When it comes to keeping drains clog-free, many business owners and homeowners have heard many old wives’ tales and misinformation. Often, they are not sure exactly what causes a drain or sewer clog or how to prevent these common problems. Thankfully, a drain cleaning FAQ from a knowledgeable and experienced drain cleaning professional can answer many of the most common residential and commercial drain cleaning questions. Let’s look at a few frequently asked drain cleaning questions for hair, grease, and flushables.
Q: How Can I Keep Hair Out of My Drains?
A: Sink strainers can help prevent hair clogs in your drain by collecting the hair in one place and making it easier to remove. A quality sink strainer can also help prevent other types of material entering your waste pipes. For commercial applications, hair nets will help keep hair strands from falling out and down into your drain.
Avoiding hair buildup in your shower drain is a little trickier. A shower cap can help prevent hair from going down the shower drain. However we all still need to wash our hair. You can clean it in the sink, but you can also be diligent and remember always to remove the hair from around the shower drain. This will keep a clog from forming above the drain and help keep hair from going down the drain.
Q: How Do I Deal with Grease?
A: Grease buildup in your drain is often caused by two situations, cleaning greasy dishes and overusing a garbage disposal. The slight film that comes from these grease sources builds up over time and is difficult to remove. While a hot water flush is a great short-term solution to grease removal, it will still need to be removed as it will collect further down the drain. The best way to deal with grease is to wipe simply down your dishes with paper towels before rinsing in the sink. This will remove the majority of the grease and prevent it from going down the drain.
You should limit your use of the garbage disposal to once or twice a day. Make sure you never put items down the garbage disposal that are not explicitly allowed by the disposal manufacturer and model. Always check your owners manual to ensure you are complying with the proper usage and recommendations. Greasy items that are lower in viscosity are more likely to coagulate once they pass through the disposal.
Q: What Can I Safely Flush?
A: You should only flush your personal waste and a handful or two of toilet paper with each use. Excessive toilet paper will quickly build up and cause a toilet clog. If you need to use a large amount of toilet paper for a particular visit, try flushing before you begin using the toilet paper. This will provide one flush for waste and preserve a clean flush for the toilet paper. Toilet paper clogs can be hard to break up without serious professional help. Never flush the following items down a toilet:
- Solid Objects
- Grease
- Food
- Kleenex
- Hair
- Paper Towels
- Q-Tips
- Dental Floss
- Diapers
If you followed these drain guidelines and still have ended up with a severe clog you can not remove, contact the experienced drain cleaning professionals at Balkan Drain Cleaning as soon as possible. We will address the situation and restore your clean flowing drain and sewer as quickly as possible.
