A clogged drain can be a real pain. The good news is, you can prevent clogged drains in your house with some relatively easy, preventative measures.
What to do with grease?
Cooking grease is liquid only when it’s hot. When it cools off, it becomes a drain-clogging solid. Use an old can (coffee can, tomato sauce can, etc.) to collect the used cooking grease, then throw it in the trash.
Should coffee grounds go down the drain?
No, coffee grounds shouldn’t go down the drain. Coffee grounds make a fantastic addition to your compost pile, or simply throw them in the trash. Cooking grease and coffee grounds are the cause of more drain stoppages than anything else.
Apply this basic rule: your drain is not a trash can.
As mentioned above, it’s better to throw some things in the trash. As a general rule, if it’s trash, it should go in the trash. Scrape leftover food off dinner plates into the trash can. This is another simple yet effective way to avoid stoppages in your system.
A grate way to prevent clogs:
Cover your drain opening with a drain grate or a screen. This will catch most soap scum and hair that would otherwise clog your tub or shower drains. While these will need to be cleaned out, this is one of the easiest ways to prevent clogged drains.
Also, your toilet is not a trash can.
It’s tempting to flush things down the toilet, but, honestly, other than your recently deceased family goldfish, you should not under any circumstances flush any other foreign objects. Just because it goes down when you flush doesn’t mean it will make it all the way down to the sewer. Things can easily get snagged in your pipes and lead to a major stoppage.
Piping Hot
Flush your drains about once a week with the hottest water your faucet can give. This will melt away things like light grease deposits. Let the hot water run for a few minutes as a gentle way to hit the reset button on your drains. This can also be accomplished with a kettle full of boiling water.
Stay away from chemical cleaners.
While it seems like a good idea to buy chemical-based drain clog remover from the store and use them on your drains, these will actually erode your drain pipes over time, especially if you live in an old house. Protect your pipes.
Cold water is a garbage disposal’s best friend.
Run cold water for at least 15 seconds after turning off your disposal. By doing so, you’ll clear out any excess food and prevent clogs.
Just like with your personal health, preventative measures will save you from reactive, high-cost fixes down the road. Employ these tips and you’ll save yourself a ton of trouble.