Four Nasty Substances That Might Be Clogging Your Drains
Nobody likes to turn on the water and find that their drain is clogged. Most drains appear to clog suddenly, but in fact, you might have the beginnings of a clog starting to accumulate in your drain right now. There are four nasty substances that tend to cling to the walls of pipes. When the layers of these substances get thick enough, the drain stops flowing. Here is a closer look at those four substances and some more info on how to keep them out of your drains.
Fats
Do you use coconut oil to rinse your mouth? Maybe you do a monthly olive oil treatment for your hair, or perhaps you cook with a lot of sauces, the remains of which end up down the drain. Fats that are solid at room temperature, like coconut oil and butter, are the worst culprits when it comes to clogs, but liquid fats can accumulate in drains, too. Try to dispose of all fats and oils in the trash rather than your sink.
Hair
Hair is most likely to be an issue if you have long hair. However, even pet hair and short beard hairs can contribute to clogs if you rinse enough of them down your drain. Always run the water while shaving so that the hair gets rinsed away, rather than all going down in one pile. If you have long hair or wash a pet in your sink, put a hair trap in the drain to catch hair before it goes down the drain.
Scum
Surely you're familiar with the sticky, off-white scum that you must scrub away from the inside of your sink and tub. This soap scum forms as a combination of minerals from your water and certain fatty acids in soap. It builds up in pipes and can cause clogs eventually. To avoid soap scum accumulation, use liquid soaps rather than bar soap. And flush your drains with boiling water to melt the beginnings of soap scum before the layer gets too thick.
Lint
Lint is mostly a problem in drains that your washer may empty into, such as the drain attached to your laundry sink. If you handwash clothing in your bathroom or kitchen sink, you may get lint clogs in those drains, too. Prevent link clogs by putting a lint trap on the end of your washer's drain hose. If you launder clothing in the sink, put a mesh strainer in the sink drain to catch lint.