Clog 101: Tips to Prevent and Fix Clogs

Disclosure: Today’s post is written on behalf of Roto-Rooter. The opinions are my own.

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Here on the blog, we’ve discussed a lot of tips and strategies to make housekeeping easier.  Just in the last month, I’ve shared tips and along with printable checklists for cleaning your kitchen and your bathroom. One thing that can quickly throw a kink in having a clean kitchen or bathroom is a clog in your sink, bathtub, or toilet.  Today I will be sharing tips to prevent and fix clogs in these important areas.

Sink

Before we talk about fixing clogs, let’s briefly talk about preventing them.  The best way to prevent clogs is to avoid placing foreign objects down your drain.  (This includes food, pieces of soap, and hair.)  In the kitchen, you should rake all plates out before placing them in the sink, and place the stopper or strainer in the sink while you are washing so that it can catch any food in the sink.

Similarly, be careful not to let hair go down the drain in the shower or the sink drain, as you’re drying and styling your hair.  Stoppers and drain traps can help to catch the hair.  (We had a hair trap installed in our bathtub a few years; it works wonderfully to catch the hair and prevent it from getting stuck in our pipes!)

You should also run very hot water in all your sinks and tubs once a month just to test and make sure that the water is draining properly.  If things are running a little slow, you may want to pour a little baking soda down the drain, then add a little vinegar, and finally flush that out with hot water.

Finally, avoid flushing tampons, pads, or excessive amounts of toilet paper down the drain.  If someone in your family uses a lot of toilet paper, encourage them to flush twice to avoid overfilling and clogging the toilet.

Roto-Rooter Gel Clog Remover

As you know, not all prevention strategies are full proof, and sometimes a clog just happens!  In our house, it can literally sneak up on you in a matter of a day!  When this happens, the first thing I do try one of my prevention techniques: pour a little baking soda down the drain, followed by vinegar and hot water.  This often fixes a small clog.

If it does not work, then I turn to Roto-Rooter Gel Clog Remover.  With 25% more active ingredients than the leading brands, it works to fix the worst clogs!

Here’s how it works:  First, with the cap securely closed, shake well before using.  Then pour 16 oz. slowly into drain opening.  Allow to work for at least 10 minutes (or longer for tough clogs).  Then flush with hot water.  Roto-Rooter also has other products to fix your pipes, like Hair Clog Remover and Build Up Remover.
bathroom
 
You can also use a plunger.  If you’re working on a sink, block the drain and overflow of any adjacent basin. Blocking these openings helps focus the force of the plunger toward the blockage.  If standing water isn’t already present, add a couple of inches of water.  As you use the plunger, the water helps force the obstruction out of the way.  Remove the strainer or stopper. Cover the drain hole with the plunger cup and work the handle up and down repeatedly. After 15 to 30 seconds, see if the water drains properly. Try again if the drain is still blocked or sluggish. After you clear the clog, run water to flush away any remnants of the obstruction.
Use a drain stick.  Remove the strainer or stopper. Insert the drain stick down the drain and through the trap. (You may need to twist the tool.)Embed the tip into the clog as deeply as possible to allow the barbs to hook the material.  Remove the drain stick to pull up any material it snags. Then run water through the drain to wash out any loose debris and reinstall the strainer or stopper.
 
Do you have any tips to prevent or fix clogs? Please share you tip in the comments section.   And if you’re having a clog crisis the week, consider checking out Roto-Rooter Gel Clog Remover.

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Comments

  1. Yes as someone involved in the plumbing field these are definitely great ways to prevent us plumbing services from coming to your home. Sometimes the simplest ways of doing things save you the most money great post.

  2. Even clearing the drain lines every couple of months with solvants can save you from expensive rooter services or pipe replacements. I know a lady that pours a gallon of bleach down her farthest drain in the house every month and states shes never had an issue with clogged lines.

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