When you’re busy in the kitchen, your sink can become a place of frustration and embarrassment. But it’s also a place where you can save time and money by preventing the clog that plagues many kitchen sinks.
When a drain gets clogged, it can cause the sink to overflow. This is a huge hassle for anyone with a busy household and it can be costly to call a plumber out to fix the problem.
Fortunately, there are some simple, inexpensive steps you can take to prevent a clogged sink in Lomita and make it easier to clean out when the problem arises.
1. Never put anything down the sink that should not go down the drain: Cooking grease, coffee grounds, and fats can all build up in the pipes over time and congeal to form a serious clog.
2. Always have a garbage disposal: Not only does this make it easier to clean up a messy drain, but it can also help keep waste particles out of the water supply and main sewer line.
3. Use a screen or drain-grate: Installing a drain-grate or a screen at the bottom of the sink can help to keep food and other debris from falling into the drain. These grates are usually available at home hardware stores or big box stores like Walmart, and they can catch hair and other items that might fall into the sink.
4. Use a plunger: A plunger is a simple way to remove small clogs and can also help to loosen larger blockages. However, it is important to make sure you get rid of as much standing water in the sink basin as possible before using a plunger, as this will allow the suction to work better and remove the clog more quickly.
5. Invest in a plumber’s snake: A plumber’s snake is a long, thin wire that can easily reach down into the drain and physically break up blockages in your pipes. These snakes are generally electric-powered, but you can make a makeshift one by using a straightened coat hanger as a wire.
6. Don’t pour chemical drain cleaners down the sink: Although pouring harsh chemicals down the drain can seem like a quick and easy solution, these products can actually do more harm than good. They can corrode the interior of the plumbing and lead to more extensive and expensive repairs in the future.
7. Try a baking soda-vinegar combination: Baking soda can help dissolve and dislodge the hardened materials that are clogging your drain, while vinegar can break down and remove odors that are causing the clog in the first place.
8. Have a P-trap removed: If your kitchen sink’s drain is clogged in the trap (the U-shaped pipe underneath the sink), then it will probably require you to open up the P-trap and get to the source of the problem. This is a very labor-intensive job, and you may need to be suited up with rubber gloves and eye goggles.
The Dos and Don’ts of Keeping Your Kitchen Sink Clean in Lomita