How to Prevent Your Drains From Clogging

Clogged drains are a common household problem, both within the kitchen and the bathroom. Unfortunately, it is all too often that you find your drains either clogged up or just outright blocked. In the case of drains, prevention can often be a far better solution than any home remedy to repair the damages already done to your pipeline. Knowing how to prevent your drains from clogging in the first place will go a long way in order to keep your plumbing system in good shape.

Keep Hair Away from Your Drains

Though at times easier to say than do, keeping hair away from your drains will save you a lot of hassle in the future. Hair is one of the most common ways a shower drain clogs. A good way to prevent this from happening in the first place is to use a hair catcher; the ones that perform the best are the ones made of fine mesh. Additionally, you should brush your hair before taking a shower.

Be Careful What You Flush!

Toilets are made to handle human waste and toilet paper. As such, there are limits to what they can take. Be careful what you decide to dispose of within the toilet, as dense or otherwise bulky materials can cause a clog.

Personal Hygiene Products Are Clogging Hazards

From dental floss to pads, products like these often get stuck within the pipeline. This is either due to their material or simply because of the bulk they carry with them.

Dispose of Liquid Grease Properly!

While it’s tempting to dump your used grease in the drain, it will quite quickly solidify and clog up your drains. The best way to prevent this and dispose of it is to pour it into a separate container and let it cool; once it does, you can toss it in the trash to get rid of it that way.

Put Your Food in the Trash Before Washing the Dishes

While the few scraps of food on your plate may go down the drain, it doesn’t mean they will make it all the way down the pipes. Food often gets stuck within the pipeline and begins to cause further blockage. To save yourself some pain (and money!), it’s probably best to dump the food in either the compost bin or your regular trash can! Yes, this also applies to ground coffee!

Preventing Soap Scum

Soap scum is primarily caused by your water supply having hard water. When the water reacts with the soap, it will form soap scum, a sticky and slimy substance contributing to clogging. You can help soften the water in your house by installing a water softener or switching from soap to body wash or liquid soap.

Bonus Tip to Prevent Clogging!

If you want to ensure that your drains are safe from tree roots, you can pour half a cup of Copper Sulfate into your toilet for approximately two months to curb root growth and prevent them from entering your drains. Don’t worry! It won’t harm any of your trees.