Over time, bathtub and shower drains can develop heavy buildups of soap scum, body oils, and hair. But kitchen sink drains often encounter tougher waste than any other household drains. Accumulations of grease, cooking oils, rendered fats, and food can cause kitchen sinks to drain slowly or not at all. The good news is that you can keep your kitchen sink draining smoothly with these simple tips.
Dispose of Cooking Oils the Right Way
After cooking bacon, ground beef, or any other fatty meat, avoid putting the resulting rendered fat down your drain. Instead, let rendered fats cool and harden, and then place them in the trash. If these fats cool and harden in your pipes, they’ll obstruct the waste flow and trap passing debris.
Keep residual greases and oils from being flushed down your drain by wiping plates, pans, and cooking utensils before washing them. Use a paper towel or napkin to clear off large, greasy deposits rather than rinsing them off in the sink.
Use a Drain Strainer
Hard, non-degradable items can get snagged in your kitchen sink’s drain pipe. Even minor blockages from accidentally dropped jewelry, bottlecaps, and other small-sized items can lead to major plumbing issues if they catch and retain passing debris. To keep solid, non-degradable items out of your drain pipe, always use a drain strainer. Drain coverings will sieve out potential obstructions for easy retrieval.
Care for Potted Plants Outdoors
Never place your potted plants in your kitchen sink for deep-root watering or other plant maintenance. If you accidentally flush loose soil down your drain, you may need professional drain snaking. Care for your potted plants outside to keep perlite, peat, and other ground organic matter from blocking your drain pipes.
Regularly Flush Your Kitchen Sink’s Drain
Periodically flush your kitchen sink drain with hot water. To avoid damaging PVC pipes and loosening pipe seals, never use boiling-hot water. To more effectively break down greasy residues and other build-ups, add equal parts baking soda and vinegar to your drains just before flushing them out.
Schedule Professional Drain Maintenance
Schedule annual drain cleaning service to keep all your household drains moving swiftly. Hydro-jetting and professional drain snaking slough off grease, oils, and other grime on pipe walls. This opens the interior of drain pipes and keeps wastewater moving swiftly.
Address Hard Water Concerns
Hard water has high concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium. These minerals leave heavy deposits in both water supply pipes and wastewater pipes. Although professional drain cleaning can break down and flush out hard water scale, you can easily prevent hard water buildups by installing a whole-house water softener. If you have hard water in your home, take steps to mitigate it before your kitchen sink starts draining slowly.
The drains in busy kitchen sinks take a veritable beating. Keep your kitchen sink draining smoothly with regular drain maintenance and proactive clog prevention. If you have concerns or require drain cleaning services, contact Pioneer Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, & Electrical in Tennessee.