A Plumber’s Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning and Unclogging Drains
It’s something we take for granted, but being able to pour out dirty water into our sinks or bathrooms and watch it drain away is one of the greatest conveniences of modern society. Many of us only appreciate this convenience when faced with a slow drain. It’s enough to drive you crazy when you realize that the water isn’t draining or is draining too slowly. Below, we share our expert plumbing tips for how to clean drains and unclog them so you can get back to your day to day activities.
Tips to Clean Sink Drains in Your Kitchen
If you want to avoid the inconvenience of a slow kitchen sink drain, we recommend pouring boiling hot water down the drain weekly. This will help to melt down any fatty build up. You can also pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. Allow this to sit for at least 30 minutes and then rinse with boiling hot water.
Another way to avoid clogging is by ensuring you scrape your pots, pans and dishes clean before you wash them. This removes as much grease and debris and helps minimize build up. Use cold water to rinse your dishes. This prevents grease from melting and getting into your drain where it cools and coats the inside of the pipes.
Tips for Blocked Drain Cleaning
You don’t need harsh chemicals to unclog your kitchen sink. In fact, these chemicals are more likely to damage your plumbing and will have a negative impact on the environment. The best way to clean drain pipes is by using hot water. Fill your sink with boiling hot water and allow this to stand for about two hours. The heat, weight and pressure of the water will help to clear the clogging. You can use a plunger to dislodge the blockage if it doesn’t clear on its own.
If you believe the clogging is due to a greasy build up, repeat the above steps with a mixture of boiling hot water and vinegar. This will help to melt and dislodge the blockage. You can also use a plunger if the blockage does not dislodge on its own. Repeat the steps above once more if the drain is still slow.
Tips for Bathroom Drain Cleaning and Unclogging
Just as with kitchen sinks it is also important to carry out routine maintenance of bathroom drains. Make sure to remove hair from the drains in the sink, bathtub or shower once a month. You can use a bent wire hanger or a tool known as the Drain Weasel. Straighten your coat hanger and bend one end into a hook. Push this end into the drain and fish out as much as you can. Run very hot water into the drain thereafter.
Clean pop-up stoppers in sinks, tubs and showers at least once a month. Lift them out of the drain and clear debris. Scrub them clean using a toothbrush and rinse before replacing them.
To unclog bathroom drains, start by removing any hair or debris in the drain using your wire hanger or Drain Weasel. Pour hot water down the drain. Allow the water to stand for an hour or two. If this doesn’t work, you will need to call a plumber to address the issue.
Deodorizing Drains
Have you noticed a funky smell coming from your drains? You can deal with this odor by pouring a half cup of baking soda into the drain. Follow this with two quarts of boiling hot water. This is effective for cleaning and deodorizing kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tubs and shower drains.
Professional Unclogging and Drain Cleaning in North Bend
Are you drains giving you a headache? Call SnoFalls Plumbing for professional cleaning and unclogging of drains. We’ll get your drains flowing as quickly as possible and ensure you don’t suffer the inconvenience of clogged drains in the long term.
