Helpful And Actionable Drain Cleaning Tips For New Homeowners

As a new homeowner, you may feel like you have a lot to learn about your home's various systems and parts and how they all work. But if you can learn and absorb just a little at a time, you will soon become more knowledgeable, and you'll soon develop more skills to help you better care for your home. A good example of this is with your drains and keeping them clean. What you need to know about drain cleaning as a homeowner boils down to the following helpful tips.

Clog prevention is the easiest way.

If your drain clogs, there are ways to deal with that. But a more ideal approach would be to avoid having a clogged drain in the first place. Preventing clogs is not as hard as you might think. You simply avoid putting anything down the drain that would lead to a blockage. That includes grease and anything oily or greasy. It also includes hair, which is why keeping a hair trap in your drain is so important. The one thing you really can't avoid is soap scum. If you use soap, then some soap scum will go down the drain, and it may occasionally lead to blockages.

Plunging often works.

If a drain does seem slow, take care of it before it becomes blocked completely. At this early stage, you usually only have to plunge the drain to get it running freely again. A plunger with a bowl-shaped head will do the trick. Position it around the drain opening, and plunge away. Some grime may come up the drain and then go back down again. That's normal and to be expected. You can sanitize the sink with bleach afterward to get rid of any germs.

Don't hesitate to call the plumber.

If plunging does not work, you can try putting some boiling water down the drain or combining vinegar and baking soda to foam away the blockage. But if a plunger does not work, you'll end up having to call a plumber. The blockage is likely made from really firm material that won't budge, and a plumber can remove it from the drain using a drain snake. These tools can puncture a drain line in the wrong hands, so you should hire a pro to use one rather than attempting a DIY job.

Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to do a better job of clearing your drains. If you have additional questions, contact a drain cleaning professional in your area.