No one wants to deal with a smelly, clogged kitchen sink drain. Kitchen drain clogs are a common and irritating part of day to day life, fortunately there are steps you can take for effective kitchen clogged sink prevention. Read on for clogged sink tips and clogged sink prevention methods for those in the Gresham, OR and Portland, OR areas.
How to Prevent a Clogged Kitchen Sink
Your kitchen’s drain encounters food particles, grease, fat and much more on a regular basis. The regular use of your kitchen’s drain is likely to result in a clogged sink if precautions are not taken to avoid an obstruction. Below are clogged kitchen sink tips and clogged sink prevention methods to help ensure the integrity and functional usage of your kitchen drain.
- Often times, grease is a major culprit in clogged kitchen drains. Avoid pouring grease down your drain and instead dispose of it through your garbage receptacle.
- Refrain from disposing of coffee grounds down your kitchen sink. Toss your coffee grounds into the garbage.
- Cease the use of chemical drain cleaners, for any of the drains in your home. These harsh chemicals are known to eat away at pipes and can cause significant damage to your home’s plumbing system.
- Utilize drain covers. Purchase a package of drain strainers and cover all of your drains. It is much easier to clean a drain cover than it is to clear a clogged drain.
- Clean your kitchen drain weekly by pouring a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and hot water down the drain and letting it sit for 30 minutes.
- If your kitchen drain begins draining slowly, check the garbage disposal for a clog. Try running water and turning the garbage disposal on. If the garbage disposal emits a low humming noise, it is jammed. In this case, unplug the garbage disposal and turn the blades of the garbage disposal manually with a screwdriver.
- If the garbage disposal does not appear to be clogged, then the clog is in the drain itself. To resolve the clog, fill your kitchen sink up ¼ full of water, put a cloth over the drain then use a plunger to slowly move the clog.
- If the plunging technique fails, disassemble the trap under the sink and clear it out.
- If the trap is already cleared, and your kitchen drain is still clogged, snake the drain with a plumber’s auger.
More Information about Clogged Kitchen Sinks
If none of the clogged kitchen sink drain prevention tips or clogged drain methods worked for you, it may be time to call in a professional. Small kitchen drain clogs should be easily cleared using the methods described above. Your inability to clear your kitchen drain clog could be an indication of a more severe issue that is best diagnosed by a professional.