels, many things can accidentally get flushed down the toilet drain, especially when kids are involved. However, your plumbing is not prepared to handle it all. Even “flushable” wipes aren’t as toilet-friendly as their branding might like you to think. These wipes don’t break down like toilet paper can and can build up in your system, clogging it down the road.

In general, you should only flush toilet paper and bodily fluids — that is it.

Say no to the at-home drain cleaners: Though grocery store drain cleaners are a quick fix, these chemicals, with overuse, can eat away at your plumbing. Instead, practice proper prevention and schedule regular drain cleanings when you can.

Professional Marietta Drain Cleaning

Though DIY drain cleaning at home might seem to fix the problem in the short term, it actually could be leaving part of the clog behind. With professional cleaning, you’ll have no damage to your plumbing, no risk of chemicals, and less chance of the clog from returning.

So if you are continually battling a stubborn drain clog, Dupree Plumbing is here to help. Our plumbing contractors are ready to take care of the issue today.