Three Drain Cleaning Tips

To avoid plumbing issues like clogs, you need to ensure that you are staying on top of your drain cleaning. Drain cleaning can also greatly extend the lifespan of your plumbing fixtures. Some homeowners assume that because they are not a licensed plumber, that they are unable to tackle any type of plumbing work in the house. However, this is not true. There are many drain cleaning tasks that can be classified as do-it-yourself with a little bit of time and effort on the part of the homeowner. Here are three tips that will help keep your drains clean and your plumbing system working more efficiently year-round.

Install Drain Strainers

The drains in your kitchen and bathroom are having to deal with food particles, hair, and soap on a regular basis. Because it would be impractical to plunge these drains constantly, it is a good idea to invest in drain strainers that would keep materials out that would clog them up. In doing so, you would only have to clean the strainers out every now and then to avoid problems.

Clean the Drains

Periodically throughout the year, you should visit all of your drains and clean them out to ensure they do not get clogged up. Ideally, it is a good idea to go this at least once per month, although depending on your household's usage, cleaning the drains may be a task that needs to be done more frequently or at specific times of the year. For instance, you definitely want to ensure your drains are cleaned out before you have a large gathering at your home, such as for the holidays.

One effective and safe way to clean your ways is with a vinegar and baking soda mixture. You should pour half of a cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with half of a cup of vinegar. This mixture should sit in the drains overnight, so make sure to plug the drain with a stopper. The following day, you will boil a pot of water and pour it down the drain.

Perform a Hot Water Flush

If you want to do something extra to clean your drains or don't have the time to perform the baking soda/vinegar cleaning task, then you can perform a hot water flush. Simply pour some boiling hot water down your drain. This is a task that can be repeated on a weekly basis without harming your plumbing system,

If you believe you need a more thorough drain cleaning, contact a drain cleaning professional in your area.