Follow These Steps To Avoid a Clogged Sink

How to Keep Your Sink From Clogging

Dinner's done, and all that is left to do is clean up. But what's that? Is the sink clogged?

Gross stagnant water fills up the sink. It's bound to happen from time to time, but the good news is that some easy guidelines can help minimize and prevent the chances of a clogged sink at home.

No Fats or Oils

One of the most frequent causes of a clogged sink is fat and oil. When poured down the sink, grease and oil will solidify, creating a nasty, stinky mess that will trap other debris as it drains.

Never put oil or grease down a sink or disposal. The best way to dispose of oil or grease is by pouring it into the trash or a separate container to throw away (or reuse). 

Use the Garbage Disposal Properly

Grinding up leftover scraps and bits in the sink can be incredibly convenient, but it can also easily lead to a backed-up sink. Proper usage of a garbage disposal will help prevent a costly call to the plumber down the road. 

The first thing to be aware of is not everything can go down the garbage disposal. Anything that is not food should never be placed in a garbage disposal. Oats, rice and bread can swell and cause blockage, and potato skins create a gooey glue-like substance that's sure to cause problems. Very fibrous and stringy vegetables (like onion skins or sauerkraut) will get stuck, as will fruit pits, nuts, seeds and anything else that may be too hard to cut. Coffee grounds cause significant problems, and bones and skin from meat products should be thrown away instead of going down the drain. 

Make sure to run cold water down the disposal for at least ten seconds before adding food. Chop waste into small pieces first, then add food in small amounts and let it grind through before adding more. Always run the disposal longer than it takes the food to grind, and make sure to turn it on once a week. 

Maintain the Drain Stopper

A drain stopper effectively plugs up the drainage hole in a sink, allowing it to fill with water. This is usually accomplished with a tapered rubber stopper that is slightly larger than the sink on the top. Many kitchen sinks have ones that also allow drainage depending on the position of the stopper. This is extremely useful for gathering food scraps to throw away, but due to the amount of use they receive, drain stoppers can get gross and nasty. Cleaning them is the easiest way to keep them functioning well.

Bathroom drain stoppers work by using a lever to raise and lower the stopper. This must be detached (usually by unscrewing from the back) before the stopper can be pulled out. Often hair and soap scum will come up with it. These can help avoid a nasty clogged sink with routine cleaning. 

Using these tips will help avoid serious draining problems, but it's always best to contact a professional. 

About First Choice Plumbing Solutions 

Serving Port St. Lucie, FL and the surrounding areas, First Choice Plumbing Solutions offers a full spectrum of plumbing services. They provide a one-hour service window, upfront pricing and 24-hour availability for emergencies. 

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