A blocked drain is bound to happen in your kitchen eventually, and usually at the most inconvenient time, like when you are entertaining or during the holidays. You are finishing with the after-dinner washing up and looking forward to relaxing after all your hard work cooking a great meal when you realize that dirty water in the sink isn’t going anywhere soon unless you take action!
Prevention is of course the best course, thus avoiding the situation altogether, but sometimes in our busy lives we forget and pour things down that drain we probably shouldn’t. There are some methods you can use to try to alleviate the situation after the fact, which we will examine, but let’s face it, the easiest solution is going to be for you to ring up your friendly plumber in Central Coast and put your messy problem into their expert hands!
Now, Let’s take a moment to see what we can do to keep this problem from happening, along with some possible quick fixes before you have a big mess on your hands! Here are some helpful tips to keep that dirty water going where it should, down that drain:
- Routine Maintenance – Prevention works wonders, so be proactive when it comes to your sink’s proper maintenance by having regular inspections scheduled with your trusted local plumber at least twice yearly basis. The professionals can spot problems down in the pipes that you can’t see, and make sure those blockages never happen in the first place!
- No Inappropriate Objects – You would be amazed at what plumbers report they have pulled out of blocked sink drains- dental floss, cleansing wipes, paper towels, cotton buds, used bandages, and even razor blades! It’s hard to imagine, but if it can fit in a drain some people will just wash it all down the sink, as if it were a rubbish bin! Add oil, grease, and fat to this and you have a major blockage, guaranteed, an expensive disaster that could easily have been avoided with some common sense. The right answer is to simply put all that stuff in the bin where it belongs and to educate children and adults who should know better not to commit the offence in the first place!
- Drain Guards – If these had been there from the beginning, the problems we just mentioned above might never have happened! Drain guards are a simple way to catch food debris, hair, and any other possible blockages from exiting the sink and causing you big headaches!
- Boiling Water – This is an old-time cure that we still use because it can really help! The hot water melts sticky grease, helping to dislodge any heavier objects stuck in it, and wash them all away!
- Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda  – This all-natural cleaning solution can turn the tide when the boiling water isn’t quite enough! Mix together plain vinegar (no need for any fancy flavours here!) with equal parts of bicarbonate of soda, then pour the concoction down the drain where it will begin to fizz and pop. Let it do it’s thing for about ten minutes, then flush it all down with boiling water. This is generally enough to clear the drain, if not, then you had better call your plumber for help!
Because plumbing is such an essential component of our modern lifestyle, the Australian Government has instituted a plumbing code which you can reference to make sure your home is in accordance, thus helping you avoid future plumbing problems. We hope this article helps you keep your drains clear and the dirty water going down them as it should!
