Drain Cleaning Tips to Beat the Summer Heat

Summer brings sunshine, barbecues, and gathering at home with family and friends, but all the extra activity puts added stress on your plumbing system. This busy time of year can bring slow drains, stubborn clogs, and plumbing headaches that hinder your summer fun. Fortunately, with the proper drain cleaning habits, you can keep water flowing smoothly and avoid costly plumbing issues. Learn how to stay ahead of clogs and slow drains in your kitchen and bathroom.

Summer Is Tough on Drains

When school is out, and more people are visiting your home, your plumbing system works extra hard to manage everything you need it to do. Kitchen sinks get more food scraps, bathrooms receive heavier use, and showers often work double duty as everyone tries to stay cool. All this increased use raises the risk of debris accumulating in your drains and creating blockages.

Be Mindful of What Goes Down Your Drains

To prevent clogs, know what is going down your drains. When it comes to the kitchen sink, there are some food items that should not go down the drain, even if you have a garbage disposal. Hot grease and oil may flow easily down your pipes, but once they cool, they can harden and stick to your pipes, collecting more food to block them. Coffee grounds, eggshells, fibrous vegetables like celery and asparagus, and onion skins do not break down easily.
Pasta and rice expand with water, making it easier for them to stick inside the pipes as they go down the drain.

To prevent garbage disposal problems, wipe greasy pans out before washing them, and make sure all food debris goes into the trash instead. In the bathroom, hair, soap scum, and toothpaste are major contributors to a slow drain. Install a mesh screen to prevent these items from going down the drains.

Drain Cleaning Tips

Regular drain maintenance doesn’t have to be time-consuming, and it can make a difference when it comes to preventing clogs and slow drainage. Below are several simple yet effective drain cleaning tips that you can use to keep your plumbing in top shape throughout the summer.

Flush Drains With Hot Water Weekly

One of the easiest preventive measures is to flush your drains with boiling water. It helps break down and remove grease, soap scum, and debris that may be clinging to the sides of your pipes. This is particularly useful in the kitchen, where oils and food particles tend to accumulate.

Clean the Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals collect food and grease that quickly lead to foul smells and drainage issues. A quick cleaning routine can keep it running smoothly. Place a handful of ice and a squirt of dish soap in the garbage disposal. Then, run cold water with the disposal on. The ice helps dislodge stuck-on debris, while the soap cuts through the grease in the pipes. Sending small pieces of orange or lemon peel down the disposal can eliminate smells coming from the drain.

Install and Maintain Drain Screens

Drain screens are easy to install. They sit over or just inside the drain opening and catch food particles, hair, and more before they enter your pipes. These screens are available in various sizes, ensuring a perfect fit for sinks, tubs, and showers. Make sure that you empty and rinse screens regularly and replace any broken ones.

Schedule Annual Drain Cleaning

Using harsh chemical drain cleaners may offer a quick fix, but they corrode your pipes and cause more damage in the long run. A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is not a fix-all solution, either. It will help minimize odors coming from the drain, but it will not clear difficult clogs.

It’s a good idea to schedule professional drain cleaning at least once a year. Our licensed plumbers use specialized tools, such as hydro jetters and motorized augers, to remove deep, stubborn buildup that you can’t easily reach. Early detection can restore your plumbing system and help extend the lifespan of your pipes.

The Value of Professional Drain Cleaning

Keeping your drains running smoothly during the summer months doesn’t have to be a hassle. Being mindful of what goes down the drain and performing regular maintenance go a long way toward avoiding frustrating clogs. Leak Geeks Plumbing is a family-owned business that has been serving Tarrant County for over 25 years. If you need drain cleaning before summer is in full swing, contact us today!