We all want to enjoy the cooler months! Texas in the winter season has some fantastic fun to get into, so why would you want to be stuck dealing with your drains? If you want to avoid the hassle of drain backup and weird smells this winter, then let us share our top 5 essential drain cleaning tips for a hassle-free winter!
Tip #1 – Know Your Cleaners
A great tip to start off with is know what cleaners are safe for your drains and how often they should be used. Lots of people tend to reach straight for chemical cleaners, thinking that they’ll be more powerful and effective. Sometimes they’re right, but chemical cleaners can do damage to your drains if used too often. We recommend switching over to an enzyme cleaner, which does the same thing but more naturally, with enzymes that break down food particles and buildup.
Tip #2 – Screen It
Our second tip for you is to invest in drain screens. In your bathrooms, this will help trap hair and soap scum and keep that messiness out of your drains. In your kitchen, these screens will help minimize food particles, soap scum, and more from getting into your drain, meaning less cleaning will be needed.
Tip #3 – Be Mindful
Just because it fits down your drain doesn’t mean it belongs there! This is especially important to remember in the kitchen. You may have a garbage disposal, but we don’t recommend dropping anything and everything in there. A few big examples of what to avoid putting in your kitchen sink drain are the following: fats (they solidify and clog), large veggie chunks (they can block your drain and/or damage your disposal), and meat (can start smelling rotten if it sticks in there).
Tip #4 – Get Hot
A quick way to get a little drain treatment is using periodic hot water flushes. From time to time, you can pour in a mix of baking soda and vinegar, then heat up some water to boiling and slowly pour it into your drains. This can help break down soap scum and other particles that can build up in there. For your kitchen sink, you can even put a few drops of dish soap for a little extra cleaning power.
Tip # 5 – Keep an Eye on Usage
Our last tip for you (this time) is to keep an eye on your water usage. Winter means extra hot water running, which means you may not notice if you spring a leak somewhere. We recommend keeping an eye on your water bills, as well as doing regular checks of your pipes and drains. The biggest key here is to winterize and insulate. If you suspect a leak, or you don’t feel comfortable doing these checks yourself, you can always call in the pros!
Winter is a time to be out and about with family and friends enjoying some fun in the cooler weather, so making sure that you aren’t wasting your time messing with your drains is our job. Loyalty Plumbing LLC is here for all your plumbing needs in the Cypress area, so check us out today!