Common Questions About Clogged Pipes and Drain Cleaning

The cause of a clog really depends on where it is in your house. In the kitchen, the problem is usually FOG—that's fats, oils, and grease—that get poured down the sink and then harden into a stubborn blockage. In the bathroom, the main culprit is hair, which gets tangled up with soap scum and toothpaste to form a solid mass. For toilets, clogs are often from flushing too much toilet paper or things that shouldn't be flushed at all, like paper towels and "flushable" wipes. A more serious issue is in the main sewer line, where blockages can be caused by invasive tree roots or a buildup of waste from the whole house.

Prevention is definitely the best strategy! You can avoid most clogs by adopting a few good habits. Most importantly, never pour grease or oil down the kitchen sink; let it cool and throw it in the trash instead. It's also a great idea to use drain strainers or mesh screens on all your sinks and tubs to catch hair and food particles before they go down. Always scrape food scraps into the trash before rinsing plates and remember that only human waste and toilet paper should go down the toilet. Regularly flushing your drains with hot water can also help keep them clear.

For minor clogs, there are a few safe things you can try before calling for help. First, carefully pour a pot of boiling waterdirectly down the drain, which can dissolve soap scum or melt grease. (Be cautious if you have PVC pipes, as boiling water can soften them). A plunger is also very effective; just make sure you get a good seal around the drain and use firm pumps. A classic home remedy is a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Pour about a cup of baking soda down the drain, follow it with a cup of vinegar, let it foam for about an hour, and then flush it all out with hot water.

It's best to use them with extreme caution, if at all. While these liquid cleaners can sometimes work on organic clogs, they have serious downsides. The chemicals are highly corrosive and can damage your pipes, especially if they're older or made of PVC. The toxic fumes are also hazardous to your health and bad for the environment. If the cleaner doesn't work, you're left with a pipe full of dangerous chemicals, making it much more hazardous for a plumber to fix.

Before a drain stops working completely, it will usually give you a few warnings. The most obvious sign is slow draining, where water takes much longer than usual to empty from a sink or tub. You might also hear strange gurgling sounds coming from the pipes as water struggles to get past the partial blockage. Another common sign is a foul odorcoming from the drain, which is caused by trapped food and debris starting to decay. Finally, seeing water back up into a sink or shower is a sure sign that a clog is forming.

This is a major red flag that points to a bigger problem. 🚩 If your toilet, shower, and sinks are all draining slowly or backing up at the same time, the blockage is almost certainly not in an individual drain pipe. This situation indicates a problem with your main sewer line. This is a serious issue that requires immediate professional attention to avoid a messy and unsanitary sewage backup into your home.