Few things are more frustrating than standing ankle-deep in water during a shower. Or, watching your kitchen sink fill up just as you’re finishing the dishes.
You can tell when a drain’s not happy. The sink starts to gurgle and there’s a faint whiff of something unpleasant. That’s your home’s way of saying, “Hey, it’s time for a clean.”
So how often should you really clean your drains?
Once a month?
Every few months?
Only when you notice a smell?
According to plumbing experts, keeping up with regular drain cleaning can save you from frustrating blockages. Here’s a quick guide from Brisbane Drain Cleaning to help Brisbane Northside homeowners know when it’s time to clean their sinks and showers.
The kitchen sink cops the most abuse; from cooking oils and coffee grounds to food scraps that slip past the strainer.
Do not ever pour fats, oils, or grease down the drain. They might seem harmless when warm, but they harden as they cool. Grease can coat your pipes and catch bits of food along the way.
Hair, soap scum, and toothpaste are the usual suspects here. You’ll notice slow drainage or a faint smell when it’s time for a clean.
Using harsh chemical drain cleaners too often, like Drano, Liquid-Plumr, or generic “sink unblocker” gels from the supermarket. These products contain strong acids and caustic soda that can eat away at rubber seals, corrode metal pipes, and damage older plumbing.
Laundry drains can collect lint, detergent residue, and dirt from your clothes. Over time, that mix can cause clogs and odours.
You might not realise it, but your laundry floor drain also helps air move through the system. When it’s blocked, that trapped moisture can sneak into your walls and start growing mould.
It’s a familiar story for plumbers; a little too much detergent, a missed lint filter, and pipes lined with gunk that catches everything.
Leaves, dirt, and even insects can build up in outdoor drains, especially before and after storm season. If left alone, that debris can block water flow and cause flooding around the home.
Rinsing dirt, mulch, or garden waste into your drains while cleaning outdoors. It might wash away fast, but it all collects down the line — right where you don’t want it.
In some plumbing jobs, vinegar has caused more trouble than expected. Some fixtures aren’t stainless steel and may have coatings or aluminium parts that don’t hold up well. If you’re trying the vinegar method, don’t let it sit too long, test a small, hidden area first just to be safe.
There are plenty of homes out there still going strong after 20 years, with nothing worse than a slow shower drain now and then. If your plumbing’s working properly, you don’t need to keep dumping caustic cleaners down the line. Those products might clear a blockage short-term but can damage older metal or even plastic pipes later on.
Before you grab the phone, there are a few simple fixes worth trying first. If it’s just a minor clog or sluggish flow, these steps might save you a call-out.
Every plumber’s seen a “DIY fix” gone wrong; melted PVC pipes, cracked seals, flooded laundry rooms. If water’s backing up across multiple drains, or if you’ve tried every safe method and it’s still sluggish, your blockage’s likely deeper in the main line. That’s a plumber’s job, not a plunger’s.
Remember how we said standing ankle-deep in shower water is the worst? A little drain care keeps that from ever happening again.
But when things go past the DIY stage, think sinks that won’t empty, foul smells, or slow drains throughout the house, it’s time to call licensed plumbers. Expert plumbers can locate and clear the issue fast, so you can get back to normal without the mess.
Visit SparkHomes for practical advice on keeping your home in shape.
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