Blocked Drain Cleaning – Common Causes and Methods

Blocked drain cleaning can be hassle free. It is important for every family to keep the kitchen and bathroom sink tidy. These are the areas of the house which are used daily and therefore get dirty quickly. You may run into blocked drains which may cause flooding and unpleasant odors in the house.

Blocked Drain

Blocked Drains In the Kitchen

Fatty substances are the main cause of kitchen sink blockage or slow and blocked drains. Fatty oil and grease go down in the drain easily when they are in a liquid form. The fat has a tendency to cool down as it moves through the pipes and this solid fat becomes thicker causing a slow drain or complete blockage. Vegetable peels and large food particles become trapped in the pipes resulting in blocked drains and sink clogs.

Blocked Drains in The Bathroom

Soap particles and greasy soap residues can cause a blocked drain by coating the interiors of the pipes in the bathroom. It can actually corrode the pipes sometimes. The hair goes down with water easily and is the most common cause of bathroom drain blockage. The hair accumulates inside the pipe and creates clogs right below the drain.

Diy Blocked Drain Cleaning

Blocked Drain

• For environmental and safety reasons, we prefer to clean the clogged drains with natural ingredients, before trying any chemicals.
• Many chemicals are available in the stores to clean the drain which may be harsh and cause more damage to the pipes. Thus, you have to be careful. Some of the chemicals move the clogs further down causing a still larger blockage.
• You can pour half a box of baking soda in the sink for blocked drain cleaner. Do not add any water. Now pour half a cup of vinegar Then carefully and immediately block the drain with rags or a metal stopper. You will notice bubbles and a sizzling noise emitted from the drain. Nothing to worry as the ingredients are doing their work here. Pouring of baking soda along with vinegar causes a reaction in the drain and should be kept covered for at least half an hour.
• Pour boiling hot water in the sink directly after the baking soda and vinegar treatment, as it is capable of dissolving the organic matters. This helps in cleaning the blocked drain. Be careful of not putting boiling hot water in the porcelain sink and in the PVC pipes, as the heat may cause a crack in the porcelain sinks or loosen the grip of the PVC pipes.
• If your sink is completely blocked and even the liquid or water will not flow through due to a large obstruction, use of Hand plunger is the best solution for this. Cup-shaped plunger is the right kind of plunger for a sink. There are two types available in the market-the hand held plunger and the full length plunger. Both are equally effective. You have to fill the sink halfway with water and apply firm, sharp and fast plunges to remove the clog.
• The hand held drain snakes are available in the hardware stores for blocked drain cleaner. These are shaped like long, barbed steel wires to snake into the drain. This instrument can be twisted to catch and remove debris. These are designed in such a way that they can bend around most of the pipes.
• Keep your drain covered with hair and food catchers, known as strainers or plug hole filter to prevent blocked drains from hair and other proteins. These strainers will stop these items from entering and causing a clog.

Weekly cleaning of kitchen and bathroom sink is a sure way and a good habit to develop to keep your home germ free and odour free and ensure blocked drain cleaning.