Drain-Cleaning Tips And Best Practices To Remember This Winter
Your house's drains should be given a good cleaning at least once a season. With winter's arrival, this is the perfect time to give every drain in your house some extra attention. Here are some drain-cleaning tips and best practices to remember as you move through the coldest months of the year.
Be on the Lookout for Body Hair in the Shower Drain
Your shower's drain can become clogged over time due to body hair making its way down into the drain. You might notice your drain working slower than usual, for example, after the holiday season is over. Did you just invite 10 relatives to stay in your house and use your shower all on the same weekend? Give your shower drain a cleaning after the in-laws leave and the new year arrives in order to restore it to its normal condition.
Take Care of a Slow or Stopped Drain Before the Temperature Dips Even Further
If you have a slow-running drain, it's important to get this taken care of as soon as possible during the winter. If you have water lingering inside your plumbing or moving slower than it normally would during this time of year, you have a recipe for a frozen pipe. Clear all of the drains and make sure the water can get out before Mother Nature drops the temperature down below freezing again.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Work, and So Does Boiling Water
If you are looking for a home remedy for a clogged drain, you can create your own simple concoction using the baking soda and vinegar you already have in your kitchen. Dump the baking soda down the clogged drain and then chase it with the vinegar. You'll see a foamy reaction not unlike what you might have seen when your science teacher had you make a baking soda volcano in chemistry class. The foam explosion will hopefully dislodge anything clogging the drain.
If you don't have any baking soda or vinegar, you can try boiling a pot of water and then dumping it into the drain while it's still piping hot. The boiling action will hopefully clear the drain right up.
You Can Get Professional Help
For best results, schedule an appointment with a drain cleaning service at least once or twice a year. A professional can come out to your home and make sure everything is flowing freely. If you run into any issues, a drain-cleaning professional will respond promptly to take care of the problem