How to Preventing Your Sink From Clogging: Our Guide

There is nothing more annoying and inconvenient than experiencing a clogged sink. The chances are that the wastewater doesn’t go down the drain, and it just keeps on backing up. The biggest culprit? A clogged drain in your sink! This typically happens when household members don’t observe proper waste disposal. They end up putting or pouring various types of wastes down the drain, which eventually gets accumulated in the pipes. As a result, they cause a clog and lead to severe plumbing issues.

In this article, we’ll share the top causes of a clogged drain so that you know what to avoid throwing in your sink and what you can do to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

What causes your sink to clog

Before we delve further, let’s take a look at what causes your sink to clog so that you know what to address and do. Take note of the following:

1. Dirt: For your drains outdoors, it’s easy for specks of dirt and excess mud to go down the drain. This usually happens after gardening or working outside. 
2. Hair: For your shower drains, it’s common for hair strands to fall off during a shower. If you don’t have mesh screens installed, these strands will easily flow down the drain.
3. Soap: As you may or may not be aware, bar soaps actually have fats that get formed with hair strands, minerals, and other debris in the pipes of your shower drains. 
4. Grease: Pouring down grease is a big no-no! However, many households aren’t wary of this, thinking that it’s a liquid. Many fail to realize that it cools down, gets hard, and turns into solid in your pipes over time.
5. Food waste: It’s common for food wastes to get thrown in the kitchen sink. When washing the dishes, family members end up allowing food particles to go down the pipes, which builds up over time.
6. Tree roots: Many homeowners tend to neglect the fact that the roots of surrounding trees grow and may penetrate the underground pipes. When they break in the lines, the damages can obstruct the water flow and cause hefty repairs.

How to prevent your sink from clogging

As with any household endeavours, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This principle also applies to something as simple as avoiding clogged sinks at home. Below are some practical tips for preventing your sink from clogging:

1. Be sure to install correctly sized drain strainers in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and garden sinks.
2. Never dispose of grease in your drains; collect it and throw it outside instead.
3. Observe proper disposal of wastes during cooking and food preparation and even after a meal.
4. Use household solutions (baking powder/vinegar/warm water mixture) and pour them down your drain at least once a month to clear any growing clogs.
5. Turn on the cold water and run it for the duration of the process when using your disposal. 
6. Clean your drain stoppers every time you maintain your bathroom.
7. Only flush these three Ps down your toilet—pee, poo, and paper! No other items should go down the drain.

Conclusion

At this point, we’ve covered the causes of a clogged sink—from pouring grease to throwing food wastes down the drain to growing tree roots. Be sure to follow the practical tips outlined above to prevent a clogged sink from occurring. In the end, every household has the sole responsibility to take good care of their sinks and the entire plumbing system!

If you are facing a plumbing emergency in Calgary due to a clogged sink, get in touch with us today to see how we can help! We provide 24/7 expert plumbing and HVAC services for commercial and residential properties with over 25 years of experience in the industry!