5 ways to flush a drain pipe that are super easy!
Clogged drain pipes get in the way of daily activities in the kitchen or bathroom, causing leakages, improper water drainage, and several other issues. The ideal scenario is calling in a plumber or handyman to do the job of clearing your drain pipes and getting everything in working condition once again. A technician can also inspect your pipes and check if they need to be replaced.
For those of you who are into DIY, we suggest a few simple steps that can help prevent your drains from getting clogged, along with easy cleaning methods. For more complex jobs, calling a plumber is a MUST.
Drainage pipes are the backbone of your plumbing system. In case you hear abnormal sounds from them, they flush slowly, or if there’s a horrible smell, you know it’s time to clean them! Every pipe, whether in the kitchen sink, shower, or toilet, is attached to the lateral sewer lines that go out of your house.
Here are 5 ways to flush a drain pipe or prevent clogging:
1.Tips on cleaning your lines
Enzyme cleaners
An enzyme cleaner is an easy and effective way to clean your drain pipelines. Not only do they come in numerous types, but each type of enzyme cleaner also has a different function. While some remove pet dander or stains, others efficiently clean out drainage lines. Where can you get these from? Any hardware store near your house. Make sure to look out for a high-quality enzyme cleaner for the best results.
Once you’ve got the enzyme cleaner, ensure that you follow all manufacturer instructions and place the cleaner inside a large drain in your house. Your kitchen and bathrooms should have a large floor drain. These enzymes enter your drains and clean your pipes through a biological reaction. It will take time but is worth the wait.
Drain snakes
Drain snakes are specifically created for cleaning drains. Using them is extremely simple!
Do note that these are best for solving minor clogs as the effort required is minimal while the snake extends to do the job. The drain snakes can be defined as augers and will twist through clogs in a drain line with extreme precision.
While they aren’t the best solution for major problems, they do take care of minor ones. However, if you don’t use them properly, you could do more harm than good. If your drain snake can’t get through a clog, call a plumber at once!
Drain Pipe Cleaners
Chemical-based abrasive drain cleaners are also an option. Use them once or twice a year and flush them down your lines, but don’t use too much water. Once you flush them down, be patient! They will take time to work through waste built up over the years.
Don’t use them too often as they could corrode your pipes! You need your pipes to function effectively and cleaners with harsh chemicals eat away their interiors, rendering them vulnerable to breakage. This is why we suggest calling a professional cleaner if you have a major clog.
Baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are the best tools for prevention. You can find these products within the confines of your shelves.
Baking soda and vinegar are a perfect choice for degreasing. Mixing the two elements creates a foamy reaction and a bubbling solution. The bubbles let the baking soda tackle any grease that could lead to clogs. Do this regularly to prevent grease buildup.
Why? Because once grease sets in your lines, it becomes sticky and attracts other forms of debris, adding to the clogs. Your sewer lines get greasy even if you don’t notice much waste going down there. Therefore, as the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
2. Flushing Drain pipelines
In case it isn’t a clog you’re worried about but you simply want to clean your lines as maintenance, flushing them with water is a good and easy solution. This is best combined with a drain cleaner. Your toilet is a good place to start.
Be warned, however! Don’t do this when you have a clog. If you put excessive water during a clog, it will only add to your troubles. If you’re doing this, make sure that there aren’t any clogs. Please don’t forget!
3. Clean your dishes thoroughly
Another form of prevention is cleaning your dishes carefully, ensuring that you remove all forms of grease. This is something everyone must do to prevent grease from going into your lines and causing clogs. It just takes the right citrus-based cleaner. For extremely dirty dishes, baking soda and vinegar will work. Just keep in mind that if you clean dishes now, you won’t have a bigger cleaning problem later.
Even if you’re using a dishwasher, clean out all the grease with tap water before loading them. When water drains from the dishwasher it goes straight into your pipes.
4. Hire a professional
While the ideas we offered above are a good starting point and you can do them at home, it’s important to call a professional drain cleaning service at least a few times a year for general maintenance. Not all plumbers offer this service, so make sure to confirm and call the ones that do. They have a lot of experience, use the right tools, and own safety equipment to do a proper job. Ask your plumber how long the whole process would take so that you can plan your day.
If you follow our cleaning tips, it won’t leave a massive cleaning job for the plumber and will cost less too! However, if the clog is far too big for you to handle on your own, put our tips aside and don’t hesitate to call an expert. You might damage your drain pipes and make the situation worse.
Another advantage of hiring a professional is that they will inform you about problems that could occur in the future, advising you on the best way forward.
5. Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Many of us tend to think that our sewer lines or drainage pipes don’t need cleaning because we can’t see them. Nope! You need to pay close attention to these pipes. In case a major problem shows up, not only is it expensive to fix but your pipes might need replacement.
Make sure to clean your drainage lines regularly and also follow our preventive tips to avoid a clogging drain. But even if you do, get your pipes checked by an expert at least twice a year. You don’t want smelly, sticky, and leaking drain pipes do you?
Thankfully, experts at Octopus are well-versed with all aspects of cleaning your drain pipes along with world-class plumbing services. Our handymen are licensed and have insurance coverage, giving you peace of mind and freedom from liabilities.
To reach out to our experts, call us on our toll-free number, 800 3993, and we’re happy to answer your questions.
