It’s Easier To Prevent Clogs Than It Is To Unplug

There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent clogged and slow-running drains. The best thing you can do is to be conscious of what you put down them. Soap scum, hair, cooking grease and coffee grounds are some of the worst things for drains.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help keep your drain running smoothly.

• Use a drain-grate or screen over the drain opening. This will help stop soap scum and hair from going down.
• Dispose of your coffee grounds in the garbage rather than washing them down the drain.
• Put cooking grease and oil in an old milk container or coffee can and dispose of it in the garbage.
• Doing a few cleaning tricks on a regular basis can also help avoid clogging:
• Hot water keeps the oils in food products softer and therefore helps them run down the drain easier. After each use run hot water down the sink for a minute or so.
• Vinegar is a useful cleaning material. It has acetic acid, which is an effective organic solvent that helps to breakdown buildup of organic materials. Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes before running very hot water to follow it down.
• If your sink has a garbage disposal, try filling an ice cube tray half up with vinegar topped off with water. After they’ve frozen, turn on the garbage disposal, pop the ice cubes out and put them down the drain. The vinegar helps clean and the ice scrapes the grease of the drain walls.

If you have any questions or would like more information on any our plumbing services, please don’t hesitate to contact Lone Star Plumbing and Heating Ltd. in Calgary on 403-295-3028!