Many of us don’t think twice about what we wash down the kitchen sink, but when we encounter a clog, everything changes. Your kitchen sink pipes have a tough job to do: they have to endure a lot of greasy, sticky substances every day.
If you are fortunate enough to have newer, PVC or copper pipes, your sink may be more equipped to handle all that grease. But if you have older plumbing, there is a higher chance of your pipes clogging regularly.
Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, you can help this situation significantly by being mindful of what you put down your kitchen sink, thereby preventing those messy, time-consuming clogs.
Discard These Substances in the Trash
Even with a great garbage disposal, every unit has its limitations and shelf life. There are certain substances that you just don’t want to pour down the garbage disposal, and these include:
- Cooking grease
- Chunky potato and carrot skins
- Coffee grounds
- Fat trimmed off of meats
With these above substances, you are better off tossing them in the trash than placing them down the garbage disposal. You should also have a sink strainer in place over the drain. This way large pieces of food aren’t washed down the drain.
If you using a garbage disposal, be sure to run cold water through the drain while it’s running. This helps wash the shredded food down the drain pipe.
When Bleach Comes in Handy
Water alone isn’t enough to maintain clean pipes, especially if you have aging pipes or pipes that are attached to a sewage plant. We recommend using good old-fashioned bleach to disinfect and clean pipes, and to dissolve stubborn clogs.
About once a month, you can pour about 12 ounces of chlorine bleach in the drain. The next morning, run water through the pipe so you can thoroughly flush the pipe.
Don’t let the bleach sit on the sink’s surface if you have a stainless steel sink, and don’t ever use bleach if you recently cleaned the sink with any cleaning product containing ammonia.
Are you having a problem with a clogged drain or your garbage disposal? Call A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc. to schedule an appointment with one of our Kansas City plumbers!
