Clogged drains are a hassle, but preventing them is easier than you think. These seven tips will help you keep water flowing smoothly through your home.
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It’s easy to rinse cooking grease or oil down the sink, but this is one of the fastest ways to create a stubborn clog. Grease might go down as a liquid, but it cools into a solid as it travels through your pipes. Over time, it sticks to the inner walls and traps food, debris, and more grease.
Instead, pour leftover grease into a heat-safe container, let it solidify, and throw it in the trash. If you need to rinse a pan, wipe it with a paper towel first. Even if you use hot water and dish soap, some residue will always remain. Avoiding this step is one of the biggest causes of kitchen sink clogs we see.
Drain screens or strainers might not look like much, but they’re a powerful defense against clogs. Place them over drains in sinks, showers, and tubs to catch hair, food scraps, soap scum, or small items before they enter the pipes.
In bathrooms, screens catch hair and prevent it from mixing with soap and hard water, which can form sticky blockages. In the kitchen, they stop food debris from slipping through the disposal or past the strainer. Clean them out regularly, and you’ll prevent buildup before it starts. It’s a small investment that saves time and money later.
Drain screens or strainers might not look like much, but they’re a powerful defense against clogs. Place them over drains in sinks, showers, and tubs to catch hair, food scraps, soap scum, or small items before they enter the pipes.
In bathrooms, screens catch hair and prevent it from mixing with soap and hard water, which can form sticky blockages. In the kitchen, they stop food debris from slipping through the disposal or past the strainer. Clean them out regularly, and you’ll prevent buildup before it starts. It’s a small investment that saves time and money later.
Bathroom drains – especially in showers and tubs – often clog due to hair. Combine that with shampoo, conditioner, and soap residue, and you’ve got a sticky, stubborn mess inside your pipes. Even if you don’t shed much hair, regular showers can still lead to gradual buildup.
Using a drain screen is the first step, but it helps to clean it out every few days instead of waiting until it’s fully blocked. For longer hair, brushing before showering can reduce what ends up going down the drain. Once a month, you can also flush bathroom drains with hot (not boiling) water and a bit of baking soda and vinegar to loosen any grime. Keeping up with these habits is far easier than dealing with a backed-up tub.
Over time, soap residue (better known as “soap scum”) can line your pipes, especially if you have hard water. This residue traps hair and dirt, contributing to buildup in bathroom sinks and drains. Bar soaps tend to leave more residue than liquid soaps, and certain products with oils or moisturizers may be worse.
Switching to liquid soap or body wash can reduce buildup. You can also use simple cleaners like vinegar or baking soda once a month to help clear out soft residue before it hardens. Some homeowners even decide to install a water softener to reduce mineral deposits and make cleaning more effective.
Store-bought chemical drain cleaners promise quick results, but they can cause long-term damage to your plumbing. The harsh chemicals can eat away at pipe linings, especially if used too often or on older plumbing systems. They can also push a partial clog deeper into the pipes, where it’s harder to reach.
Safer alternatives include flushing with hot water, vinegar, and baking soda, or simply using a drain snake to loosen and remove buildup. If these tricks don’t work, it’s time to call someone who can diagnose the problem safely. Many homes in Plymouth and Bristol County feature aging plumbing, and using the wrong method could end up making a bad situation worse.
Clogged drains might not seem like a big deal, but if left unchecked, they can turn into larger plumbing issues – and fast. By making a few simple changes, such as using drain screens, watching what goes down the disposal, and staying away from harsh cleaners, you can avoid most blockages before they start. These simple steps don’t take much time, and they add up to fewer headaches and fewer emergency calls. If your drains are already acting up, or you’re just not sure what’s going on, Dempsey Energy is here to help. We work with residents throughout Plymouth, Bristol, and Norfolk County to find and fix issues early. Whether you need help clearing a stubborn blockage or want advice on better drain care, we’ll walk you through the options and get things flowing smoothly again.
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