Unfortunately, we don’t give much thought to our drains and pipes until we encounter a problem, which is usually a clog that may cause a messy and smelly overflow. Most people believe that clogged drains and pipes are an unavoidable part of life. Of course, clogged kitchen sinks, shower drains and, worst of all, the dreaded toilet always seem to occur at the most inopportune moment. Clogs are usually the result of objects or substances which we either purposely dispose of in our sinks and toilets or which normally enter our drainage system through daily use, such as soap, oil/fat and human or animal hair.

We always advise our customers to do their best to prevent certain things from entering their drains. To begin with, we should never allow food scraps from going down our kitchen drain, unless of course you have a garbage disposal, which can be very convenient, but if it is feasible, you should add food scraps to your compost pile to produce organic fertilizer. Secondly, you should TRY to prevent oil and fat from entering your pipes since they tend to build up on the inside walls of pipes and solidify into a white greasy mass which blocks everything from going down. The best way to prevent oil and fat from going down your drains is to use paper towels to absorb them and throw the oily towels in the trash. Thirdly, use drain screens in your sinks (both kitchen and bathroom) and bath/shower drains to trap hair from travelling down the drains. You see, hair combines with soap residue to form powerful clogs; it acts very much like the straw which was added to mud/clay to create brick for the construction of homes.

Most people believe that they can throw literally anything down the toilet since they figure that the pipe is wide and there won’t be any problem for the object to travel to the main sewage line (you won’t believe what plumbers have removed from these pipes!). You should be aware that anything which contains cloth or cotton fibres will not break down in the sewage system (for example feminine products, diapers, bandages, cotton products etc.). Consequently, don’t dispose of them down your toilet, instead throw them in your trash bin.

Finally, avoid using chemicals drain openers or other cleaning chemicals since they corrode pipes and of course these dangerous substance contaminate our groundwater and harm our environment. Instead of spending your hard earned cash on expensive drain cleaners, you could spend a few dollars to buy some vinegar and baking soda to clean your drains and in the process avoid harming our environment. It’s very simple! Firstly, make certain that there is no standing water and all you have to do is pour half a cup of baking soda down your clogged drain, followed by half a cup of white vinegar. If you have a drain cover, place it over the drain and wait for at least 20 minutes. The next step is to pour about a litre and a half of boiling water down the drain to clean your pipes. It’s that simple! You should use this recipe periodically to maintain your pipes sparkling clean and avoid inconvenient clogs. If your problem is more serious then all you have to do is call the us to help you deal with it effectively and affordably.