You know what they say, “Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don’t want to press your luck”. If you didn’t know that Irish Proverb, now you do. March is known as the month of luck, but when it comes to some things around your home, like your kitchen plumbing, you likely don’t want to leave it up to luck. Your kitchen plumbing is probably not something you regularly think about until there’s a problem. Like most things in your home, good habits and regular maintenance can help you prevent a kitchen plumbing clog.
Tips to Prevent a Kitchen Plumbing Clog
The best way to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog is to be careful about what goes down your drains. Cooking grease, coffee grounds, eggshells, starchy foods, and more can lead to a blockage. Let’s review some other things you can do to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog so you don’t have to look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to help you pay for a much larger plumbing issue.
- Don’t use your garbage disposal for your garbage. Let’s start with the obvious, as we mentioned above, one of the best ways to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog is to not put things down your drains that don’t belong there. A garbage disposal, unlike its name, is not meant to be used to dispose of all your garbage, it is designed to get rid of food waste exclusively and not all food materials are safe. Be vigilant to avoid putting these items down your kitchen drains: grease, pasta or rice, eggshells, coffee grounds, produce stickers, and starchy and fibrous fruits and vegetables.
- Use a drain strainer. Most sinks come with a sink strainer or basket, and it is there for a reason. Using a sink strainer over the drain is one of the easiest and most inexpensive way to prevent future clogs and blockages. The strainer can catch food particles and other substances that can’t and shouldn’t wash down the drain. Non-liquids will sit in the trap rather than flowing down the drain. Once you are done, remove the strainer and discard of the solids in your trash.
- Rinse hot water down the drain on a regular basis. Even if you are careful, a small amount of food and/or fats and grease can make their way down your drain. In order to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog, it is a good idea to pour boiling hot water down your sink about once a week. Heat some water in a kettle, and pour it slowly down the drain (dummies.com). It is also a good idea to run some hot water down the drain, after each use, to help any small food particles wash away and to prevent clogs from forming.
- Use baking soda to clean and flush your drain. Baking soda is a great cleaning agent for kitchen drains. If you sprinkle baking soda down the drain, at least monthly, you can help prevent blockages and eliminate odors. To clean the drain, it’s recommended that you throw a handful of baking soda, followed by hot water down the drain. Baking soda can not only clean the plumbing of accumulated waste but, as stated above, it also absorbs foul smells that tend to build up in kitchen drains.
When it comes to your home, your kitchen is likely one of the most important rooms in it, and having a kitchen plumbing clog can not only be inconvenient, it can cost you. Don’t leave your plumbing usage up to luck, take steps to prevent a kitchen plumbing clog to avoid a blockage before it occurs.
Arizona Comfort Specialists are here for your Phoenix plumbing needs. We have been family owned and operated since 2000, so we know how important a kitchen is to a home. We are passionately committed to integrity, honesty, fair pricing, and guaranteed quality-work. Contact us for your plumbing needs today.
