With more time being spent at home, there will undoubtably be a higher usage of our sinks, toilets, showers and baths by all members of the household. If we are not taking the correct preventative actions, this could result in blocked pipes and drains. To prevent this from occurring within your homes, we have created a simple list of the actions that you should follow or avoid.
Flushing. When it comes to flushing, it’s easy for us to think of it as a ’quick bin’ option, removing those unwanted items out of sight and out of mind forever, just with the flush of a chain. However, the only thing that you should be flushing is toilet paper. Cotton pads, makeup wipes and sanitary products are not biodegradable and so do not break down in the way that the paper will and will cause damage to your pipes, as well as the environment.
Food. A simple tip to prevent clogging – before washing up your dishes, you should ensure that all food remnants are scraped off into the bin. Any food that gets washed down thorough the pipes, no matter how small, will build up and cause a blockage overtime which will be difficult to break down.
Oils. It is tempting to pour those leftover oils or greases from your cooking down the plughole, but you should refrain from this. The rumour that running hot water down the drain following the oils will eliminate the risk of clogging isn’t true. The greases find ways of sticking to the sides of the pipes and, overtime, will build up until eventually no other liquids will be able to pass through. Allow oils to dry and harden and then dispose of them into your bins.
Baking soda. If you fear that your drains are becoming clogged, you can try this simple trick which may work for you. Take a spoonful of baking soda and tip it directly into our plughole. Baking soda is an incredible home-cleaning remedy. Follow this up with hot water and together, they should clear build-up as well as any smell that they leave behind.
Plugholes. Whilst on the topic of sinks, let’s look at your plugs. If they don’t have a plug protector on them, it is worth investing in one. This applies for your bathroom and kitchen sinks as well as your shower and bath. The protector will act by preventing mass amounts of food or hair from getting trapped in your pipes and drains. You are then able to remove the protector and tip the waste or hair safely into the bin.
These tips are all simple actions that you can take to avoid clogged pipes within your home and allow you to avoid those hefty costs from easily preventable problems. If you do find that your drain or pipes are ever blocked, whether you take these actions on board or not, you should call for a professional to remove it quickly, safely and effectively.
If you would like helped with a clogged drain, give our specialist team at Platinum Plumbers a call on 020 8855 0361 or email us at where we can get back to you and arrange a time to visit your premises.
