Slow drains and clogs are much more than inconveniences. Unless fixed immediately, they can become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and germs. They also cause additional strain on your pipes and plumbing system—an emergency waiting to happen.
Kitchen Sink Drains Require Some Regular Care
1. Weekly maintenance routines can save you plenty of headaches in your home. At the start of every week, pour very hot water down your kitchen drain to help it remain clog free. Hot water is the simplest and best remedy for washing out any lingering debris.
2. Anytime your kitchen sink emits an unpleasant smell, it’s a good time to add vinegar to your weekly cleaning schedule. Simply pour one cup of vinegar down the drain and let it rest for thirty minutes. Then, flush the drain with two quarts of hot water, which will remove any loosened particles and wash away the vinegar smell.
3. If vinegar doesn’t do the trick, baking soda is still one of the best odor-eliminating products on the market. A half-cup of baking soda followed by hot water can absorb foul odors. If you like the smell of lemons, Lemi Shine Disposal Cleaner also uses natural cleaning agents to clean and freshen drains.
4. Avoidance is the best policy. Coffee grounds, eggshells, and potato skins are too thick and sticky for garbage disposals. Rice and pasta are also known to clog drains. And always remember that even the best garbage disposals have their limits. Too much food waste too fast will damage the best units on the market, so scrape those plates, pots, and pans before rinsing them off.
5. Grease is a no-no for your kitchen drain, especially when paired with hot water. As the grease cools, it will build up deeper down the line, making any home remedies less effective. The best rule of thumb is to pour grease into cans and jars and dispose of it properly. Any excess grease can be wiped off with a paper towel.
6. While using cold water with a garbage disposal is ideal, a grease clog requires a different remedy. Hot water and vinegar can help melt and remove any grease buildup. Pour the mix down the drain, wait a few minutes, and then use a sink plunger on the side of your sink without a garbage disposal.
7. Before giving up on a grease clog, consider trying liquid degreaser dish soap as a remedy. One or two tablespoons of liquid degreaser can sometimes break up a grease clog without damaging your pipes. Simply pour in the soap, put in the stopper, fill the sink with hot water, and wait a few minutes. Then, remove the stopper with something other than your hands, allowing the hot water and pressure to flush the loosened clog away.
Pour around three or four teaspoons of liquid dish soap down the drain. The best soap for drains is a liquid degreaser dish soap. Wait a few moments, then put in the drain stopper, and fill the sink with hot water. After twenty minutes, remove the stopper with something other than your hands.
8. Consider a kitchen sink screen to catch solids before they enter the drain. When cooking for a larger party and more food scraps are likely, a screen can catch anything during food preparation and prevent any bits of food not scraped into the trash from being rinsed down the drain.
9. Try some other home remedies for keeping the drain clean. A combination of salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar can sometimes be helpful. Borax, salt, and vinegar have also proven effective. In both cases, wait about 30 minutes before flushing the drain with hot water. Sometimes, a plunger or plumbing snake is needed as a follow-up.
10. Call Flush It! When in doubt, it always saves time and money to call a professional plumber, especially for troublesome clogs. Second-generation Flush It owner Dan Gonzalez started this trusted plumbing business by cleaning dirty drains. Clogged drains are so common that they helped Dan earn all his other plumbing certifications. Imagine that!
There are dozens of ways to keep your kitchen sink clean.
Many solutions involving bleach, salt, vinegar, and baking soda can help prevent plumbing problems and kitchen clogs. These solutions all have one thing in common: They do not rely on heavy-duty chemical cleaners, which can harm pipes.
If you want more tips on keeping your plumbing system clean, please ask Flush It about our prevention program for preferred customers. In addition to a complete home inspection once a year, customers receive 10 percent off labor anytime they require additional service. It’s just our way of earning your trust and business.
