Maintaining a smoothly flowing plumbing system is a crucial aspect of home upkeep and one often overlooked until disaster strikes in the form of a blocked drain. To ensure your Canterbury drains remain free-flowing and hassle-free, it’s essential to clean them regularly. We recommend a professional drain inspection every two years to safeguard your plumbing’s functionality. This article will explore how to effectively clean your drains and provide valuable insights into preventive measures.
How Frequently Should I Clean My Drains?
The question of Canterbury drain cleaning frequency arises frequently, and the answer is simple: as often as possible. Ideally, a weekly cleaning routine ensures optimal performance, but a monthly cleaning session suffices for those with hectic schedules. Consistency is key; thus, incorporating drain cleaning into your regular housekeeping schedule ensures it never slips your mind.
Prevention is the cornerstone of effective drain maintenance, and Coastal Drains endorses this approach. Before delving into drain cleaning techniques, let’s briefly examine preventive measures.
Simple Prevention Steps
Maintaining your drains need not be a daunting task; it’s simpler than you might think. Here are some preventive measures to minimize the risk of blockages:
Use Drain Traps: Installing drain traps and catchers over your drains is highly recommended. They effectively remove unwanted debris from your pipes, especially in kitchen sinks and bathroom shower drains.
Dispose of Wisely: Discard food items, paper towels, and debris in the rubbish bin. Never pour oil and grease down the drain, as it’s a common cause of blockages in the UK. These substances adhere to drain walls, harden over time, and impede water flow.
Now, let’s dive into when and how to clean your drains effectively.
When to Clean Your Drains
For those who prefer a clean home, it’s a common practice to deep-clean every week. Don’t forget to include drain cleaning in your routine. Neglecting drains can lead to regrettable consequences once problems arise. Thus, incorporating weekly or monthly drain cleaning is wise. Here’s a breakdown of how to clean drains in various areas of your home:
Bathroom
Shower and Bathtub: During your weekly bathroom scrub, don rubber gloves and remove the shower drain stopper. Clear out accumulated hair, soap scum, and debris. Scrub the drain stopper with chemical cleaner and rinse thoroughly. Repeat the same process for your bathroom sink.
Toilet: Apply toilet chemical cleaner weekly and scrub before flushing. This routine application helps keep bathroom drains clear of debris. Consider natural cleaners as an alternative, especially if you have young children.
Kitchen
The kitchen is a hotspot for dirt, making thorough weekly cleaning imperative. Follow these steps to maintain a clean kitchen and sink:
Drain Guard: Install a drain guard to capture food particles, coffee grounds, and other debris to prevent blockages. Empty the drain guard into the rubbish bin and clean it before reapplying.
Drain Cleaning: For a clean drain, pour a small amount of bleach (about a capful) down the drain, followed by a kettle of boiling water. Alternatively, try a baking soda and vinegar solution, which helps dissolve debris and improve drain flow.
You can consistently follow these steps to prevent drain blockages and maintain clean, trouble-free drains. Incorporate these practices into your regular cleaning routine or establish them as weekly habits to keep your drains in optimal condition.
